THE CYCLE OF CREATIVITY - How to create anything from nothing

THE CYCLE OF CREATIVITY

Whether we have the desire to create something ourselves...

Whether we are guiding young children and helping them understand that they can create anything...

Whether you are leading an organization and you want to empower those whom you guide to be more creative...

Enrique Feldman delivering a keynote address at the First Things First  Conference in Phoenix, AZ, August, 2015

We live in an increasingly visual environment. So, what does the creative process look like?

For children, it can be a moment in the kitchen with mom and/or dad and being part of the creation of a meal. Key to any moment would be the quality of the questions we ask while engaged. Open ended questions lead to a much more profound sense of creativity and begin to build a comfort level with the unknown with any age learner.

Mixing Paints and Pixels! Handmade Art mixed with Digital Art

Using different forms of Art can be a wonderful approach to opening up the creative process, as can collaboration. Assuming it is authentic collaboration, it can lead to synergy.  By authentic, I mean an environment where everyone feels safe enough to bring their ideas to the conversation.

Creativity can most easily be stirred in us when we connect to a passion we have.  When we begin to connect our sense of passion with others, creativity typically takes a leap forward in terms of the presence it has in our daily lives.

As children, we create everyday in most happy childhood situations. As adults, we quite often see creativity as a bonus, something we can sometimes engage... a luxury.

However, when we remember what it is to be a fully present human being, we are reminded of how much we have to learn from children. When we can find ways to create on a daily basis as adults, & live again like children, we find ourselves truly present in our daily lives and the cycle of creativity can become a way of life.

Early Childhood Educators experiencing iBG, Intellectual Brainwave Games, Original cognition and perspective games which remind us how it feels to learn something new!

Certainly, curiosity is connected to creativity...

There is a sequence of thought that, once engaged, will help you engage your inner sense of creativity and the feeling is like few others in life.  It is with great pleasure and authentic joy that I share this sequence with you. I call it the...

 Cycle of Creativity  

                                                              INSPIRATION 

What inspires you?

There are many ways to ask this question. For a young child it may start with "What do you like?" "What makes you excited?" I've decided to guide you through this cycle from both an adult and child perspective. Here we go!

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

Upon asking some adult friends of mine, many responded with one word... Chocolate! I wonder where the inspiration of chocolate will take us?

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

Upon asking some children what they loved and what excited them, some responded with... Ants! Hmmmm.... so many places this inspiration could take us, and actually took my daughter and me on a learning journey that has lasted for many years.

POV (Point of View)

What point of view do you choose and why do you choose this point of view? 

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So in this example, chocolate was the inspiration. I asked one of my friends who said chocolate and they wanted to explore chocolate from the perspective of chicken wings... wow... I would not have thought of that. I asked this individual why, and they responded with, "I love chicken wings and I love chocolate and I wonder if the two could work together."

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

In asking the child who said "Ants!" I asked, from what point of view?  They didn't know what that meant, so we got down on the ground to see what things might look like from the eyes of an Ant and the young learner said, "Everything looks bigger!" The chosen point of view was how things look from an ant's eyes!

A tree from the point of view of an ant!

London from the perspective of an ant!

The above image of London is from a real website that looks at London from the perspective of an ant... I thought that was so inventive I just HAD to share it!

MESSAGE

What message do you choose to share from the perspective of your POV?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

So what message did my friend choose? Health benefits of chocolate is what they chose. Why I asked? They responded without hesitation, "I'd like to justify the eating of chocolate."  Brilliant...

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eyes

In continuing my conversation with the young learner, I asked, "what is something important you want to share with others about the ants?" Their response was priceless... 

"Pretend you're an ant and see everything"

I interpreted this as "Go on an adventure!" Perhaps it would become "explore the world!" 

Sam the Ant - a new children's book series

CONCEPT

What concept do you choose to focus on that best shares your message?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate

The conversation with my friend was picking up as they were showing a great deal of curiosity as to where this could lead.  For their concept related to what they might create, they chose, "Healthy treat ideas!" They were all in, in part because they were creating the framework of creation.

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!

In continuing the conversation with this child, the idea of what should the big idea be?  What is a concept we could create and this particular child said, "I want to make my own story... my own book!" I'm so glad I paid attention :)

CONTENT

What is the specific content which will best share your concept?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate
Concept: Healthy Treat Ideas!

The conversation turned from concept to content, as in, ok... now that we have identified a lot of key details.... what do you want to create?!  The response was so cool.... "I want to create a chocolate based BBQ sauce that can be used with all sorts of cooking!"  I asked, "What about the healthy treat ideas?"  The response was so adorable.... "I'd like to change the concept to... healthier treat ideas."  Hahaaaaaahaa.... so, the cycle of creativity, like most cycles, is not always linear!

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!
Concept: I want to make my own story... my own book!

Some of you know where this is headed and that it is based on the real life story of my daughter. When it came to the content, the actual stuff of the story, she wanted to create an Ant story where the Ant was always able to figure out what to do when there were challenges. Today, we describe this as "embracing adversity as opportunity." She is in fact the little girl who wanted to create her own book, and guess what.... yep, we did it and we're creating 27 of them.  The first one, Sam the Ant - The Flood came out in July of 2016 and the second one, Sam the Ant - Glow in the Dark, comes out this month! Barnes & Noble even picked it up for in-store purchase in 4 locations thus far.

A page from the new children's book series, Sam the Ant at www.SamTheAnt.com

PRODUCT

What is the product that speaks to content, concept, message, POV, and how is it inspiring?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate
Concept: Healthier Treat Ideas!
Content: Chocolate Based BBQ Sauce
Product: Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

Ahhhhh.... the product.... so often, people begin with the product in mind, and sometimes you get lucky and it works. However, it is far more productive to begin with inspiration first. In this case, the product this person wanted to come up with was a Dark Chocolate BBQ sauce, so that the it wasn't overly sweet and could be matched with spices that pick up the earthiness of the chocolate!  Yum!!!!

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!
Concept: I want to make my own story... my own book!
Content: An Ant who always knows what do do when there is a challenge (embracing adversity as opportunity)
Product: Sam the Ant Children's Book Series

Today, this series continues to unfold and evolve and the response has been tremendous and heart warming, in large part from the initial inspiration of Ants!

RESOURCES FOR CONTINUED THOUGHT

SAM THE ANT... 

Follow your curiosity with books, brain games and music

Free Sam the Ant Origin Videos

Kaleidoscope Children's Album on the Grammy Ballot!

Enrique's Public Speaking

Upcoming Free Events for Children and Families

My good friend Dr. Danny Brassell's Public Speaking who is the king of perspective in the educational world

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Exciting Kids with Nonfiction by Dr. Danny Brassell

Exciting Kids About Non-Fiction 

There’s a great scene in the movie Three Men and a Baby where actor Tom Selleck rocks the baby girl in his arms and gently reads aloud to her in a sweet voice. No, he does not read a fairy tale or other predictable bedtime story. He reads aloud a basketball story from the Sports page of the newspaper. “It doesn’t matter what I read,” he points out to a friend watching him read sweetly to the baby. “It just matters that I read like this (in a sweet voice).”

Selleck’s character actually makes a really good point: reading aloud does not need to be isolated to traditional storybook stories. Parents may also include a healthy dose of nonfiction stories in their read-aloud rotation. In fact, since the federal government’s recently mandated Common Core standards place a lot of emphasis on nonfiction texts, parents who read nonfiction to their children can help prepare them for the sounds of texts they will soon find prevalent in their schools.

Click pic to go to RWR for Non-Fiction Bulletin Board and More NF Ideas

What Are the Types of Nonfiction for Children?

Without getting too technical, I have seen a lot of elementary classroom teachers classify their nonfiction texts into four categories:

1.      How-to Books: books that tell you how to do things.

2.   Informational Picture Storybooks: books that sound like typical narrative stories but have factual information.

3.     “All About” Books: books that give a lot of information about a topic.

4.      Question & Answer Books: books that have a question and an answer.

Whatever type of nonfiction book you choose, keep in mind the interests of your child as well as your child’s reading capabilities.

How Do You Choose Nonfiction Books for Children?

Interests. The most important thing for parents to consider when selecting a nonfiction book – or any type of book, for that matter – for their child is to choose a book that interests their child. Reading should always revolve around the child’s interests. If your child likes dinosaurs, find lots of dinosaur books. If your child wants to learn how to bake cupcakes, find interesting baking cookbooks. I had one girl student who would read every book, magazine or newspaper article she could get her hands on about swimming. She was three years old and could not read the words, but she sat mesmerized by photos of Janet Evans and Missy Franklin.

Pictures. Try to look for books with great photographs or illustrations. Even if the book has few words, time spent in front of books is quality time. I’ve seen children stare in awe at books about how skyscrapers are made, books about freaky-looking reptiles and books about Presidents. Pages over screens: more time spent in front of books means less time spent in front of televisions and video games.

Accessibility. Make sure the texts of the books you choose are appropriate for your child. Informational picture storybooks often deal with detailed historical and technical information in an engaging and age-appropriate way. In fact, I often recommend to adults to read as many children’s books as they can to provide them the basic background knowledge they need to understand certain subjects (I, personally, tend to read children’s book biographies to see if particular figures are worth my reading time at the adult level; it’s a good way to sound intelligent at cocktail parties, too).

How Do I Read Nonfiction Books with My Child?

Be prepared for even more questioning from your child when reading nonfiction texts. One of the amazing things about children as they look to us parents as authorities on everything. While I like to consider myself well informed, I am not Google. So I try to research topics a little bit before I read with my children so I can stay a few steps ahead and seem somewhat competent in dealing with their questions.

Children are naturally curious about a wide range of topics, and nonfiction offers children answers to many of their questions, as well as pathways to many more questions. Probably the most rewarding part about reading nonfiction texts with children is the interaction between parent and child. While many storybook readings make for passive child audiences, nonfiction rarely produces such an effect. Also, nonfiction often deals with the “here and now.” I’ve seen many children enjoy talking about newspaper and magazine articles with their parents.

So try out nonfiction, and do not worry about not knowing everything. To your child, you are the wisest person on the planet. After all, you were wise enough to spend time reading with your child.

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of 14 books, and he acted as the lead consultant for the Building School-Home Relationships kits (Shell, 2012) that have been enthusiastically adapted in school districts across the country. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, where you can check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover and download other free resources.

Dr. Danny Brassell's Top 5 Articles

We here at the collaborative are so grateful to have so many celebrities in our midst. 

This month for Dr. Danny's article it's fitting to provide you with 

Danny's Top 5 Articles in order of their popularity. 

Enjoy the opportunity to see what your peers have found MOST helpful. 

Beginning the countdown with #5........ 

I give you Danny's article: 

       5.   The Secret Steps to Creating a Thriving Reading Environment 

4. How Parents Can Integrate Math with Reading

3. Lessons Learned from Teaching English Language Learners

Come find out what that wise professor from Harvard has to share. 

2. Parents Can Improve Children's Vocabulary

Come find out how teaching children compares to blue jeans! 

And now........ 

{A *HUSH* comes over the crowd} 

DRUMROLL please..................................................

The number one Dr. Danny article of all time? 

If you have ever heard the man speak,

this probably won't come as any surprise. 

He is truly passionate about this subject. 

10 Ways to Get BOYS Reading!

 

We welcome Danny back in our midst, 

once his travel schedule allows. 

At this moment he is in Canada, but he is back and forth across the country as much as any presenter I know. 

Keep your eyes open! 

If you see him on a program in your area, 

be certain to mark your calendar accordingly. 

On behalf of Dr. Danny

This is your editor-in-chief reporting, 

Debbie Clement

How to Help Your Child FAIL This Summer by Dr. Danny Brassell

Summertime Blues

Working with scores of parents and educators this past year as I trained them how to utilize my “Building School-Home Relationships” kits, I have fielded a number of questions from stressed-out educators and anxious parents. One of the biggest fears people have relates to how best to help children during their summer breaks.

Remember, it’s the simple things that tend to work best. Rather than advise you on ways to help your children succeed, I thought it would be a little more informative and educating to provide some hints on how to help your children fail.

Ensuring Failure

There are a variety of ways to help discourage your children from learning. Here are some of the best techniques to use if you’d like your children to return to school this fall severely under-prepared:

1.      Stop talking with your children. A large body of research shows that students who come from homes where a lot of talking takes place perform significantly higher at school than students who live in home environments where a lot of talking does not take place. Interestingly, it does not matter what language is being spoken at home; all that matters is a lot of language is being spoken. So one great way to help your children to fail is to stop having conversations with your children.

2.      Keep your children away from interesting reading materials. People who read more, read better. This is clearly demonstrated in numerous studies. A great way to help children’s reading aptitudes and attitudes decline this summer is to remove any opportunities for your children to read books, magazines and other materials that may interest them. Make sure to avoid libraries and bookstores!

3.      Stay inside. Why bother taking your children out on trips to different places when they can stay at home and watch the latest reality shows on television? Your children will revel at the thought of comparing their staycations with the adventures their peers have traveling, attending camps and other various activities.

4.      Don’t read to your children or in front of your children. Since you are your children’s greatest role model, one great way to ensure their failure this summer is to quit any nightly read-aloud rituals, and by no means should you read in front of your children. Doing these two things are a sure route to improving children’s reading, and you don’t want that, do you?

Let’s face it: parents matter. Summer vacation can cause havoc on many working parents’ schedules. Regardless, researchers have seen for years that the gaps in learning between different groups of students are not created in schools; they are created in homes. In order to ensure your children fall behind their peers this summer, it is critical that you do your best to avoid talking with your children, keep interesting reading materials away from them and quit modeling good reading habits. Failure to follow these tips may result in your children performing better in school and becoming avid readers.

So What Will You Do with Your Children This Summer?

Vegas Reunion: Editor-in-Chief Debbie + Dr. Danny!

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of 14 books, and he acted as the lead consultant for the Building School-Home Relationships kits (Shell, 2012) that have been enthusiastically adapted in school districts across the country. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, where you can check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover and download other free resources.

Connecting the "DOTS" School + Home Connection by Dr. Danny

Connecting the “DOTS”

            Hello from the International Reading Association’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. As luck would have it, I am presenting a seminar entitled “The Power of Parents: Building School and Home Connections,” based on a series of kits I have developed. The kits train parents, teachers and administrators how to work together to best meet the needs of each particular child.

            As a parent you need to know that your child is important to her teacher. Your child is vital to the success of her teacher’s classroom and the school. Good teachers and administrators recognize how important you are to the development of your child, and they are excited to work with you to help your child. Contrary to what a lot of policymakers and folks in the media will try to have you believe, most public schools are doing a good job. As a matter of fact, their success is severely understated and under-reported, while the extraordinary successes of a few well-funded private and charter schools is heralded (there is plenty of data to show that a public school receiving the same funding as these success stories would achieve the same, or better, results). We can talk about that in a future column.

            Let’s talk about you. You are your child’s single greatest teacher, and we educators need you to work with us. Together, we can move mountains.

            I understand what you are going through, as I am a proud (and sometimes frustrated) parent of three. I know a lot about education, and even I can find the school system overwhelming. So what can we do together to do what is in the best interest of your child?

            We simply need to connect the “DOTS.”

            Do Play. The “D” in “DOTS” stands for “Do,” as in “Do Play.” It sounds like common sense, but – as my friend Davy Tyburski likes to say, “common sense is not common practice” nowadays. The role of play is critical in your child’s development. It sounds so easy, and that is why many folks scoff at its importance. Well, standing, walking, talking and eating are all fairly “easy,” yet critical, processes. The benefits of playing with your child are as widespread as a healthy diet, so make sure to “feed” your child’s emotional and psychological development by playing board games, going on outings and spending plenty of silly moments together.

            Observe and Model. The “O” in “DOTS” stands for “Observe,” as in “Observe and Model.” Being the father of three children who have all grown up under the same roof, I am constantly amazed by how different my son and two daughters are from one another. All are gifts from God who have their own distinct gifts, and my job – as their father – is to determine their strengths and weaknesses and accommodate them. While my oldest daughter is naturally very motivated, my son can take some prying to do certain things. Meanwhile, my son is one of the kindest souls I have ever seen, while my daughters often fail to empathize with those around them. As parents, we need to observe our children and model for them expected behaviors. As an educator I can confess that before I meet most students’ parents on “Back-to-School” night, I can easily match them with their children, as they behave similarly. Kids who are late to school usually have tardy parents, quiet children often have quiet parents, etc.

            Talk About Books. The “T” in “DOTS” stands for “Talk,” as in “Talk About Books” with your child. What can I say? Reading is my passion, and I have gratefully passed along that passion to my children (despite school’s attempts to take it away by requiring meaningless exercises, like book reports). If you want your child to succeed in school and in life, your child needs to be a passionate, efficient reader. Make life easier on your child by giving her the joy of reading. I can guarantee that children who like to read usually turn out to be better readers than their peers who detest it. Why? They choose to do it on their own outside of school, and every extra minute your child spends reading enhances her “reading muscles” the way exercise helps your overall physical fitness.

            Support/Reward. The “S” in “DOTS” stands for “Support,” as in “Support/Reward” your child’s reading. By support I mean that you need to follow the interests of your child: if she wants to read nothing but fashion magazines, let her read fashion magazines. If she is fascinated with lemurs, help her get her hands on as many texts about lemurs as you can find (I speak from experience on this one). And when I suggest you should reward your child for reading, I do not mean you should give her pizza and candy for getting through Little House on the Prairie. That just creates a new generation of obese children who think of reading as a chore. Rather, reward your child with frequent trips to libraries and bookstores. Heck, discount stores like Dollar Tree and 99 Cent Store have all kinds of inexpensive books, writing supplies and other items that send the message to your child that reading is a reward in and of itself.

            Parenting is not easy. Nobody hands you a manual at the hospital.

            You need to understand, though, that you are doing a good job. If you read this column, I know you are a good parent because you are a concerned parent (my theory states that concerned parents = good parents). You want what is best for your child, and by working with your child’s teacher and your school’s administrators, I am confident that together we can move mountains with your child. More importantly, we will make learning fun and meaningful for your child so that she becomes a lifelong learner.

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of 14 books, and he acted as the lead consultant for the Building School-Home Relationships kits (Shell, 2012) that have been enthusiastically adapted in school districts across the country. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, where you can check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover and download other free resources.

Dr. Danny Brassell on English Language Learners

Lessons Learned from Teaching English Language Learners

            Learning English ain’t easy. It is not easy to teach, either. Think of all the parents in America who may not speak English as a first language. Can you imagine working on even the most basic homework with your child if English is not your first language? It can be overwhelming, to say the least!

            When I first began teaching my English Language Learner (ELL) students, I felt like Charlie Chaplin. Put simply, I was gesturing like a madman. Often I would repeat myself louder, as if I were teaching deaf students rather than ELL students. I quickly learned, too, that having students copy down information or repeat it back to me served little purpose when I provided little or no context based on my students’ own experiences. It quickly became apparent to me that I needed to let my students guide my instruction, not vice versa. The same advice holds true for parents.

ELL students are some of the most patient and forgiving people I have ever known. I have classes endure my rapid speech, tendency to talk off-topic and a variety of other personal failings. They teach me just as much as I teach them, if not more. Along the way I have picked up a variety of strategies as a teacher that I believe parents may use to help their children understand. One of the blessings I encountered as an ELL teacher was the discovery that what works for ELL students works for all students, so try keeping these ELL tips in mind when working with your child:

• Slow down! The faster you talk, the more likely you’re going to stare at a blank face (or faces, if you have multiple children).
• Try to use high-frequency vocabulary rather than technical terms.
• Remember that communication is the major goal of language. Encourage children whenever they successfully communicate a concept (e.g., I once had a student say airplane driver. While pilot may be a more specific term, did that student communicate his point to me? Of course! In many ways learning a second language is one of the best mental creativity exercises we can practice.).
• Pause often. It gives you a chance to catch your breath and children a chance to translate.
• Enunciate clearly.
• Use lots of gestures, facial expressions and manipulatives (realia, like toys, brochures, household items, etc.) to provide further context for children.
• Check for understanding throughout your lessons. Don’t wait for the end, and fall into the “Does everybody understand?” trap, as more often than not your children will nod their heads without demonstrating any comprehension of your lesson.
• Use nouns rather than pronouns. It makes it easier for listeners to understand who, what or where you are specifically talking about, rather than getting lost in “pronoun world.” See how this is a good habit to get all children (and adults) into, not just English language learners?
• Vary your styles of delivery, remembering that children learn in different ways. Some prefer information to be presented visually, while others like to listen to lessons. Still others prefer to move while they learn. Accommodate accordingly.
• Avoid idiomatic expressions as much as possible, as the English language is loaded with expressions that may pile unnecessary stress and confusion on children. Of course, make sure to review idiomatic expressions (my classes always play a variety of idiom games to familiarize themselves with our often kooky American sayings).
• Provide as many opportunities for your children to interact with other children as possible. The best teacher is usually not the person standing in the front of the class. Rather, children tend to do a better job teaching one another.
• Encourage children like a coach. Coaches constantly provide their players feedback. We need to do a lot less assessing and labeling of children and a lot more coaching.

• Remember: learning and fun do not have to be mutually exclusive.

• Keep it simple, silly! Rome wasn’t built in a day.
• Repeat and reinforce.
• Repeat and reinforce.
• Repeat and reinforce.

A wise professor from Harvard once said that, “We hear a book a day. Speak a book a week. Read a book a month. And write a book a year.” What he means by that is that typical Americans hear the equivalent of an adult novel in everyday situations. To accomplish the same feat, it takes most Americans approximately a week to speak an adult novel, a month to read one and a year to write one. Translation: while there are four elements of language acquisition (listening, speaking, reading, writing), listening plays the most prominent role. That is why parents should not freak out if their children choose not to speak. Everyone goes through a “silent period” when acquiring language.

Parenting is not easy. Believe me, I get it! My three children have tried my patience is ways I never thought imaginable. They have also taught me how different they all are, and it is my job to adapt to how they learn, not vice versa. Keep that is mind, and I am confident you and your children will be a lot more successful.

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of 12 books, including Understanding the English Language Learner: Practical Tips to Boost Student Achievement. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, and check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll7Va0V4mJQ