Kids Book Review: 12 Curly Questions with author Melina Marchetta

QUESTION

The theme for August was QUESTION.  I don't know about you, but, when I read, I inevitably end up thinking about the author.  I always have a million questions (maybe not a million) to ask the author. Where was your inspiration? Are these characters based on people you know? Why this story? How long did it take you to write this book? And that is just for starters.  Most Book Review websites make a great effort to post author interviews.  I must admit, that I enjoy reading author interviews far more than book reviews! 

Kids Book Review is one of the blogs I follow to keep up with children's literature.  I love Melina Marchetta and I had to share this interview with you.  Click the link below.

Kids Book Review: 12 Curly Questions with author Melina Marchetta 

If you are wondering, Melina Marchetta is the author of Looking for Alibrandi which was made into a movie in 2000.  If you attended secondary school in Australia during the late 1990's you were probably required to read Looking for Alibrandi, but if you weren't, someone you knew was.  I hope you enjoy reading Melina's direct answers.

Classroom Applications: instead of requiring a "book review" from students, ask them to write 10 questions they would like to ask the author.  Alternatively, they could write an interview (including both questions and responses) of a main character in the book.  When students are encouraged to pose their own questions they are far more likely to engage in a text than when they are given a list of questions to answer.