Michael Shaffer - From Pushups to Angels Wings: Great Things Happen When Boys Read

From Pushups
to Angels Wings

This book is dedicated to several groups.

You not only have taught our children how to read, but have created a culture of reading in your classrooms by allowing boys and girls to read those books and graphic novels and magazines and ebooks and virtually any other form of literature because you know that reading is reading, and reading is contagious. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

You have chosen to make reading that thing that supersedes a score on a standardized test and instead have encouraged your teachers to make reading a way of life in their classrooms. You have made reading a priority in the active life of your school and it shows!

You chose the coolest books that capture the attention of the boys and the girls because you know that once you get their attention, the reading that follows will stick with them for life. And I dont know how you do it but you know all your kids and what they are interested in and what they should read next. Maybe you are Library Gods and Goddesses!

You look at the books your kids bring home and even though it may not be the book you would have chosen, you recognize that for some reason, it means something to your kid, so you encourage them to read it anyway, knowing that every book takes them closer to becoming an expert at something!

We know this is a book about getting boys to read. That may or may not be because some boys might need a little more encouragement to read. But some of the material in this book applies to boys and girls. To you boys who have been inspired to read because someone encouraged you to find books that fit your interest, read on! To you who are still searching for that one perfect book to get you started, we may be able to help. Check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/whenboysread and you can message us there.

So much of this book was inspired by you. More than 100 of you came every other Friday skipping recess to hang out with some weird, bald principal to talk about books. I cant say for sure what it did for you, but it changed the life of that weird, bald principal. Thanks, guys!

This sounds trite and predictable, but a very heartfelt thank you to those important people in our lives who literally gave us the space to write and the encouragement to share our stories. We love and appreciate you. You know who you are.

From Pushups
to Angels Wings

Great Things Happen
When Boys Read

Michael Shaffer and Ruth Jefferson

ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

Lanham Boulder New York London

Published by Rowman & Littlefield

An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706

www.rowman.com

86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom

Copyright 2022 by Michael B. Shaffer and Ruth Jefferson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Shaffer, Michael (Michael Byran) author. | Jefferson, Ruth, 1949- author.

Title: From pushups to angels wings : great things happen when boys read / Michael Shaffer, Ruth Jefferson.

Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: This is a book directed at those who work with boys and young men and are trying to develop a culture of reading among those boys and young menProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021037560 (print) | LCCN 2021037561 (ebook) | ISBN 9781475863857 (cloth) | ISBN 9781475863864 (paperback) | ISBN 9781475863871 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: BoysBooks and reading. | LiteracyStudy and teaching. | Sex differences in education.

Classification: LCC LB1050.2 .S424 2022 (print) | LCC LB1050.2 (ebook) | DDC 428.4071/2dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021037560

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021037561

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Having known Dr. Jefferson and Dr. Shaffer for over a decade professionally, it was exciting for me to see them engage the culture of reading as it affects young men. National and international studies consistently reinforce the issue that on average, reading is an area in which male students wane in comparison to their female counterparts. I am glad to see the laser focus that they are bringing to the issue with integrity, fidelity, and even a little levity. The issue exposes a deficit that needs to be addressed, and Jefferson and Shaffer bring real world experience in an effort to help mitigate those statistical deficits.

Dr. Tim Long, Retired School Superintendent

This insightful book on reading strategies is clearly the result of Dr. Jefferson being proactive, sensitive, and aware of the many challenges that face students. This book is an excellent tool for the new and developing professionals to successfully gain insight into engaging students in the reading process.

Dave Chastain, Retired Director of Special Education

Reading is important for all areas of a childs life, from academic success to making sense of the world around them. This book sheds light that reading interventions can promote the literacy skills needed for boys to succeed in reading and to find success in any area of their lives.

Christy Grafmiller-Shauver, Director of Community Development, former Special Education Teacher

A portion of this book grows out of the work of Mike Shaffer and Ruth Jefferson, dedicated educational professionals that have worked for years at instilling a passion for reading in children through sharing their love for books and reading. They are great reading role models for all children, but especially for boys. They make reading fun, cool and break the stereotype of what many think a great reader should look like, sound like and act like. They show kids that any book you love to read is a great book and that choice and interest are the key to the love of reading.

Don Small, Former Vice President, Scholastic Book Fairs

This book addresses the collaboration and the power between healthy relationships, inspirational educators and books, bringing us back to focus on what teachers went into education for. To teach. To spread the love of academics and create long-lasting bonds with students in hopes that they find themselves and their own passions at the hands of a book.

Samantha Parmerlee, Special Education Teacher

The BC4Boyz was a reading club that proves boys will and do read for fun! Imagine skipping recess to hang out with principal, Dr. Michael Shaffer, to explore books!

Marsha Thauwald, Author & Education Consultant