George's Beliefs

"BIG BOOKS should have big, clear type so they are easily seen, even from the back of the room...mine do! BIG BOOKS should have double-wide spacing for framing and one-to-one matching...mine do!
Compare!"

"I set the purpose for reading(inside front cover)! I ask students to predict or infer what my book is about. Predictions/inferences must be validated or altered (inside back cover)! For informal ongoing assesment I've provided a sample question under each photograph (most require higher order thinking)."

"Recognizing high frequency words instantly is critical to fluency! That's why I made sure 42% of all words in my books come from Edward Fry's list of the top 50 (not 100) sight words. Recognizing words aids in fluency more than recognizing sentence patterns."

"Expressing ideas through drawing is enjoyable and often produces incredible detail! Labels or written sentences may be incorporated as students are ready. Add 'draw' to your instructions for written responses!"

"Get your students talking about my books! Listen to, and encourage further discussion as they interact with each other and the text. Talking and listening are critical components of reading and writing"

"The first decision many young learners make about books is whether or not they are interested enough to read or even listen to! My books are full of interesting, engaging content. Don't bore your students!"

"Visually appealing books are best. From photographs to color to font style and size to inside front and back covers to the layout, my books have great graphic design. My books are gorgeous!"

"Why say GOOD when you mean EXTRAORDINARY or BIG when you mean ENORMOUS? My books are rich in vivid, wonderful words. Don't think young learners can't handle them. They can! Vocabulary is the key to comprehension. Add new words!"

"Words are NOT the only important elements in my books! Good readers should be able to analyze and process information in photographs,diagrams,charts, graphs, etc."

"Almost 80% of the material adults read is nonfiction. Standardized tests students take are almost 80% nonfiction. The majority of books in our schools are FICTION! What's wrong with this picture?"