Reading can be a challenging task for many children, often turning into a struggle that leaves both parents and kids feeling frustrated. Despite the best efforts of teachers and caregivers, some children simply find it difficult to connect with books, showing little to no interest in reading.
Of all the parents grappling with this issue, Simone Hill knows the struggle all too well. Determined to ignite a love for reading in her son, she faced the daunting task head-on. So, how did she manage to turn this challenge into a triumph and spark excitement for books in her child?
Hill and her son both live in Germany. At the time, Hill was not only trying to get her son interested in reading, but she also wanted him to begin learning English.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t really find anything that interested him. What he could read with his still small vocabulary was too boring, and the books that interested him were still too difficult to read,” Hill explains.
So Hill took matters into her own hands, and this experience led her to write her e-book series. “Since he enjoyed watching a TV show about cars that originally comes from the UK, which also involves three people traveling in cars, teasing each other with cheeky remarks, and doing strange experiments and modifications to their cars, I took that as inspiration,” Hill shares.
That TV show he enjoyed watching inspired Hill to write the e-book series Three Men In Cars. This e-book series will not only get children excited about reading but also expose readers to different cultures, costumes, and environments.
“The series revolves around three stick figures traveling the world, experiencing adventures, playing pranks on each other, but also learning about the customs or something special about each country. It’s essentially a road comic for kids but also for their parents.”
Hill hopes that other children will be inspired by the series and take reading into their own hands. This book is suitable for both beginning readers and those who are on the road to learning English.
Q: What do you hope children take away from this series?
Hill: First and foremost, a lot of fun and entertainment. Reading is something so important to stimulate brain cells. Reading alone is a very valuable activity to increase concentration, not just for children. I hope to spark curiosity to interest the kids in other things as well. At the end of the story, I delve into the countries or landmarks that are part of the story.
Q: Is there anything you would like parents to know about this series or you as an author?
Hill: In my opinion, the series is for both girls and boys. However, I think boys might feel more drawn to it due to its comic format and the focus on cars. The boys in my son’s class were slightly more interested in the stories than the girls. So, if you have a boy you want to get into reading, you should show him the Three Men In Cars e-book.
My message to parents is: Let your children have fun! Instead of seeing reading as an obligation, parents should help their children find joy in reading by selecting books that match their interests, not the parents’.
