Teacher creates a reading quiz for children to inspire and award readers

photo: risen1 @ flickr

I love reading about people who help encourage children to read–especially when the stories are inspiring. So it was with great enjoyment that I read about Newzealander Wayne Mills, a former Waikato University lecturer, who created a Kids Lit Quiz that started off in New Zealand, and has spread across the world. Wayne Mills has won the 2008 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award for his Kids Lit Quiz.

Mills’ Kid Lit Quiz is an annual competition about literature for children for grade 7-8 students, with 100 questions in each quiz, as well as some questions for adults. Mills created the quiz because he said he didn’t see children receiving prizes for being a good reader; that there were prizes for math and science (and, I would add, sports) but not for reading. How true! I love what Mills has done; it brings tears to my eyes. Children receiving prizes, praise, recognition, for reading, and reading a lot? And having fun in the competition? Wonderful!

The quiz began in New Zealand, and spread to the UK, South Africa, and China. Hopefully other countries will join in.

Mills is clearly a fellow booklover, from the quiz he began, his interest in children’s books and encouraging children to read, and the way he spends most of his money on books. We need more people like Mills! Stories like this make me feel so good.

You can read more about Mills and his quiz at the Waikato Times.

March 3rd, 2008