Brambletale Blog
Reading Beyond the Book: How Video Games Can Support Kids’ Literacy
Classroom instruction teaches essential reading skills. Books deepen those skills and make room for sustained reading pleasure. Text-rich games can reinforce both by giving children additional reasons to read closely and act on what they understand.
At Brambletale Press, we will always advocate for teachers, books, libraries, and reading for the sheer fun of it. We also believe stories should be gateways, not gatekeepers. For a child who already enjoys video games, a thoughtfully chosen game can become another path into language, not a detour away from it.
If a game persuades that child to chase a clue, care about a character, puzzle over a sentence, or look up a word because the next door will not open without it, literacy is not being defeated.
A reader is at work.
The Very Hungry Imagination of Eric Carle
Eric Carle was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, but his childhood took a major turn when his family moved back to Germany when he was six. He studied art there and graduated from the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Stuttgart. Still, Carle never lost his fond memories of America. In 1952, he returned to New York with a portfolio and just forty dollars in his pocket.
Making a Movie for Your Ears: Bringing Moby Dick to Audiobook
Listening through auditions was exciting, but also a little strange. There are many talented narrators out there, and plenty of them can deliver a clean, professional read. But finding the right voice is different from finding a good voice.
For this story, I needed someone who could make the sea feel wide, Captain Ahab feel intense, and the whole adventure feel inviting for a young audience.
That is where Brandon Miller stood out.
Molecular Gastronomy: The Art You Can Eat
Chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, and even adventurous home cooks use molecular gastronomy to play with texture, temperature, shape, and surprise. A familiar food can become something completely unexpected. A sauce can become bubbles. A liquid can become jelly. A scoop of ice cream can smoke and swirl like a wizard’s potion!