Day 165--Interview with Book Blogger "Erik the Great" of This Kid Reviews Books

It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you ten-year-old Erik, a popular book blogger and childrens book reviewer, AKA "Erik the Great"! Erik blogs at This Kid Reviews Books.

After Erik reviewed The Pet Washer in July, I was so impressed with his professionalism that I contacted him for an interview. The following is that interview: Enjoy!

 

Erik

Jennifer: You are ten years old, how long have you been blogging?

Erik: First I want to thank you, Ms. Alvarez, for asking me to do this interview! I have been blogging since January 2011. I was 8-years-old when I told my parents I wanted to write reviews. It took me a couple of months to get my blog going, but my first post was on January 12, 2011 (I was nine then).

Jennifer: What is your favorite aspect of running your blog and reviewing books?

Erik: I think my favorite thing is “meeting” people around the world and “talking” about books and reading with those people! I think it is totally awesome that people across the world would want to talk to me about books.

Jennifer: Do you have a favorite book or favorite genre?

Erik: I really like the book “Redwall” by Brian Jacques. I think that is my favorite book. I like picture books of pretty much every genre, and middle grade books and YA books in pretty much every genre, especially Fantasy Fiction. I pretty much like anything…except horror stories and anything to do with vampires.

Jennifer: What do you like to do when you're not blogging?

Erik: I really love to build with my LEGOs. I am always trying to build onto my LEGO collection. I am a part of a LEGO robotics team in the First LEGO League. I also have been studying Taekwondo for close to five years. I was just awarded my first degree junior black-belt in TKD. I have just started to train Karate and Jujitsu too. I like the martial arts a lot. I like to swim, fish, camp (especially roasting marshmallows on a campfire and making s’mores), play outside, ride my minibike and bike, draw and think about books.

Jennifer: What are your submission requirements?

 

Erik: I review picture and middle grade books. I do review some YA books, but I have to let my parents look at the content of them first before accepting a book. Books sent to me should only have minor bad language, no graphic violence or anything else a ten-year-old shouldn’t be reading. It takes about 7-8 weeks from the time I get a book to review, to when the review is posted (it might go quicker in the summer when I don’t have school). I can only accept a certain number of book to be on my “to be reviewed” list at once. My parents put limits on the number of books I can accept and they also told me to just post 3 times a week (I was posting almost every day) because it was taking too much time away from everything. I like my schedule now, but I don’t like to tell authors when I can’t accept their book to review right now.

People can send review requests through my website (there is a button to click). I like to know a little bit about the author and a description of the book. Although I like “real” books more to review, I have a kindle to review ebooks. I usually let authors decide which one they want to send. 

I appreciate every book review request I get and I really wish I could read every one, but I am only one kid! I do often refer books I can’t review to other kid book reviewers.

Jennifer: Do you aspire to be a fiction author one day?

Erik: Yes, I would like to be a fiction author one day. That day might come soon because I am already writing a book about these small aliens (an average of 4-5 inches) who accidently crash-land on O-HI-o on the strange planet Ear-th. J They must learn to survive and get along (bad aliens on the ship meant to get rid of the good guys, but they come along too) on this unknown planet. When my book will get finished and published? I do not know, but I am having fun writing it!

Jennifer: Is it ever hard to fit in blogging with your schoolwork?

Erik: At the moment, no, it is not hard because I’m on summer break (HA HA!). During school I usually write my posts/reviews way ahead of time so I don’t get backed up. I am usually a month ahead in my posts. That way I don’t get rushed at the last minute.

Jennifer: You mention on your blog that you refer out some books when you get busy to other kid reviewers. Who are they?

Erik: I usually refer books “too old” for me to Audrey of “Audrey’s Read It Or Not” blog and/or Daniel of “The Readers and Writers Paradise”. I am ten and my parents think a lot of YA books aren’t right for me. I also send authors to other kids like Fami-Lit, Sir Books-a-Lot, and Mother Daughter Book Reviews. There is a bunch of kids reviewing books. I have links to a lot of them on my blog roll. 

Jennifer: What's the most exciting thing that's happened to you as a result of your book review blog?

Erik: I think the most exciting thing that’s happened to me because of my blog is getting to meet authors in person. I can’t believe how nice children’s book authors are! I really love going to events to meet them.

I also was excited to get a column in my local free paper (The Upper Bucks Free Press). The content editor saw my blog and I met her at a book signing. She asked me if I’d like to write for the newspaper! I now have a monthly column that I am very excited about!

Ms. Alvarez asked me to come up with a question to ask myself and then answer it! Here is my question to me. If you could go into any book and meet the characters and live the story, which book would it be?

Erik: I would go into “Into The Gauntlet” by Margaret Peterson Haddix (the tenth book in the 39 clues series). I’d love to meet Amy and Dan Cahill because they seem really cool and I would also like to memorize the Cahill serum (and DOMINATE the WORLD MWA HA HA HA… (my best evil laugh)). OK I really don’t want to take over the world, I just love the 39 Clues series and to be in any book of the series would be an honor.

Author Profile (in his own words!):

I’m a ten-year-old kid who started a book review blog (This Kid Reviews Books) because I love books! My blog has grown over the past 1 ½ years and I am grateful that I get to “talk” to people from all over the world about books, reading and writing.

This Kid Reviews Books

 To Do: If you write childrens or middle-grade books, submit to Erik today!