It can be difficult and overwhelming to find good quality books for children. It’s important, because when a child is introduced to interesting, exciting books at a very young age, they are more likely to become life-long readers. Kids who have never found books that interest them may say ‘reading is boring’ and lose any interest in reading either for school assignments or personal enjoyment.
So how can we help kids find appropriate, engaging books to pique their interest and set them on the path to becoming avid readers? Here are some suggestions to help get you started.
• Ask your librarian.
Librarians love books and love reading, and will be happy to help you and your child choose books your child will love. They are a free resource just waiting to help.
• Look for award winners.
Newbery Award and Honors Books, Golden Kite Award winners, National Book Award winners – these are just a few of the national awards given for excellence in literature. Books that earn these awards are considered the best of the best.
• See what other kids and parents recommend.
Ask your friends what their kids are reading and loved. Organizations such as NPR publish lists of favorite books grouped by ages, such as Welcome to Story Hour: 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers and The Ultimate Backseat Bookshelf: 100 Must-Reads for Kids 9-14. There you will find recommendations for books starting with pre-readers all the way through age 14.
• Read the books your child reads.
You need to know what your child is doing and what is being fed into their brain, whether by the shows they watch, the internet sites they browse, or the books they read. Reading their books lets you see their interests and makes sure the content is something you want your child to access. It also gives you the opportunity to have conversations with them about what the characters are thinking and feeling, whether the character handled a situation like they should have, etc. It gives the parent a perfect opportunity to connect with their child in a shared interest.
• Be a reader yourself.
If your child sees you always with your nose buried in your phone, that is what they will want to do as well. If they see you reading books, they will want to know what you find so interesting. Reading to your children, from the time they are babies and even when they are perfectly capable of reading on their own, is a wonderful bonding activity and your child will cherish those memories each time they pick up a book for the rest of their lives. When they have their own children, they will remember those moments, and want to share that joy of reading and connection with books.
- The Long and the Short of It - February 12, 2024
- Encouraging Life-Long Readers - August 14, 2023
- Assignment for January Meeting - January 2, 2023
So many good suggestions, Rhonda. We should all encourage our children and grandchildren to READ!
So true! Great post. Thank you.
Rhonda, Thank you for your post. I still remember a book or two that I read as a child and I will be 65 on Saturday.
Good advice for grandparents! Thanks!