5 Big Ways to Help Kids Love Books
Written By Amy Maclin
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4. Find out what else the library offers.
"Libraries can have so much that parents might not know about — DVDs, audio books, even games and puzzles that can be checked out. Some have preschool PJ nights. Many have museum passes, which are usually for one or two adults and at least two children.
The library is a great resource for parents, too: Two books I love are Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook, which recommends great books broken down into age ranges, and Anita Silvey's 100 Best Books for Children, which not only describes the books but gives great anecdotes about their creators. For instance, she tells how Robert McCloskey — who wrote not only Lentil but Make Way for Ducklings, of course — actually had a group of ducklings that he brought into his apartment, where he put them into the bathtub and drew them. That's a great story for kids."
5. Get everybody involved.
"A lot of parents feel guilty because the standard advice is to read to your child for at least 15 minutes a day, and if you have three kids it's not always practical to have three individual reading sessions for three different levels. But there are things that are appropriate for kids at a wide range of ages.
For instance, you might think a 6-year-old won't be interested in a board book. But she may feel a sense of ownership about it and want to engage a younger sibling by helping her 'read aloud,' even if she's just reciting the story from memory.
"Beverly Cleary's Beezus and Ramona series and Russell Hoban's Frances the Badger books would be very appropriate for kids 3 to 6. I read Charlotte's Web to my three kids when they were 8, 6, and 3. The day after we finished it, Patrick, the baby, said, 'That was so great. Can we read another novel?' When in doubt, always go for the 'reach' book.
"Also, be patient with the ones who just have high energy levels. One of mine would sit for hours and listen to books, one was a little whirling dervish, and the third was somewhere in the middle. Just say, 'I'm going to read aloud,'and then keep going. Even the dervish is going to absorb something. And take heart — the heroes of children's books usually tend to be little dervishes themselves. Try to think of a children's-book character who's perfectly complacent and obedient. I dare you!"
(For more ways to encourage reading, check out the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance's Parent & Guardian Handbook.)
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