Women say, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” But, for children, books are children’s best friends! Like my niece, who is a fan of books. She likes to read a lot. The bookstore is like a paradise for her. I think that’s because we (especially me) started introducing her to the books when she was only 5 months old. What I did at that time was read him a book with big colors and a big picture and I taught him to turn the pages one by one. I didn’t even care if she understood the content or not.
Then, when she was old enough to “read” (I mean see) the books by herself, I began to introduce her to the bookstore. She liked it very much and this ritual became her new habit. Every time she saw that we had time to take her to the bookstore, she would beg us to go to the bookstore to buy new books for her shelves.
Well, I needed a lot of money, of course, but it’s all paid for when I see my niece now. She becomes a curious and intelligent girl who likes to read a lot. She can finish her reading just a few hours after buying those books. She is the second best in her class at school. That’s why I’m so proud of her (and also of myself for introducing her to her books early).
Interested in following what I did to my niece? Here’s what you need to know if you want to select books for her children.
1. For babies and toddlers
Babies like picture books about objects, like clothes or animals. Good options are cloth books and thick board books. These types of books are durable and easy to handle. Also choose books with bright and contrasting colors, interesting shapes and textures. Singing books are good for them too! For young children, books about numbers, shapes, and animals are good.
What you should do:
– Teach them to learn to turn the pages.
– Read the pictures to them.
Try these books:
-Peek-A Who? -Nina Laden
-The Sneetches and Other Stories – Dr. Seuss
-Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? -Bill Martin Jr.
-Pat The Bunny (Touch and Feel Book) – Dorothy Kundhart
2. Preschoolers
Children this age enjoy books that have lots of pictures and repetition. They also like stories about themselves or others their own age. Real life stories like tractors, engines also your favorites. Choose books with stories that can be read in 5 to 10 minutes with one or two lines printed on a page, that have a happy ending, and books with large, color pictures that almost tell the story. Never choose books with an intimidating story, such as fighting or breaking toys.
What you should do:
– Read the book aloud to your children
– Ask questions about pictures and what your children think will happen next to engage them.
– Help them tell the story from the pictures alone so they play an active role in storytelling.
– Encourage them to fill in the missing words using pictures.
– Ask them to locate familiar letters and words to get their attention.
Try these books:
– Bees (a learn to read series for preschool children) – Joyce. mr wise
– Memory books “I am” for preschoolers – NA Woychuk
– The best stories for 5-year-olds – Enid Blyton
3. For children from 6 to 8 years old.
Some children at this age can read fluently while others are just beginning. Therefore, choosing books that suit the level and interest of your children is something really important. You can begin to transition from picture books to chapter books. Find books that have good-sized text with a good amount of space between lines and words. Also look for books with good illustrations in their first chapter and that have manageable words that can be built.
What you should do:
– Read the first chapter together with your child, but make sure that this chapter is not too long.
– Ask your child to read the stories for you instead of having you read them for him/her.
– Encourage your child to memorize keywords so they can recognize them immediately without building them. Help him focus on these key words as he reads a story. But, don’t let this dominate your reading session so that you lose the thread of the story.
– Help him guess what he thinks will happen to decipher the words of a story.
– If your child gets stuck on some words, encourage him to use picture clues.
– Share readings so you can explore new books with the children.
– Read aloud with all the sentiment, accents, fun, and drama to bring books to life.
Try these books:
– Bedtime Stories for 6 Year Olds – Helen Paiba
– The wonderful book of seven years – Isabel Wyatt
4. For children from 9 to 11 years old.
Children at this age begin to see reading as an independent, personal activity. This is the right time to encourage interest in different types of books. Just like adults, they want different kinds of books at different times, and read a comfortable book to relax.
What you should do:
– Give them a variety of books at different times. There are many book options based on children’s interests.
– If your child is quite averse to reading, sports, music, war, adventure, ballet books are the right choice for him/her.
Try these books:
– David and Max – Gary Provost
– Old Town in the Green Groyes: The Lost Years of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Cottage – Cynthia Rylant
– The Puffin Book of Stories for Nine-Year-Olds (Young Puffin Read Aloud) – Wendy Cooling
– Cool HeadLuke: And Other Stories – Jennifer Lasker White
– The Second Collection of Captain Underpants: Books 5-7 and Adventures of Super Diaper Baby – Dav Pilkey
5. For children from 12 to 15 years old.
At this age, children do not need help with reading. The challenge for you is to try to make sure your teen maintains a love of books when there are so many distractions. Because they start reading only the required school books and do not find such books enjoyable or entertaining. That is why any reading you suggest to them should be interesting and entertaining. They tend to stick with mystery, horror, and adventure books and begin to transition from children’s books to adult novels and nonfiction.
What you should do:
– Help him choose the right novel. Because not all adult fiction is appropriate for them, as the language or writing styles shouldn’t be exposed to them yet. Choose books that produce ideal material for the transition from children’s literature to adult literature.
– Talk to your child about his reading to keep his interest in books and make him think about what he is reading.
– Ask for suggestions on books you might like.
Try these books:
– James’s Journey – Asha Khalil
– The 100 Year Secret (The Sherlock Files) – Tracy Barrett
Last but not least, prepare your home to be a comfortable “library” for your family, so you can enjoy books together at home. Happy reading with your children!