Raising kids to love reading
Our parenting experts recommend wonderful new books for kids
by Shelley Butler & Deb Kratz

We can't help it-- we just love children's books: the stories, the pictures, the photographs, the feel of a book in the hand, the turning of the pages, the anticipation of the first page and what will come next, and even the slight sadness when a great story is over. Add reading a great book aloud to a young child and magic is in the air as you make monsters come alive, trains bravely chug, and rabbits fall asleep by the light of the moon.

Reading a book out loud makes it your own. The very idea of reading to a child gives you permission to make creature sounds the like of which no one has ever heard before, to imitate accents, to act overly dramatic, and to behave like a kid again, if you wish. When you step outside yourself and become the characters, you get to be, do, and say things you might not otherwise, in just the right way, and at just the right time. You, the reader, decide how happy or sad or mad or crabby a character should be, and how much emphasis or drama to add to the story. In the end, you have created a unique treasure.

Imagine all the varied and wonderful versions that are created each time Max cries, "Let the wild rumpus begin!" in the classic WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. Or how many different sounds Mary Anne, the faithful steam shovel, has made since MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL by Virginia Lee Burton hit the book shelves in 1939.

Try this out loud, from the absolutely gross and wonderful new book, AWFUL OGRE'S AWFUL DAY: POEMS, by one of our best children's poets Jack Prelutsky:

Awful Ogre Speaks of Stature

When elves and gnomes encounter me,

They often shriek, "Grotesque!"

I bow with magnanimity

And murmur,"Statuesque!"

Even the youngest children, who may not understand each nuance or word meaning, will delight in the magnificent variety of sounds and emotions you emit. No two ogres will be the same--your rendition will be like a secret handshake that only you and your child know.

So, how should you read to kids? In your own way (whether quietly or dramatically), with passion, in comfort, and enjoying the pleasure that comes with it. When reading together is warm, contented, and fun, you and a child become closer, and young children start on the path of lifelong reading. Independent reading skills will follow later. For now, one of the greatest gifts that you can give a young child, as well as yourself, is a shared love of books and reading.

CHOOSING KIDS' BOOKS

Look for a variety of good stories, nonfiction books, and books with great illustrations or photographs. Choose new books that you yourself enjoy, and pick some from your childhood. Personally, we couldn't be more thrilled that Dr. Seuss' YERTLE THE TURTLE and THE RED BALLOON by Albert Lamorisse have survived the test of time. At the same time, we enjoy some newer books, like Kevin Henke's LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE, as much as our kids do. One of the keys to successful reading is to choose books that appeal to you.

The other half of the successful reading equation is to choose books that appeal to your child and his/her temperament, stage of life, mood, and development. Early childhood, in general, is a time when children learn an amazing number of new skills and face new situations in life. There are books for every occasion and child, and about almost any issue: death, new sibling, safety, child care, making friends, imaginary friends, starting school, travel, bad moods, good moods, feelings, cooperation, going to the hospital, doctor, or dentist, getting along with siblings, sleep, even swearing. Check out ELBERT'S BAD WORD by Audrey Wood and others in "Books to Help Kids Grow and Develop," here on FamilyFun.

Have you ever read a phrase and thought, "That's what I have been trying to say all along."? Children's books can help adults say what they mean, but perhaps haven't found the words for yet. Consider STAND TALL, MOLLY LOU MELON by Patty Lovell and illustrated by David Catrow. Poor Molly Lou was born with many undesirable traits, including a voice that sounds like a bullfrog's, but it doesn't matter because her grandmother teaches her to turn adversity into a desirable thing. "Sing out clear and strong and the world will cry tears of joy."

So, how should you choose books for kids? Select a wide variety of books that you like, that your child will like, that help a child learn more about the world, and that help you say what you mean. Look for books that help children feel good about themselves, feel more powerful, discover new capabilities, get the support that comes from knowing that there are many other kids in the same situation or with the same feelings, and that help explain the meaning of values, traditions, family, community, and more. If this sounds like a tall order, don't worry--there are so many great books out there, you'll soon be tripping over them, if you're not already.

BOOKS AND READING FOR YOUNG ONES

Attempting to outline what kind of books children of a particular age will enjoy is like trying to predict what kind of food children may like at a certain age. Since it's hard to predict and variety is healthy for children, offer many kinds of books throughout childhood. Though there are some general guidelines about what kids are drawn to in books during early childhood, don't limit yourself to choosing only these types of books.

Babies typically enjoy:

* Listening to you read from birth on--the richness of language and warmth of your voice bring great joy to a baby. Read as long as your baby will listen, but don't force it.

* Listening while they are playing or crawling sometimes, in addition to before bedtime.

* Experiencing books in their own way. Babies like to chew, lick, sit on, stand on, and throw books--make soft and sturdy books available.

* Books with one clear image per page.

* Short stories or books about things that are familiar to them, like MY FIRST WORD BOARD BOOK by Angela Wilkes.

Toddlers typically enjoy:

* Short stories about a variety of subjects. Again, don't force a child to sit still. Let them enjoy the reading experience in their own way.

* Board books and stories that contain things from a toddler's experience.

* Poetry, rhyme, and books with repeating phrases, like DRUMMER HOFF by Barbara Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley; and READ-ALOUD RHYMES FOR THE VERY YOUNG by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Marc Tolon Brown.

* Books that cover one concept, like shapes, colors, or the alphabet.

Preschoolers typically enjoy:

* Longer and more complicated stories. Let kids listen as long or as little as they are comfortable.

* Poetry, rhyme, and books about things they know from their widening experience.

* Jokes, tall tales, and folk tales that are not scary, like MCBROOM'S WONDERFUL ONE-ACRE FARM: THREE TALL TALES by Sid Fleischman and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Keep in mind that there is a wide range of what is typical at each age, that attention spans vary widely, and that kids can understand stories at a higher level than they can read. Above all, don't give up on a reluctant reader; keep trying new books and reading at different times of the day. You know your child best, so allow children to experience reading and books in their own way and in their own time. Choose stories that they will like and listen to, but also pick some that stretch their attention span, interest, and imagination, and perhaps yours, too.

BOOKS TO HELP KIDS GROW AND DEVELOP

Children's books help kids make sense of the world. Reading should be fun, but it can also help parents teach a child more about new situations, skills, or feelings that may be difficult for developing minds to understand. Keep in mind that there are several good books for just about any situation. Here are a few examples:

* New Baby in the Family:

JULIUS, THE BABY OF THE WORLD by Kevin Henkes helps children as well as parents understand the confusing and sometimes conflicting feelings a child has when a new sibling comes home, as Lilly (of LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE fame) struggles with her feelings about her new brother in her typically delightful and unique way.

* Diversity and Tolerance:

CHILDREN JUST LIKE ME by Susan Elizabeth Copsey, et al, celebrates the magnificent diversity of people around the world, and helps develop an understanding that no matter where children are from, they are more alike than they are different.

* Sharing and Cooperation:

ME FIRST by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger offers a perfectly fun way to learn more about the difficult skill of taking turns.

* Death:

LIFETIMES: A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN DEATH TO CHILDREN by Bryan Mellonie helps parents, caregivers, and anyone who works with children explain the difficult concept of the natural process of death and dying with language and ideas that children can really understand.

* Physical Activity:

HELLO TOES, HELLO FEET by Ann Whitford Paul and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott allows active kids to be active, and may inspire quieter kids to try more energetic pursuits--when you read this one, encourage your child to tiptoe, march, stomp, and hop right along with the character in the story.

* Developing Skills:

DEAR ZOO by Rod Campbell, the Spot series by Eric Hill, ALPHA BUGS by David Carter, and other lift-the-flap, touch-and-feel, or pop-up books are great choices for helping young children work on hand (fine motor) skills, and practice cause and effect, in addition to providing just plain fun!

Don't stop here--there are hundreds more books out there to help children grow and develop.

GREAT NEW CHILDREN'S BOOKS

If you think of the world of new children's books as Mount Everest, then the following list does not even qualify as a foothill. Don't take our word for it--go out there and see for yourself. Here are just a few fantastic new titles to get you started:

"THAT'S NOT MY TRACTOR...IT'S ENGINE IS TOO BUMPY" an Usborne touchy-feely book, 2001

A splendid new board book. How can anyone resist a book that has "squashy" wheels for the touching?

YOKO'S PAPER CRANES by Rosemary Wells, Hyperion, 2001

For Yoko's beloved grandmother's birthday, she makes paper origami cranes in the way that her grandfather showed her before her grandparents moved to Japan. This wonderful story honors the special relationship and love between grandchild and grandparent, even those that live far apart. The illustrations add a rich layer to the book. A sequel to YOKO (1998).

BERRY SMUDGES AND LEAF PRINTS: FINDING AND MAKING COLORS FROM NATURE by Ellen B. Senisi, Dutton, 2001

Young children will need supervision and help from adults to make the colors and fun crafts from this book, but it will be well worth it. The ideas are simple and easy, the photographs entice you to try the crafts, and the pure joy of learning more about color and nature comes through on every page.

MY BABY by Jeanette Winter, Francis Foster Books, 2001

This one-of-a-kind story tells about a girl in Mali who learns the ancient art of making bogolan, a mud-painted cloth. As she and her mother work, she dreams ahead to her wedding and preparing cloth for her baby. In the process, the readers are given an experience of life on the savannah, complete with sweet flowers that you can almost smell, drums you'd swear you could hear, and the rich animal life of this part of Africa. The remarkable illustrations add great detail and vivid images to the story. All in all, a beautiful reading experience from the author of FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD.

MILO'S HAT TRICK by Jon Agee, Hyperion, 2001

Milo is just about the sorriest magician you have ever seen, and he is about to be fired. But who comes to his rescue? A bear who can make himself disappear into Milo's hat. Their new act is a smash, but Milo faces his biggest challenge yet when the bear becomes too tired to perform anymore. You'll have to read it to find out what happens, but we will say that Milo, who starts out in trouble, finds his way out by accepting help and learning from an unlikely place.

FLAPDOODLE DINOSAURS by David Carter, Little Simon, 2001

David Carter has elevated the craft of pop-up and lift-the-flap books to an art form and his newest creation is no exception. Each page features a dinosaur and is accompanied by a great verse and things to do. Wonderful, as you would expect from the creator of ALPHA BUGS.

OLIVIA SAVES THE CIRCUS by Ian Falconer, Atheneum, 2001.

If you give a child OLIVIA, they'll want to see its sequel. In this installment (hopefully, there will be more) Olivia, the only colorful thing on any page, tells her class at school how the whole circus happened to be sick and so she performed daring feat after daring feat in order to save the day. When asked if these stories are really true, Olivia confidently answers "pretty true" and "to the best of my recollection." Kids and adults alike won't be able to help falling for Olivia--she's a true original.

To find more new books for children, ask at your library and bookstore, and look for reviews and award-winners in parenting magazines, local parenting papers, and at online parenting Web sites.

WHERE TO FIND MORE WONDERFUL BOOKS

Expect a wealth of help in finding good books for kids. Some ideas are:

* Ask the children's librarian at your local library and children's booksellers for good ideas and for book lists. Bring your child to story times.

* Sign up with an online bookseller to receive new children's book announcements or take advantage of notification services.

* Ask friends, family, neighbors, teachers, colleagues, other children, the person in line next to you at the children's museum, or anyone and everyone you meet for their favorite books or a title of a great new book.

* Read book reviews in newspapers, parenting magazines, and on many online bookseller Web sites.

* Watch for announcements each summer in the media, at bookstores, or ask in the library when the American Library Association announces it's yearly books awards.

Books and booklists to help you choose children's books:

* THE READ-ALOUD HANDBOOK, 5th Ed. by Jim Trelease, Penguin, 2001.

* THE FIELD GUIDE TO PARENTING by Shelley Butler & Deb Kratz, Chandler House Press, 2000. Look for the extensive booklist, The Field Guide Children's Book Shelf, in "Reading and Books," and suggestions of children's books by topic in each chapter.

* THE NEW YORK TIMES PARENT'S GUIDE TO THE BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN by Eden Ross Lipson, Three Rivers Press, 2000.

Help online for finding good children's books:

* "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know" from the New York Public Library

* "75 Authors and Illustrators Everyone Should Know" by Bernice E. Cullinan for the 75th Anniversary of Read Across America in 1994.

* "2001 Not Just for Children Anymore" a list of children's books by category that adults will love, too, from the Children's Books Council.

Shelley Butler and Deb Kratz are the Parents' Choice Award-winning authors of THE FIELD GUIDE TO PARENTING, which is featured on FamilyFun's Raising Kids page.