READ NOW
Helping Children Develop the Love of Reading
There is no better gift for a child than the love of reading. Losing yourself in a good book by letting it take you away to another place and time can be one of the great pleasures of childhood. Books that seize the imagination can help children develop a strong sense of self, as they explore characters in situations both similar to and different from their own.
Books provide a safe haven for learning about life. They can help young readers realize that others have felt the way they do or have had similar experiences. A book can be both a window and a mirror: some books let children see out to different places, cultures, and experiences, while other books allow children to see a reflection of their own experiences and feelings.(1)
At their best, children’s picture books awaken a young child’s imagination and lead her to discover and explore the lifelong journey of learning. In today’s busy world, with its competing demands of technology, sports, and the ever-growing array of extracurricular activities, adults are rightly concerned about children’s reading habits. As adults, we must inspire children to want to read! Research in reading motivation points to several key factors that have been proven to influence children’s reading behavior, including the importance of parents and older siblings as positive role models. Other factors include being exposed to lots of books, having ready access to books, and having opportunities for choice and discussion.(2)
As an adult hoping to foster a love of reading in a child, you can begin by asking yourself the following questions:
Am I a positive role model when it comes to reading? Do I actively show how much I love books by talking about them, sharing favorite books and authors, and choosing reading as a free-time activity? Do I give books as gifts on special occasions, such as birthdays and holidays, and encourage friends and relatives to do the same?
Do I make sure my child is exposed to lots of books by making regular visits to the library and bookstore? Do I take advantage of storytime at the public library and ask the librarian for
resource recommendations? Have I explored websites that provide access to books online? Do I read aloud to my child on a regular basis, express my enthusiasm by reading with expression, and discuss interesting parts of the book?
Have I made sure that my child has ready access to books? Does my child have a bookshelf of his or her own? If I can’t afford to buy many books, do I make regular use of the public library
with my child?
Do I allow my child to select his own books and guide his selections at the library or bookstore? Do I know my child’s interests, so that I can ask the librarian for recommendations? If my child asks to hear the same book read aloud many times, do I honor this choice? By the same token, if my child wants to reread a favorite book, or only seems to enjoy books in a certain series for awhile, do I honor those choices as well?
Do I create opportunities for my child to read, discuss, and enjoy books with others? Do we discuss books at the dinner table or other family times? Have I explored book club options suitable for my child’s age?
Variations of these questions can apply to many different settings, for example, a classroom, a school media center, a child-care facility, and the public library. Children are never too old to develop a love of reading. It can be magical when a child is exposed to the right book at the right time. Keep striving toward this goal, and know that you are endowing children in your life with a precious gift, one that will enrich their lives both now and in the years to come.
_____________________________________
1. Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe, Literature and the Child, 7th ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010), 42–44.
2. Linda Gambrell, “Creating Classroom Cultures That Foster Reading Motivation,” Reading Teacher 50, no. 1 (1996): 15––25.
Excerpt adaptation from Chapter One of Tender Topics: Picture Books About Childhood Challenges by Dorothy Stoltz, Elaine Czarnecki, and Buff Kahn. (Chicago: Huron Street Press. An Imprint of the American Library Association. Copyright 2013 by Dorothy Stoltz, Elaine Czarnecki, and Buff Kahn. All Rights Reserved.)
