by Melissa Taylor
Reading is everything. Reading = learning. Most of us would do anything to get our kids loving to read.
Most of us just don’t know what to do.
I wrote BOOK LOVE: HELP YOUR CHILD GROW FROM RELUCTANT TO ENTHUSIASTIC READER because I had to. Parents like us need an easy-to-read guide of ideas for what to do for their child’s specific needs. Because not only did I teach reluctant readers for over a decade, my daughters were reluctant readers.
My first daughter arrived in this world with the wiggles. She didn’t want to cuddle while mommy read her a picture book. Once she was strapped into her high chair, eating, she was a finally the captive audience for books.
In BOOK LOVE, I explain that there are four big reasons kids dislike reading:
- too boring
- too sitty (my eldest daughter)
- too blurry
- too tricky
For each reason, I provide lots of ideas for games, activities, crafts, and products that just might get your child loving to read.
The important thing is to discover why your child doesn’t like to read. Then, you can address it with more success.
When my second daughter came along, loving books, I assumed that her love would last forever. (Ha. You know what they say about assumptions.)
At Kindergarten, the school’s worksheet-palooza killed all passion for learning and books.
For this daughter, books were boring. She needed good books—books rich in story and imagination. Not dull worksheets photocopied and stapled together.
So, BOOK LOVE was born.
For those of you whose kids find reading too tricky, I elaborate on specific skills (alphabet, phonics, rhyming, fluency, comprehension) providing activities and games for each. Plus, you’ll find tons of book lists interest.
Book Love give parents just what we need—easy-to-access information and ideas raising a reader, and for reluctant readers.
Reading is everything after all. We must do everything possible to get our kids to love to read.
Melissa Taylor is an educator with a Master’s in Education, a freelance writer, a blogger at Imagination Soup, and a mom of two. BOOK LOVE is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com.
One lucky blog reader will win their choice—either a paperback or Kindle version—of BOOK LOVE. To enter the random drawing, ask Melissa a question about reluctant readers or how to encourage a love of reading. A winner will be selected on December 27th. Good luck and happy reading!
Instead of “Let Kids Read Comic Books,” I almost titled this entry, “Don’t Be an Idiot.” Because I can’t believe this needs to be discussed anymore.
Over at Imagination Soup, they ran a good piece with a solid message: “8 Reasons to Let Your Kids Read Comics.“ Check it out, there’s a lot of worthwhile links attached to the article.
Here’s their list of “8 reasons” in brief.
1. Comics are fun to read.
2. Comics contain the same story elements and literary devices as narrative stories.
3. Comics provide built-in context clues.
4. Reading a comic is a different process of reading using a lot of inference.
5. Readers need variety in their reading diet.
6. We’re a visual culture and the visual sequence makes sense to kids.
7. Reading comics may lead to drawing and writing comics.
8. The selection of graphic novels is bigger, better, and reaches a wider age-range than before.
Yeah, feh, okay. I get that. We have to establish that comics are credible resources, that it’s valid in the classroom, and there’s a perceived need to throw in a lot of pedagogical goobledygook. But I don’t care. Because one thing I know in my bones is that many (many!) professional authors began their childhood love of reading with comic books. Those authors are almost always men (read: ex-boys).
They read what they wanted to. They read what they liked. They read, period.
One of the critically important aspect of this issue of “boys reading junk” is that well-meaning adults — and in particular, women — need to become sensitized to our bias against certain types of reading. We have to become aware of the messages we send to boy readers, the disapproving, dismissive way we view personal choices.
We must trust in the process.
When I was working on my belly-up blog, Fathers Read, I received written contributions from several children’s book authors, including Matthew Cordell, Lewis Buzbee, Michael Northrop, Eric Velasquez, and Jordan Sonnenblick. One recurring strain in their reflections on their lives as young readers was the love
A couple of weeks ago, we posted our review of The Greedy Sparrow, retold by Lucine Kasbarian, illustrated by Maria Zaikina (Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books, 2011). On her website, Lucine has a great study guide (also available as a pdf) to accompany the book, with activities for all ages, and a map showing Armenia and its bordering countries.
Also, read this insightful interview with Lucine over at Imagination Soup. It begins with the question “Can you talk about the importance for parents and teachers to read multicultural children’s books with their children?”… Yes, I knew you’d be interested – go and read it right now! (And thank you for the shout out for PaperTigers, Lucine.)
Bilingual Readers is a publishing company that works to provide bilingual books and resources to families and communities. Their blog provides valuable information on helping children living in bilingual homes to grow as readers.
First Book’s Post Pick: Reading to Kids Gives a Developmental Edge
Imagination Soup is a blog that focuses on incorporating fun into reading, writing and education. Written by former teacher and current author, Melissa Taylor, Imagination Soup is a great resource for anyone who is looking for fun ways to incorporate literacy into everyday events!
First Book’s Post Pick: Parent Child Book Club
Literacy and Play is a blog that offers advice and suggestions on how to create a learning-rich environment for children.
First Book’s Post Pick: Reading Aloud
Together Time 4 Families seeks to reinforce the importance of books and reading in the home. Activities shared on this blog are a great resource for parents looking to involve the entire family in literacy fun.
First Book’s Post Pick: Early Literacy Summer Activities
Early Ed Watch is a blog from New America’s Early Education Initiative which pays special attention to news and resources which promote early literacy in children up to age eight.
First Book’s Post Pick: Infants, Toddlers and Precursors to Literacy
Bookends is a blog created by two middle-school librarians who write well-structured and concise reviews on select books. Reviews are organized very well and the site itself is well navigable.
First Book’s Post Pick: Dinosaurs!
Imagination Soup was created by author, parent and teacher Melissa Taylor who provides great links for all types of learning styles, topics and abilities.
First Book’s Post Pick: Early Readers Read the Pictures
Hi Melissa
Do you think that reading aloud to children will make them less reluctant to read?
Rita
Hi Melissa, I can’t wait to recommend this book to my parents!
Hi Melissa, thanks for this. I’m a children’s author, ex developmental psychologist and I’ve got a grant in Birmingham, UK, at the moment to engage more primary children in our local area in reading for pleasure. In my grant there’s a focus on trying to engage Pakistani boys in reading for pleasure as it is a well-documented issue in the city’s schools. We’ve got Dads’ mornings, where dads come in and read to their children -in any language- before school (and get a free breakfast); in a few weeks, I’ll be taking ten parents and their 3-5 year old children per week, in our library, and talking about the importance of reading (and showing them tips on how they can share picture books to best effect) and am working with people within the communities to try and turn reading for pleasure/to your children a normal part of each family’s culture. There’s going to be a school magazine (with lots of author interviews), two book clubs and more. It’s a really exciting project (run on a shoe-string of course!) but I’m always up for hearing any new tips/thoughts on how we can make the most of what we’re doing. Any thoughts? Thank you, All the best, and hooray for writing that book! Clare.
Hi Melissa, I have a very reluctant reader (2nd grader). We read aloud together A LOT ( I read a page, she reads a page), but I also want her to read independently (and in her head). Any suggestions for fostering that when it’s met with great resistance?
I believe there is a book out there for everyone, and once that one book speaks to you, you are hooked forever. Sometimes it takes a long time to find the first one.
When my kids were little, and in my lower elementary classroom, books didn’t have to be a sitting down thing. I found that once I started reading a good book, the story drew them in. I have seen the most energetic kids on the planet get sucked in by books.
As a teacher, parent and writer of children’s books, THANK YOU! What a great resource for everyone. I have a 4 year old who is started reading (I know, I know, he just is) but he doesn’t want to read to us. Any tips?
Hi Melissa, I was wondering about your take on reading from books and reading from electronic sources. What do you see as significant differences? Will e-reading provide a new way to help more children become enthusiastic readers?
In your experience, does a love of being read to transfer into a love of reading by oneself? Thanks!
We read at night together, but as a parent I find it hard to force my kids to read when they get so much homework already. What are your views on this?
How can you help children to transition from reading aloud to reading silently / in their heads?