I am looking forward to the holiday break for many reasons but one of those reasons is the opportunity I will have to catch up on some reading of great books! One of my favourite personal field trips is to Vancouver Kidsbooks. I call ahead asking the amazing staff there to pull some of their favourite new titles, or some great new read alouds or some books around a particular theme, and when I arrive with my hot chocolate or coffee in hand, it’s a day of being ‘bathed in books.’ I’m delighted to then come back to school after one of these visits and find time to share these new titles with the staff and students. It’s a wonderful feeling to pass a great book along into someone else’s hands to enjoy as well!
The following is a link of the top 20 kids books of 2012 according to School Library Journal readers – http://100scopenotes.com/2012/12/17/top-20-childrens-books-of-2012-20-16/
Dr. Steven Layne provides some tips below for parents to promote reading at home and nurture a love of reading in their children:
Parent List of Do’s for Promoting Reading at Home
The following things can help to build a love for reading and
books in your child.
DO . . .
* read to your child from wonderful children’s literature! Ask librarians and teachers for
recommended titles. Read about things that interest your child: ballet, dump trucks, etc.
Remember that children can listen and comprehend things well beyond their silent reading
level.
*schedule a family reading night/time on the calendar just like soccer practice or piano lessons.
*read a book as a family then watch the movie and discuss the differences.
* allow your child to have at least one magazine subscription if at all possible. It is important that the magazine arrive in his/her name – not in yours! For suggestions see your public
library!
* take your child to the public library often! If he/she doesn’t have a library card, make it a big deal to go get one. Everyone in the family should have one; everyone in the family should use it. Kids respond to adult modeling.
* let your child see other family members reading, often! Parent and teacher modeling is the second most influential factor in promoting a love of reading in young people!
* give a “no reason gift certificate” to your local independent bookstore (where they sell books not crumpets and CD’s).
* keep a “bag of books, magazines, comics, etc.” in each of your cars. Stock it with some
favorite material for each family. Stock every room in the house with books– bathrooms, too!
* (if your child is old enough) offer to read a book that he/she loves and write your thoughts
about it. Then, share them with your child. You can also keep a dialogue journal where you
and your child write to one another as you independently read the same chapter book.
* read a book aloud as a family on vacations.