Value of Summer Reading Programs

Every parent knows that reading is important, but during the summer it is easy to bypass this valuable skill unless you get your children involved in a summer reading program. Most local libraries offer summer reading programs. What is a summer reading program? Most libraries choose a theme for the summer. Then each week the story hour and activities revolve around that theme. Most programs try to take advantage “of children’s natural curiosity to introduce new subjects and different genres – things kids might not study in school but are interested in.” Children are encouraged to read so many books … Continue reading →

Great Books For Your 5th Or 6th Grader

Summer has just begun and it’s important that your fifth or sixth grader keeps reading. Reading is a great way to combat summer boredom and keep the mind fresh and ready for school to start. Here’s a list of my favorite books for this age group, many of them favorites of my sixth grade students as well. Whether your child likes comedy, drama, or adventure one of these books is sure to please. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle This is my all time favorite children’s book. I still enjoy the incredible story of a Meg and Charles Wallace … Continue reading →

Top 10 Books For Grades 3 and 4

In third grade children can usually read chapter books all by themselves. This is the year the world of books really opens up and a love of personal reading develops. So make sure that your child reads good books that will hold their interest. I have included a description of my top ten favorite books for 3rd and 4th graders. As well as ten other great books for this age group. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner Every child dreams of running away and living on their own and that is exactly what the children in this book do. … Continue reading →

Top Ten Picture Books for Preschoolers

Pre-school age children love vivid characters that they can relate to. They enjoy stories with action and repetition. I had a hard time narrowing the list down to my top ten favorite books, but here they are. Corduroy by Don Freeman Every child has a stuffed animal and subsequently will enjoy reading about the adventures of Corduroy, a stuffed bear. Young readers will fall in love with the cuddly bear as he comes alive one night and searches the department store for his lost button. Cows In The Kitchen by June Crebbin This is a book and a sing-along since … Continue reading →

How to Read to Your Young Child

We all know reading is important, but how do you read to a young child and keep their interest. Read on for ideas about how to engage your young child in reading. How to read to your infant or toddler? · Read picture books with just a few words. · Make the reading sessions short. Each child has a different attention span. Breaking up the reading sessions into three or four short sessions a day is usually easiest. · Let your child handle and chew on the book. Young children learn by touching with their hands and mouth. Use board … Continue reading →

Choosing a Read-aloud Book

Choosing the right book can make all the difference in how much your child enjoys the time you spend reading aloud to him. Choosing a Book for Young Children · Book selections for this age group should focus on stimulating sight and hearing. · Choose books with simple black and white pictures then move to colorful pictures. · Rhyming books are important because it helps develop the ability to rhyme, which is essential to becoming a good reader. · Books that contain repetition or are predictable are also good choices. · Choose books that the child can relate to, usually … Continue reading →

Reading aloud to grade school children

We all know how important it is to read to young children before they have started school, but what about reading to your grade-school age children or even older? The national Commission on Reading stated reading aloud is “a practice that should continue throughout the grades.” In a 1990 survey done in Connecticut schools only 8% of students in grades 4 through 6 were read to the previous evening. Yet the benefits of reading aloud to your child, even though they can read to themselves, are immeasurable. According to Jim Trelease, author of “The Read Aloud Handbook”, when you read … Continue reading →

Category Archives: Reading