Encouraging a child’s love of reading begins at an early age. Many different popular and award-winning books are available and appropriate for a child’s understanding from the age of infancy upward. Books may have an educational theme. Others are simply a source of adventure or enjoyment.
Self-protection Awareness
Statistics indicate that eight percent of boys and 20 percent of girls become victims of sexual abuse before they turn 18 years of age. Teaching a child about being cautious and recognizing the signs of potential danger may start at a young age. A variety of books help parents teach youngsters how to recognize unsafe feelings, the differences between good and bad touch in addition to learning about boundaries.
Imagination Encouragement
“Tuesday,” by David Weisner, is largely a picture book of colorful illustrations that set the backdrop for a frog flying adventure. As the book has no written text, the images allow youngsters and their parents to create the plot line by letting their imaginations run free. “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” by Crockett Johnson tells the tale of a small boy who finds adventure using a crayon. The illustrations and story occur in such a way as to encourage thought-provoking scenarios in young readers.
Life Lessons
The ever-popular Berenstein Bears books take young readers on journeys revolving around many life events while offering a moral to the story. “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak, tells the tale of a little boy with a powerful imagination. However, along the way, he learns the consequences of emotions and the importance of mothers. “The Day the Crayons Quit,” by Drew Daywalt, teaches the importance of sharing and playing fair while considering the feelings of others via a group of disgruntled crayons.
Inspirational
“Where the Sidewalk Ends,” by Shel Silverstein is a collection of short humorous poems accompanied by equally funny illustrations that are sure to delight young and old alike while encouraging a love of poetry. “Animalia,” by Graeme Base, teaches youngsters the alphabet using striking illustrations of animals for each letter. The “Elephant and Piggie” series of books, by Mo Williams, provides children with the opportunity to enjoy the tales written simply for beginning readers. The tales also celebrate the beauty of friendship.