Children's Books Discussion

For April 2017 we will be reading Children's Books.
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kio
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Children's Books Discussion

Post by kio »

Children's Books are a sub-category of books that is geared for Preschool through Elementary school (Roughly Ages 0 to 12). They are usually progressive in length and the characters within are also in that age range. They also incorporate pretty much every genre. Although romance and horror are typically not found until upper elementary age books or later (Ages 10 to 12 is where it usually begins)

Ideas for discussion:

What book did you read?
Did you like it?
What genre did it fall into? What clues gave it away?
Would you recommend it to someone else?
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Post by Books_are_Life »

I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
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Post by Amagine »

It's children's books month?!

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

:happy-partydance: :banana-blonde: :music-rockon:

So we're going to be talking about children's books until May 12th right?

I know what my favorite forum is going to be for a month. :D

-- 15 Apr 2017, 00:06 --
Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
When you have children, read to them as early as possible. You can read to a child when they are still in the womb and you can definitely read to them when they are babies. Reading to a child early in life has many benefits. You are helping them to learn words, you are instilling a love of books in them and it's great bonding time with your child! So basically by reading to them you are helping their social/emotional, cognitive and language development.

With infants, durable books with few words work best. I would suggest finding books made of cloth and vinyl. Board books are okay too but cloth and vinyl are more sturdy and babies can touch them and chew on them and they won't be destroyed.

Basically, to get a child interested in reading, introduce them to books as earlier as possible and read to them as often as possible. You can easily Google books that are developmentally appropriate for each age. If you need help, I can look up some. There are even websites which have good sources of information about this topic.

By the way, I do encourage reading a book first before you read it to a child. You need to have sense for the story in order to read aloud effectively. You also want to check to see if it is appropriate for them as well.
Last edited by Amagine on 15 Apr 2017, 00:08, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by gali »

Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
You can't make sure the kids will read, but you can encourage them to by setting an example. Let them see you reading, read to them from an early age, go with them to the library, and make sure they are surrounded by books. Let them choose their own books when they are able to read by themselves. You can read with them not just during the day but at bedtimes as well, so they will get into a habit of reading before retiring. When they are small you can control what they read, but you should let them decide for themselves when they are older. You don't have to read every single book before letting them read it, but you can advise them and discuss books with them. Encourage them to read but don't force them or it will become a chore. Good luck! :)
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Post by Amagine »

gali wrote:
Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
You can't make sure the kids will read, but you can encourage them to by setting an example. Let them see you reading, read to them from an early age, go with them to the library, and make sure they are surrounded by books. Let them choose their own books when they are able to read by themselves. You can read with them not just during the day but at bedtimes as well, so they will get into a habit of reading before retiring. When they are small you can control what they read, but you should let them decide for themselves when they are older. You don't have to read every single book before letting them read it, but you can advise them and discuss books with them. Encourage them to read but don't force them or it will become a chore. Good luck! :)
I do agree that if you see a child who isn't into reading at at all, instead of forcing them, back off a little. I agree that you should set the example by letting children see you read for pleasure. It'll make them more interested.

Also if you have a child like that, try to cater to their interests. Is the child a huge sports fan, find books on sports that are written for kids. Do they like Star Wars? There's a popular Star War book series out right now. Introduce the child to graphic novels or comics. Maybe they like pictures more than words.

This is just an idea of things to try. You might still get resistance from the child but I agree with gali. Don't force them because it'll only lead to negative consequences. Let them warm up to books on their own a little. It is okay to give a small nudge though.
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Post by Books_are_Life »

Thank you everyone for the great advice!
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

gali wrote:
Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
You can't make sure the kids will read, but you can encourage them to by setting an example. Let them see you reading, read to them from an early age, go with them to the library, and make sure they are surrounded by books. Let them choose their own books when they are able to read by themselves. You can read with them not just during the day but at bedtimes as well, so they will get into a habit of reading before retiring. When they are small you can control what they read, but you should let them decide for themselves when they are older. You don't have to read every single book before letting them read it, but you can advise them and discuss books with them. Encourage them to read but don't force them or it will become a chore. Good luck! :)
Definitely agree with all of this! I also find when you are reading to kids, if you are enthusiastic while reading, the children become more interested. For instance, instead of reading monotone, use different voices for the characters, use voice levels (from a whisper to a loud voice), and genuinely be engaged while reading. It should be a fun activity and one that makes children happy to be a part of. :)

I also find discussion while reading brings the book to a personal level, which helps the children connect while reading and teaches them to use this technique for future independent reading. This also betters their comprehension, which makes the read even more enjoyable. Good luck! :)
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Post by Tomiwa »

Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
of course you have to read any book u want ur child or children to read,thats parental control or PG so as to guide them through.even without letting them (the children ) know u have read it before except they dont want to show interest in a particular book u get them,or when a question pops out at them from the book,u are the first person they will ask for answer,since u gave the book to the child in the first place...........so for guidance and to defend yourself against any question from the book you want to give your child you have to read it first.
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

I read Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

I absolutely loved this book! It's actually my third read (1 - pre-reading for my students; 2 - reading with my students; 3 - my in-person book club read this last month).

This would be realistic children's fiction. The reason I know this is because the only speaking parts are people (not animals), the situations are realistic and it could happen in real life.

I would recommend this book to everyone! For children fifth grade and all the way to adulthood. I had such a wonderful time re-reading Wonder that I'm sure I will revisit some time in the future.
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Post by kio »

Books_are_Life wrote:I have a question. I am not a parent yet but I am planing on it soon. I wonder if anyone has tips of setting a desire to read in kids of today. The main question is how do I make sure what my kid(s) is appropriate? Should I read every single book one before I let them read it?
The biggest help I can give is start reading to them when they're little all the way through even into high school (if they'll let you). Read them a variety of books and do fun book-based activities with them. That way some of their greatest memories will be associated with books and you'll generate that love of reading.

Being a kids and teen librarian I get the question about appropriateness all the time, so you're not the first one to wonder.Most kids' books up to about 3rd grade reading level (skinny kids chapter books and under) keep it squeaky clean and are fine. When they start getting into the longer chapter books (About Age 10) it can vary. Usually what I tell parent is read the editorial reviews on amazon or barnes and noble or ask your local librarian/bookstore person what they think. They are also great for giving age-appropriate suggestions. Teachers are also great to ask, since they know the kids, but may not be as easy to ask. If you still question if it's appropriate, then read it. In general, however, you really don't need to read every single one.

-- 03 May 2017, 12:39 --
Amagine wrote:It's children's books month?!

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

:happy-partydance: :banana-blonde: :music-rockon:

So we're going to be talking about children's books until May 12th right?

I know what my favorite forum is going to be for a month. :D
Yep, through May 12th. Next month will be free choice, so that's why you haven't seen a poll up yet. So, you could read a kids book two months in a row :)
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

I also read May's Book of the Month, Farmer Beau's Farm. This would be geared toward the younger children (preschool/Kindergarten level). It is a picture book that tells the story about how a new and different animal enters Farmer Beau's farm. At first, the main characters (Kailey Kitten and Sammy Bunny) were fearful of the new animal, but then they all became friends.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, cute, and had a great message for children - accepting differences, do not judge others by appearance only, and bullying is hurtful. I would recommend it for young children, and parents and teachers to read with young children.
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Post by katiesquilts »

My favorite children's book at the moment is Today is Monday by Eric Carle. I always sing the tune while reading it, and some of the kids I teach have started singing along too! Then, at the end of the book, we pretend to eat the food that is on the table.
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Post by elivia05 »

I love a good children's book. I love finding new books to read to my nephew. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
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