The Quest for the Perfect Book

The Quest for the Perfect Book

            Reading is a chance for your child to dig deeper into topics that he loves.  It is a chance for her to explore situations and concepts that interest her.  Writing is an art, and reading is a very personal journey.  In order to encourage a love of reading you must make sure that you allow your child to take a role in which books he or she reads.  The perfect book will be one that is both interesting to your child, and within his reading range.   Here are a few tips for helping to assist your child in finding his perfect fit book.  

Understand your Child’s Reading Level as a Guide

            Reading levels can be useful in giving us an idea of how to steer a child when she is searching for a book.  Even though my children are at an age where reading levels have not yet been assigned, I still use the guidelines for infants and toddlers as a starting point.  For example, I know that babies typically enjoy books with simple bright pictures and toddlers learn reading skills from books that rhyme.  If you have an older child who has been given a book list or a reading level, it would be useful to skim through some suggested books at his or her level to get an understanding of the types of books your child should be able to handle.  Understanding your child’s suggested book level should be one piece of helping him to select books.

Be Flexible!

            Try not to get too confined with books that only fall within your child’s reading level.  While I include rhyming books in my 3 year-old’s book diet, we read mostly monster truck and Curious George books, because that is what interests him and makes him fall in love with reading.  I understand that this gets trickier with older kids, as they are mostly reading on their own.  However, I’ve noticed that some readers, who usually struggle, can soar through a book that captivates them.  If your child has picked a book that you think may be too difficult for him, try reading it with him for a few nights to see if he is grasping it. 

It can also be quite beneficial to read aloud to an older child.  Audiobooks are another option for letting a child gain access to a book that is outside of his or her reading level.  I suggest checking out the book in print as well, so that your child can follow along in the text as he or she listens to the story.  You do want to make sure that your child is doing some reading on his or her own, but mixing in oral reading and audiobooks can liven up the routine from time to time.   

If you have a child who is consistently picking books that are too easy for her, I would suggest using some of the other tips that I provide her to try to gently nudge her into a higher-level book.  It is also a good idea to explain to her that it is important to you that she grow as a reader, and that in order for her to do that, she is going to have to choose more challenging books. I find it acceptable for my higher level readers to chose some books that may be below level, but it is important to their growth that they are usually picking books that are at their reading level. 

Check out a Varied Collection of Books

            You will never see me leaving the library with only one book in hand.  When visiting the library, I suggest choosing 5-15 books to check out.  Then if your child isn’t connecting with one of his choices, he has other books to choose from without making a big trek back to the library.  Depending on how much time you have at the library, it can be very difficult to make the perfect choice while you’re there. 

            If your child hasn’t yet connected with a certain genre of reading, you should also consider checking out a variety of print materials.  As a young reader, I found magazines much more fun to read than books.  When I visit the library with my boys now we check out fiction, non-fiction, magazines, audiobooks, and songbooks.  Sometimes I’m shocked at which books my son requests over and over again and which ones get ignored.

Get Acquainted with your Library’s Special Features

            While the library is a very healthy place to take a young child, sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.  I remember avoiding the library with my son when he was 18 months to 2 and a half.  He would run away from me, and pull books of shelves.  It was very frustrating, and a little embarrassing.  That was the age where I learned how to use the holding features at my library.  I would go online, choose all the books that I wanted, put them on hold, and then pick them up at the front of the library after work.   This was an absolute dream come true!

Even though my son is past that fun little stage, I still use the hold function at my library.  That way, I know that I’ve preselected some books that meet my sons interests and listening level and it takes the pressure off when we’re at the library.  I always let him select about 3-5 additional books, but if they are the total wrong fit for him, I’ve got a back up plan.

Another great feature of our library is that you can download e-books and audiobooks directly to your own devices.  Both of these processes have been tricky for me the first time, but they are wonderful after you take the time to decipher how to use them.  Reading a book on a mobile device can be very exciting and engaging for a young reader. 

Finally, most libraries offer a variety of excellent programs for kids.  I remember the excitement of doing the summer reading program myself, and our library’s summer reading program begins with infants.  Taking advantage of these programs can help your child build positive connotations with the library, and you may even find a program that looks interesting for yourself. 

Look for Popular Authors and Series

            Aside from the fact that it is exciting to be able to be a part of the book buzz that everyone is talking about, checking out books by popular authors or from a series will make selecting the next book much easier.  A child who knows a series he enjoys can easily go straight to that section and choose the next book.  Another benefit to choosing well known books is that librarians, teachers, and your child’s peers will be more likely to be familiar with the type of book and they will have an easier time making suggestions of other books that might interest your child. 

Let the Quest Begin!

            Reading shouldn’t be painful.  Keep in mind that our ultimate goal with young readers is to make them comfortable with a variety of reading and turn them into life long readers.  Sometimes helping a child to connect with a book can be a much more challenging task than we first realize.  However, once you see your child truly fall in love with a book, it will all be worth it.