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More Books for Children Aged Between Four and Eight

February 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Cover of "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"

Cover of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

More Books for Children Aged Between Four and Eight

Your children are growing quickly between the ages of four and eight, and one of the biggest parts of their development during this time is that they are learning how to read. It is important that you supply your children with a wide variety of different books and things to read during this time so that they can grow and learn as much as possible during this period of time. The following is just a small sampling of some of the best books out there for children that fall into this age group. All of these books should be in your home.

- “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Basil of Baker Street,” which was written by an author named Eve Titus.
- “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,” which was written by an author named Jon Scieszka.
- “Horton Hatches the Egg,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” which was written by an author named John Archambault.
- “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” which was written by an author named Beatrix Potter.
- “The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh,” which was written by an author named A. A. Milne.
- “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble,” which was written by an author named William Steig.
- “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” which was written by an author named Laura Joffe Numeroff.
- “The Napping House,” which was written by an author named Audrey Wood.
- “The Lorax,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Are You My Mother?,” which was written by an author named Philip D. Eastman.
- “Amazing Grace,” which was written by an author named Mary Hoffman.
- “Math Curse,” which was written by an author named Jon Scieszka.
- “Jumanji,” which was written by an author named Chris Van Allsburg.

Pick up one of these books today and get your child reading and enjoying it.

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Top Books for Children Aged Between Four and Eight

February 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Top Books for Children Aged Between Four and Eight

The years between four and eight are important years for your child. These are the years when your child is beginning to read, learning how to process stories, and guiding his or her own imagination. It is important that your child have access to a wide variety of different books so that he or she can learn the life lessons that they teach while learning how to read and learning how to appreciate the pictures and the imagery that each book provides. The following is a small selection of some of the top titles that you should own so that your child can enjoy the very best in children’s literature.

- “The Polar Express,” which was written by an author named Chris Van Allsburg.
- “The Velveteen Rabbit,” which was written by an author named Margery Williams.
- “Green Eggs and Ham,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Strega Nona,” which was written by an author named Tomie De Paola.
- “The Cat in the Hat,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” which was written by an author named Dr. Seuss.
- “Where the Wild Things Are,” which was written by an author named Maurice Sendak.
- “Stellaluna,” which was written by an author named Janell Cannon.
- “Love You Forever,” which was written by an author named Robert N. Munsch.
- “The Mitten,” which was written by an author named Jan Brett.
- “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” which was written by an author named Judith Viorst.

This is just a small list of the books that your child should grow up with. Allow your child to become a voracious reader by facilitating his or her interest in a variety of different books. The bigger that your library is, the more likely your child will be to truly develop a strong love and passion for reading.

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Top Books for Preschool Aged Children

February 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Top Books for Preschool Aged Children

Preschoolers are children aged between three and five that are learning the basics of the alphabet, numbers and related subjects prior to going into Kindergarten. Reading is an integral part of preparing your preschooler for their next few years of education, and so it can be vitally important to find books that are engaging and thought provoking, and that entice your children to read voraciously. The following is a list of some of the best books for this age group, because they offer what children at this age are specifically looking for: Engaging stories, bright images and stories that teach life lessons.

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” which was written by an author named Eric Carle.
“Corduroy ” written which was by an author named Don Freeman.
“Goodnight Moon” which was written by an author named Margaret Wise Brown.
“The Snowy Day” which was written by an author named Ezra Jack Keats.
“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?” which was written by an author named Bill Martin, Jr.
“The Runaway Bunny” which was written by an author named Margaret Wise Brown.
“The Rainbow Fish” written which was by an author named Marcus Pfister.
“Guess How Much I Love You” which was written by an author named Sam McBratney.

You should aim to build up a strong and suitable library of titles for your children, and you should try to read to your children every single day so that they can benefit from these distinct and interesting titles. Reading to your children and helping them learn how to read is an important way to jumpstart each child’s education and learning abilities early on in the process. At this age your child is a sponge, seeking out knowledge and understanding on a myriad of topics, and the right books can really make a difference in helping your child get the most out of these important years.

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Tips for Creating a Great Children’s Storybook

February 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Tips for Creating a Great Children’s Storybook

Everyone believes that they can write a children’s book. There is a common misconception that children’s books are just books filled with lovely little stories that have pretty pictures. However, there is a look that goes into creating and publishing the perfect children’s book. Here is a look at what some of the publisher’s recommend to put in children’s books to make them children friendly.

Pictures. Pictures help move the story along and help children visualize what is happening. While books are supposed to help build children’s imaginations they also need to help guide that child’s imagination along. Pictures do just that.

Larger Type. Children are more attracted to books that have larger font sizes than those with small print. You are better off writing a 300 page book with large print than a small 145 page book with tiny print.

Compelling Story. You need to make sure that the story is compelling and appealing to children. A story about World War II will probably not encourage children to read but a story about toys that come to life and experience WWII will get the points across and appeal to children.

Likeable Characters. Characters are just like people. Some children will like them some won’t. However, you will have to create characters that are appealing to the largest audience. If you are writing try to create a story with a child that is close in age to your audience. The children will love the story and feel a closer bond to the characters. This will make them want to read.

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Main Categories Of Books

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Reading is considered as a hobby by many people and it gives us more information. Reading of books will help to improve our mind and also our life. Today many types of books are available to read. Depending on the readers interest in books many new categories are getting evolved. Each reader will have interest on certain categories of books. Books can be mainly classified into two types – Fiction books and Non Fiction books. Here we will discuss the main categories of books available in today’s world.

Non Fiction Books – These books mainly deals with true and real stories and also gives us an idea about different places and events. Non Fiction books include books that deal with autobiographies, history, cooking, parenting, and many more. Most of the Nonfiction books are mainly used as reference materials. Let us go through some of the Non Fiction types:
Autobiography – These types of Non Fiction books narrates the true story of a person. Usually an autobiography is written by same person who narrates his own story in a book. Biography – This gives a full description of a particular person’s full life. This will include the story from the birth of the person till his death – a full life span story.

Encyclopedia – As we all know this is a reference material which contains information about each and everything in this world. These will also fall under Non Fiction books category. Travelogue- These types of books contains travel description by many people who traveled to many parts of the world. This narrates the experience the traveler or author had during his or her trip.

Fiction Books – These types of books are mainly written for entertainment purposes. Most of these books will not deal with true stories or incidences. Fiction books include romance, science fiction, thrillers, comedy, horror and many more.

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How To Entice Your Children To Read

January 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Reading is very significant for a child’s academic achievements. Yet several children do not take any pleasure in reading. They perceive reading to be a compulsory chore. If you wish to raise your children to enjoy reading, expose them to books on a regular basis. You must realize that you can’t force the desire to read. Show the child benefits of in reading for his or her purpose. If your school going child does not take interest reading, there are certain actions you must take to foster their desire to read.

Utilize your child’s personal interests to entice them towards books. Parents must mould children to see the joys of reading. Choose reading materials for your children based on their hobbies. If your child enjoys basketball, make sure you keep plenty of reading material on that topic that suits his age. Have several varieties of books or journals on specific teams, players, or history of the game. There are several magazines for young readers on a myriad of subjects.

Expose your children to books by getting some quality literature home. To add more intrigue and interest for your child, take out time and read certain portions to make your child curious enough to take up reading. If your children still don’t take pleasure in reading, make sure they at least glance through headlines, briefs, and pictures with headings.

Do not put undue pressure on your child to inculcate this habit. Try and make your child a “natural” reader. For this you should guide them to the pleasures of reading. Make sure to stock a good quantity of high interest literature at home, which is age appropriate for your child. Then, you must allow them to understand the usefulness and joys of those materials via self discovery. By using these helpful tips, several children will grow up and enjoy the essence of reading.

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The Importance Of Books In Early Learning

January 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We all remember handling those big colorful books, with the lovely pictures, during our childhood days. Child psychologists, from all over the globe, believe the first five years of childhood to be the best phase for mental and habitual developments. Inculcating the love of reading, right from childhood will carve the perfect niche for your child.

If a child’s curiosity, imagination and hunger are fed with books, pictures, and colors, it will pave a smooth path for them to grasp things better. The transformation from picture books to three letter words books, then to comics and later to story books, should be a smooth one. The importance of this transition will be reflected later, in their communication skills. Start with simple bedtime story books and gradually develop your child’s habit to read them. Make sure that some or the other reading material is always available for your child.

Making kids realize the importance of books from a tender age helps in building confidence. You will be glad to observe their pride when they learn reading. Reading books help in quick development of phonetic skills. Incorporating 3d books will boost their inclination towards this habit. A healthy combination of excitement, challenge and fun, is beneficial in drawing them closer to books.

Children can very quickly absorb things going around them. If they are surrounded with books and reader, from their early days, they are certain to take up books instead of the TV. Books prove to be inspirational bricks, while constructing an intelligent brain. All parents must make it point and introduce the world of books to their children. This is the biggest gift they can ever give their bundles of joy. When your children grow up, they will be proud of having parents who took this wise decision for them.

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Re-Readers and One-Timers: Which Are You?

December 31, 2010 by Leave a Comment

A question for book lovers everywhere: are you a re-reader or a one-timer?

As the term implies, re-readers will read the same book again, maybe even several times. One-timers will finish a book, then move along to the next one.

Re-readers enjoy peeling away layers, like an onion. Each time they read the book they gain new insights and connect with the story or information in a different way. Reading a book again may help a reader absorb the material on a deeper level. Or they may simply enjoy the characters or plot so much they want to re-enter that world and spend more time there.

Re-readers also may want to revisit a book they read years ago – the passage of time and life lived can make a book seem different the next time around. Or they skimmed through a book previously, and now want to take more time with it. Reading a favorite book again can be like putting on a soft, warm robe and remembering a different time in life than the one you’re presently in.

One-timers enjoy the accomplishment of reading a new book. Their analytical minds glean the key messages and themes, and they may reflect on how the book is similar or different than others they’ve read. They may silently rate the book and decide if they will recommend it to others. Then they’re back on the hunt for the next book to conquer. They may be continuously seeking fresh approaches and unique perspectives from new literary voices.

One-timers may be on a mission to read as many books as possible in their lifetime. They may have a list of all the books they plan to read, and add to it as they find interesting new titles. As one one-timer stated,”The world is too large, and life is too short. A book re-read steals time away from a new book I have yet to discover.”

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The Tech-ation Dare: Take It

December 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The Tech-ation Dare: Take It

On a Tyra Banks daytime talk show, Tyra challenged her guests to take a “tech-ation.” You know, a short vacation or a break from technology.

One of the guests on the show was so obsessed with tracking celebrity news online that it was interfering with school, friendships and work. This young lady was preoccupied with catching all the latest activities of her favorite actors and musicians. She found it difficult to concentrate on homework, interact with “real” people or tend to customers at a retail store where she worked.

Technology has crept into most of our lives, and some of us have become addicted to it in a most unhealthy way. While our gadgets and gizmos can be enriching and helpful, they also can be distracting and soul stealing.

Taking a conscious break from technology can help you reconnect with your own dreams and plans, and the important people in your life.

When was the last time you actually took a pen in hand and wrote a note or letter to someone? Or engaged in a conversation and really listened to the other person? When was the last time you sat with an actual book and engrossed yourself in a story unrelated to current events or celebrity foibles?

If you’re up for the tech-ation challenge, see if you can make it through one day without checking the internet or sending a text, tweet or email. You’ll have to read an actual newspaper, make an actual phone call, and spend time in your own life instead of shadowing someone else’s. If you’re really brave, don’t even turn on the TV. Instead, spend time writing notes to people you care about or talking to someone in person. Or curl up and crack open a book.

It would do all of us some good to step away from our electronic devices every now and then. We should schedule regular tech-ations to keep us grounded in real life.

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Unpack the Bags to Better Understand A Book

December 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Unpack the Bags to Better Understand A Book

Admit it -you usually read a book, spend a few minutes thinking about the characters and plot and how it affected you on a personal level, and that’s as far as you go. Are you ready to take it to a deeper realm?

To sharpen your critical and analytical thinking skills and gain new insights, try “unpacking”  the book you’ve just read. You’ll need a pen and paper, or open up a blank document on your computer. Doing this exercise will take some time and thought. But you’ll feel the gears turning in your mind and you’ll fire up some neurons in the process.

Think about the book and consider the following:
- In your own words, write a brief summary of the story.
- What was the purpose of the story?
- What was the writer’s point of view?
- Do you agree with the writer’s point of view? Explain why or why not.
- Were there distractions in the book you had to overcome, such as word choices, technical or complex subjects, writing style, characters, story lines or dialogue?
- Did these distractions serve a purpose?
-Did you have to reread any parts of the book so you could understand them?
- What was your personal reaction as you read the story?
- Did you make predictions as you progressed through the book? What predictions did you make, and did they turn out the way you expected?
-Do you like the way the book ended, or would you prefer a different ending?
- What question or questions would you like to ask the author?
- Would you recommend the book to others?

Reading doesn’t have to be a passive activity. By asking questions and deconstructing or “unpacking” the contents, you’ll become a more powerful reader and thinker.

Another benefit – post your critique on your favorite social media sites and on bookseller sites like Amazon. Others will appreciate your analysis and you’ll get an interesting dialogue going.

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