It is hard to find time to sit down and read. Just dealing with everyday life - work, school, homework, household chores, shopping - leaves barely any time to pick up a book. It is much the same with children.
Other than helping your child to grow healthy and happy, the most important thing you can do is to instil in them a love for reading. The most obvious thing to do is to buy them books. When children learn to read they have with them the key to all the knowledge in this world. Teachers, parents and those concerned with children, are looking for books that will appeal to reluctant readers. Here are some tips to consider before you choose a book.
Check for its relevance to the reader
Select a book that is suitable to your child's age. The ideas in the books must be relevant, meaningful and applicable to the child's life, but it should also leave something to the imagination. Says Gia, a primary school teacher, "It doesn't matter if the story is set in a region that has harsh winters and snow. This could still appeal to a child living in the tropics. It will sharpen her imagination and teach her about the weather and cultures of different countries."
Check for attractive appearance
Use of attractive illustrations and placement of text appropriately makes a book catch the eye. Books with simple pictures in bright colours are attractive to very young children. Soma, who runs a home library for children in Kochi says, "I always notice children pick up books that contain just one story or books with a large print. They get the satisfaction in having completed one book."
Check for a good plot
To grab the attention of a reluctant reader, the story should 'move fast'. In other words action should start in the very first page and they should know the gist of the plot by the end of the page.
There is also the humour element. But make sure the humour is suitable for the age of your child. For instance for easy readers one could use one that has simple verbal humour like wordplay, puns and so on. For others a funny dialogue or a funny situation could be appealing. Books by Ruskin Bond and Roald Dahl are good examples of books that have both humour and an engaging plot.
Check for well-defined characters
Children identify strongly with the characters in the books. The characters should be believable and should face issues that children of the similar age group would face. They should have positive personality traits like honesty, intelligence and so on, so your child gets inspired. The characters need not be human, but should be presented in the child's perspective. " My preschooler loves to imitate Noddy. He has his meals in his little yellow car and he thinks all policemen are Mr. Plod," says Rema, a teacher and a mother.
Keeping these in mind while choosing books for your little readers may help you develop in them an interest in reading. A well-selected book will be a gift your child will cherish for a long time.
