When browsing at bookstores, you might find it difficult to choose a children’s book. The shelves are often crowded with sight-popping colors and flair, enticing you to buy a book even though you know nothing about them.
It is hard to make a decision when the choices are so vast. You can only hope that your kids will like these books and read them enough so that you would buy them.
Kids will be kids and some of them might not even like the book you have chosen for them. This does not mean that you should stop reading to your children but it does mean that you should know how to pick a book for their age and interest level.
Choosing a book for your kids is not as hard as you think it is. Below are some tips to guide you so that you will be able to choose the best books for your kids.
1. Good books are not difficult to read
With kids, it is more about fun and having stories told to them that they love. It is important for kids to be able to enjoy the story and understand what is being said.
You should not buy a book that has more words than your child can actually memorize at one time. Kids are not expected to have an extensive vocabulary but since most of the children are learning English it does not hurt to find a book with simple words for them.
2. Never judge a book by its cover
Of course, it is easier to choose a book that has bright and dazzling colors rather than one with no color at all. But it is important to not just choose a children’s book because of the covers.
Besides having attractive covers, the inside of the books should also be appealing to your kids. Some great books have plain-looking covers but do not let this fool you as they are very interesting inside.
3. Check the reading level
There are different reading levels that are used to categorize the books based on difficulty and reading time. The most commonly used ones include; Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 for easy readers. For picture books, there are three levels as well; Story Time (1), Reading Time (2) and Ready to Read (3).
Level 1 is for ages 4-6; Level 2 is for ages 6-9, and Level 3 is for ages 9+. You should choose a book that is within the range of the child’s reading level.
4. Finding a good book is not as hard as some parents make it out to be
It can be hard to choose a book for your kids but really it should not be hard at all. Just make sure that you look for books that are in accordance with what your children like and if you do find something, read it to them and ask them if they would like more books from these series or authors.
If they like the book, you can buy it as a present. If they don’t, then save it for another time. Just make sure that you have plenty of books to choose from in case the children do not like that book.
5. They teach important things
Kids pick up a lot of things from books and these skills are always useful later on in life. Reading to them will make them aware of the importance of words and what they have to say.
The time spent reading a book with them will be very special as it is not just something that they do but it is something that they will remember for their whole lives. The best part is that almost every book they read during childhood has some important lessons in it.
6. Good books have Strong illustrations
It is always a good thing to have a book with vibrant and bright illustrations. These illustrations are usually done by very talented artists who are passionate about their work.
Read your child the book first, or if they can already read, let them choose from the pictures on the book. This way they can have more fun with it than just having you read it to them.
Conclusion
It is good to have plenty of books to choose from as you will be able to find the best ones that your kids will love.
The tips above should make choosing a book for your kids very easy. Just remember that it has to be age appropriate and it must also be something that they would want to read over and over again. This way you can get what you need and make your children happy at the same time. There is no reason why reading should not be enjoyable for everyone involved.