You would be hard-pressed to find a parent who doesn't want his child to become an avid reader. So the question is not whether this is a worthy end, but how to achieve it. In Honey for a Child's Heart, Gladys Hunt points out the reality that few parents seem to realize:
Children don’t stumble onto good books by themselves; they must be introduced to the wonder of words put together in such a way that they spin out pure joy and magic. (p17)What does a book do?
In the same chapter, Gladys explains:
[A good book] introduces us to people and places we wouldn't ordinarily know. A good book is a magic gateway into a wider world of wonder, beauty, delight and adventure. Books are experiences that make us grow, that add something to our inner stature. (ibid.)Today I began reading A Little Princess to my six-year-old daughter, and already we are meeting people and exploring places that we wouldn't ordinarily know - a girl and her father in late nineteenth century England and India. We have cracked the magic gateway into another time and place. As parents, we have the privilege of opening this magic gateway every day.
Where can I begin?
If you're intimidated by the library, you're not alone. Where do you begin so that you find the best books the first time around, and not on the tenth trip to the library?
- Bring a book list: I would recommend carrying Gladys' book with you to the library. It contains an annotated bibliography of great children's literature organized by age and topic.
- Start with medal winners: Visit the Caldecott section of your local bookstore. Often Barnes&Noble has a shelf devoted to Caldecott honor and medal books. Here you can find titles and authors that you'll want to revisit at the library.
- Ask your friends! Parents you trust and respect can be one of the greatest sources of recommendations.
Decision paralysis can plague us all. There are simply too many choices, and so we never begin. Don't let this be the case with children's books!
