Choosing family friendly read aloud books (Video)

We know reading aloud to our children will help them to love books, establish good reading practice, new vocabulary, inspire imagination, enhance listening skills, and appreciate literature. In her book “Reading Magic: Why reading aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever” Mem Fox imparts the emotional and intellectual impact reading aloud to children has on their ability to learn to read. As an educator for twenty-five years each day I saw the difference in children who were read to and those who were not.

With no question in our minds that reading aloud to our children is important, the question then becomes: What should we read aloud?

There are several wonderful resources for parents:

Choosing family friendly read aloud books

Photo credit: 

R. R. Cratty

• The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
• http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/
• http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/booklist.html
• Read Aloud America Composite Book List
• http://www.readaloudamerica.org/books
• Your child’s teacher, or your public library

Remember your child’s comprehension level is higher than his reading level. For little ones choose two or three pictures books, an evening, by the same author. Remember their attention span won’t last throughout a novel. As your children grow keep the selections to engaging, well paced stories that everyone enjoys. Suspense or adventure books keep the family excited to return to the story nightly. Books with lengthy descriptions or dialogue can loose a young listener.

Consider nonfiction books if your family wants to know something about a vacation destination, history, even a local museum. Often you can pair a fiction and nonfiction books nicely.

One very special joy in raising children is sharing beloved books in a nightly read aloud.

Enjoy,

R.R. Cratty

Excellent gifts for a new parent:

• Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever Mem Fox (Author), Judy Horacek (Illustrator)
• The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
• Read to Me: Raising Kids Who Love to Read by Bernice E. Cullinan

Slide show contains a few books to consider.