In our stores

In Our Store >>

Order the Reading Rockets Launching Young Readers PBS Series

Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
 

Finding and Sharing Great Kids’ Books

Favorite stories get shared many times over. Here's some advice about how to find a good children's book and what to do once you're reading together.

Favorite stories get shared many times over. Here's some advice about how to find a good children's book and what to do once you're reading together.

What to look for:

  • Look for award-winning books. Each year the American Library Association selects children's books for the Caldecott Medal for illustrations and the Newbery Medal for writing.
  • Check the book review section of newspapers and magazines for the recommended new children's books.
  • Check the "Books and Authors" sections on Reading Rockets and Colorín Colorado for recommendations and reviews.

Remember: There are many ways to gather books and share a love of reading with a child. Borrowing books from your local public library and swapping favorites with neighbors are two good ways to learn about new books.

What to do:

It's important to read to your child, but it's also important to listen to them read. Your support and encouragement helps them develop their skills.

  • Listen carefully as your child reads.
  • Take turns. Read a paragraph (or page) and have your child read the next one.
  • Tell your child how proud you are of his or her efforts and skills.

If your child has trouble reading a word, you can help in several ways:

  • Guide him/her to use what they know about letters and sounds to sound out the word.
  • Ask him/her to skip over the word, read the rest of the sentence, and then say a word that would make sense in the story.
  • Supply the correct word.

Remember: Your child may be focusing more on how to read each word than on what they mean, so your reading helps to keep the story alive.

*To view this file, you will need a copy of Acrobat Reader. If it is not already installed on your computer, click here to download.

Adapted from: Kame'enui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. Read*Write*Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun.

Post a new comment

 

 

Get our newsletters!

Reading Rockets Widgets
follow Reading Rockets on twitter
Facebook Reading Rockets Group image

"I look forward to your monthly newsletter for current, useful information to share with adults to help their children become readers and lifelong learners."
~ Susan O.

Featured Sister Site

Colorin Colorado: A bilingual site for families and educators of English language learners.

Colorin Colorado: A bilingual site for families and educators of English language learners