Reading good books is like meeting new people.  You can travel through time and space and make the most interesting acquaintances curled up in your armchair. Silent reading is a very inexpensive and timely way to gain a good education.  Reading good books exposes the student to correct spellings, new vocabulary, history, thoughtfulness, etc..  I could go on and on listing the benefits of reading books but there are just too many.  It is an important habit that is not difficult to establish.

First, aim high.  Children can read a lot of books, more than just two or three a month.  You might have to turn off the television and computer to get in some good reading time.

Here is a very short list of books you may want your children to read.  I did not include obvious biographies like George Washington and others.  This list includes some books you may not be acquainted with.  These are very interesting and have strong educational value.

Books About Real People, Places and Things – Grades 1-4

You may want to read these books aloud to young children.  This is not an exhaustive list but only a few suggestions to get started.

• Born Free - Joy Adamson
• Paddle to the Sea, Tree in the Trail, Seabird, Pagoo - Holling Clancy Hollings
• Thomas Alva Edison - Mervin Kaufman
• When an Animal Grows, Let's Get Turtles - Milicent Selsam
• Amos Fortune, Free Man - Elizabeth Yates

Books About Real People, Places and Things – Grades 5-9

• Letters - Abigail Adams
• Barnum's Own Story - P.T. Barnum
• The Worst Journey in the World, Antartic, 1910-1913 - Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard
• The Living World - Michael Bright
• Muir of the Mountains - William O. Douglas
• Solve It - James F. Fixx
• Paul Revere and the World He Lived In; Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes
• Ann Frank: The Dairy of a Young Girl - Ann Frank
• Homesick:  My Own Story; Stonewall - Jean Fritz
• Geronimo's Story of His Life - Geronimo
• Alexander the Great - John Gunther
• Kon Tiki; The Ra Expeditions - Thor Heyerdahl
• The Story of My Life - Helen Keller
• Letters to Horseface - Ferdinand N. Monjo
• Leonardo Da Vinci; Joan of Arc - Jay Williams

You can find more lists of good books at your library.  Just ask the children's librarian to show you the reference books that have suggested reading lists.

Leading authorities in developmental psychology and education report that children who have mastered reading readiness skills find themselves better prepared for scholastic success than children who have not mastered the basics of reading. But what, exactly, is reading readiness?

In the view of many experts, reading readiness includes:

"The teachable moment for reading: A point in time when the pupil is ready to learn how to read." (See Dechant, Emerald. 1991.Understanding and teaching reading: An interactive model. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.)

"A transition extending over several months during which time the child (student) gradually changes from a non-reader to a beginning reader. In this case the readiness program couples the (student's) past learning with new learning and brings the (student), gradually, through the transition." (From Clay, M. M. 1992. Becoming literate: The construction of inner control. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.)

The Ready to Read Child

Simply put, reading readiness is the point at which a child is academically, emotionally, and mentally prepared to read. Being ready to read means that the child has the skills that he or she needs to understand the concepts of reading. It also means that the child is able to comprehend what he or she reads.

The point of early literacy programs is that they prepare children to read. In the homeschooling environment, this means reading to young children, sharing verbal stories with children to spark their imaginations, and setting a good example for children by reading yourself.

Interestingly, early literacy, or reading readiness, is often a "program" that comes naturally, especially to the parent that emphasizes the importance of education. Many home school educators believe that learning is a lifelong process and that preparing children to learn is as important as the act of learning itself. For this reason, reading readiness is a process that occurs rather naturally within the homeschooling environment.

Preparing Children to Read

There are several strategies that can help parents and home school educators prepare young children to read. Most importantly, children need to have access to reading material. From colorful and entertaining early reader books, to television shows that include simple text reading opportunities, and even the back of a cereal box, children need to be surrounded by fun opportunities to read.

Reading opportunities present themselves in the oddest of places. Some parents like to play word games with their children while driving. Others help their children prepare to read by locating letters on a page to teach their child letter-recognition. Still others employ traditional methods such as taking the time to read together for a few minutes each day.

Although children appear to be only "looking at the pictures" when reading with an adult or older child, they are also inadvertently learning about words, sounds, and sentence structure.

Children also need a great deal of guidance as they learn the basics of reading. Although every parent would like to believe that his or her child is a natural genius, the fact is that even a genius needs help getting started. That's why it's important to make sure that children have help with beginning reading concepts such as phonics and syllabics. Taking the time to sit with a child and read with him or her can make all the difference in the world.

------------------------

Michael Levy is a well-known teacher and university researcher who has published more than 250 articles about learning. His latest project is Reading Buddy 2.0, software for teaching children to learn to read basic English using the innovative syllabics methodology. Michael invites traditional and home school teachers to explore this new method. Claim your free copy of Reading Buddy 2.0. -->

A great deal of a child's reading success depends on the level of support that she or he receives at home. Children who are given the tools and the opportunities to learn to read both at school and at home have a better chance of success. The following are ten tips that can help parents know when they are on track helping their children prepare for reading success.

Tip #1: Read with and to Children Regularly

Reading at home with children is one of the best ways to ensure that they are ready for reading. It also sends the message that reading is enjoyable and fun. Parents should read with their children at least five times a week.

Tip #2: Let Children Explore Books Alone

Many parents often make the mistake of strictly controlling the reading opportunities that their children have. They may let their child select the book, but then completely take over from there. All children should be given the time to explore a book before and/or after they read it with a parent or other adult. When the child reaches the point where he or she can read alone, it's still a good idea to not rush into reading, but to encourage exploration first.

Tip #3: Show Confidence in the Child's Abilities

Children need to believe that they can do something. And, when a child becomes discouraged, it is often a parent's belief in his or her abilities that helps the child over a rough patch. Displaying a lack of confidence can make the child question his or her abilities.

Tip #4: Avoid Expressing Worry About the Child's Progress

Parents who are worried about a child's reading progress should avoid discussing this with the child. Discussing concerns with the child's teacher or other homeschooling educator is a far better option than risking compounding any reading problems the child is having by bringing them to his or her attention.

Tip #5: Encourage Children to Read to Others

Parents are built-in audiences for young readers. Parents should encourage their children to read to them often. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings and cousins, and neighbors are also great audiences.

Tip #6: Have Realistic Expectations

Parents have been reading for so long that they have understandably forgotten how long it took them to learn to read. Children learn to read at different paces and they begin to learn to read at different ages. Parents need to be sure to accommodate different learning styles to avoid rushing a child into reading or expecting too much from a struggling reader.

Tip #7: Avoid Rushing a Reading Session

Children should not feel rushed during a reading session. And, parents should avoid feeling conflicted between spending time reading with children and getting something else done. Schedule time for reading when nothing else will interfere.

Tip #8: Provide Reading and Writing Opportunities

Encourage children to read and write by putting them in charge of the shopping list and sharing letters from friends and relatives. Parents can also help teach children to learn to write by helping them write their own name on letters to friends and relatives. Opportunities for reading and writing development can be found in simple, everyday activities.

Tip #9: Provide Appropriate Reading Materials

Parents should make sure that their young readers have a wealth of age-appropriate reading material. Be sure to stock the home with books that interest the child. Take the child to the library as well. Encourage children to select their own library books and participate in the library's story time.

Tip #10: Nip Problems in the Bud

A child who is having trouble reading might have issues that need attention. A child that has trouble might have a learning disorder, hearing problems, or poor vision. Parents should be aware enough to attend to problems as early as possible but not so concerned that they create problems where none exist.

Computer reading software programs are becoming integral components of many public, private, and homeschooling lessons designed to teach children to learn to read. As such, they now incorporate many critical aspects of a stand-alone reading program, meaning they do not need print materials to support them. Increasing developments in reading instructional software now means that they can address five major components of teaching efforts directed towards children who are learning to read. These components are comprehension, idea generation, analysis, reflection, and composition.

Comprehension

Reading comprehension is the interactive process between writer and reader that allows the reader to decode the meaning of the writer's words. The ultimate goal of reading instruction is comprehension. There are several factors that affect reading comprehension, including word identification, the quality of the reading material, the ability of the student, language skill development, and the type of instruction a student receives.

Idea Generation

Students learn to think, to generate ideas, by reading. By being continuously presented with subject matter that makes them ask questions such as "who, what, when, where, and why", students learn new concepts and brainstorm for new ideas.

Analysis

Students learn to analyze reading materials after they learn to comprehend what they have read. Analysis enhances comprehension and is a step that many students fail to take. Computer reading software helps students learn to analyze what they have read, giving them to ability to connect with what they have read at a deeper level than the student who merely comprehends. Students can be asked to analyze reading material based solely on their own conclusions or can be required to participate in group discussions that require them to articulate their thoughts to other students and classify their own position on the material being discussed.

Reflection

Much like analysis, reflection is a step that students take the enables them to connect with what they have read at more than just a basic level. Actively reflecting on what they have read also enables students to share their thoughts with other students. Reflection on reading topics and critically analyzing those topics are skills that work together to enhance comprehension. Computer technology creates activities and environments for students to explore such tasks as electronic journals in a teaching platform that can be limited to individual students or widened to include entire classes, grade levels, districts, and even classrooms throughout the world.

Composition

Composition requires that students visit the other side of the reading coin. Students spend so much time on the reading side of the coin, they fail to realize what a truly interactive process reading is. As mentioned earlier, reading is an interactive process between writer and reader. For students to be able to truly appreciate and understand the process, they should spend time reading as well as writing. Computer reading software helps students explore such reading and writing activities as writing essays and other papers as well as using the most up to date methods of communication such as email and instant messaging. As more classrooms go online, these basic communication activities enhance students' composition skills as they learn to interact with others.

Unfortunately, these five critical reading processes are seldom incorporated into every software package aimed at children who about to learn to read. Keeping these processes in mind when comparing reading software may help parents and educators make better purchasing decisions.

What is a reluctant reader? Well, You're probably thinking of kids that really don't want to put forth the effort to read books!

And, you are probably on this page because you know a child that doesn't really like to read and you hope to inspire them to read more.  So... let me start with a story.

The other day a friend of mine called and asked for a book suggestion for a grandson. Her grandson used to read a lot, but lately he hasn't really been interested in reading novels or stories. He is interested in learning to play the guitar, though. So, I suggested a book about guitars.

What my friend said next really got me thinking. She didn't want a book about guitars, she wanted a story book. She wanted him to read for the sake of reading.

So, why do we want our kids to read? We know the importance of reading for our children's success. But, again, why do we want our kids to read?

Reading is a skill we need to succeed in life, but that doesn't mean reading novels and loving to curl up with a story is a skill we need to succeed in life.

Let me explain with an analogy. I think that being able to cook a simple nutritous meal is an important life skill, but I don't expect my kids to become chefs. I also think that driving a car safely is an important life skill, but I don't expect my kids to become race car drivers.

So, what does this have to do with reading? Well, I want my children to be able to read well enough that they can read textbooks and understand them. I want them to be able to read road signs, applications, and websites. I want them to be able to comprehend what they read and use the information they read to learn and develop their abilities and interests.

In short, I want them to have the life skill of reading, but if they never fall in love with reading for fun (or never become that chef or race car driver in my analogy) I'm fine with that.

From Reluctant Reader to Skilled Reader

Think about what they are already reading. Do they like to read websites about things they are interested in? Do they like to blog? Do they read the newspaper? Do they read up on the latest sports team? Do they like to help you cook?

In all those situations they are reading. There are so many everyday activities where kids can read (and write for that matter). Browse through this list of reading activities pages and you may be surprised how much your reluctant reader is really reading!

Make sure you start with your child's interests. Whether it's pirates, princesses, computers or cats! Find books, websites, and magazines, that will help them learn more about their interests.

Reading really can be turned into drudgery when you are reading something you're just not interested in reading. Don't mistakenly turn your kids off to reading, by thinking that only novels "count" as reading.

Nowhere have I found any research that says that only reading stories or novels will increase your child's reading ability. In fact the opposite is true. Experts encourage you to read everywhere!

If they don't really have an interest that is pulling them into books and reading right now, then try starting with interactive books. They are more like a game or a puzzle. These interactive books for reluctant readers were created by a reluctant reader! Also, try instructional books like craft books and how-to books that require them to read and follow (or comprehend) instructions.

Start helping your reluctant reader, by (1) looking over the reading activities for ideas and then (2) check out the interactive books page, and lastly (3) find a book about something they are interested in over at Better Children's Books.

I have loved to read to my niece ever since she was a toddler. She loved to curl up in my lap and stare at the colorful pictures as I read to her from books about princesses, or fairies, or puppies. But now that she is a little older, she has a new favorite pastime: she loves to read to me. As she slowly traces her fingers over the words, her eyes light up, and she is filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Such is the magic of reading. If you are concerned about teaching your child to learn how to read, don't panic. There are some basic tools you can use to provide your children with the best learning experience possible.

If You Are A Parent:

• Above all, it is essential that you read to your children. In fact, any person who is important to your children should make it a habit to read to them whenever it is possible. This will teach your children that reading is important to everyone that they look up to.

• Before you go on a family vacation, bring home some reading material about the places you will be going and the things you will be seeing. This will be an exciting connection for the children to make when they visit the places they have already read about.

• Be a role model by teaching your children that language is a gift to humanity. Show them that communication and words are priceless, and teach them that books are the doorways to knowledge and wisdom.

• Make sure your children go to the library whenever possible. Let them have the honor of selecting a book to check out for themselves to teach them how to respect items that they are borrowing - and to teach them that books are enjoyable and fun. When they have an interest in a specific topic, such as cars or flowers, encourage that interest by talking to them about these topics.

If You Are A Teacher:

• Monitor the progress of your students as closely as possible. Make sure you keep a record of their performance so you can assess which areas need more work. Remember that you do know your students' abilities very well, and use this knowledge to decide how fast to progress through the lessons.

• Make sure that you have a genuine understanding of the processes involved in reading, including how words and sentences are formed, how letters and sounds relate, and how paragraphs connect to one another.

• Be certain that your students understand that reading is for enjoyment as well as for learning facts and information. Read both fiction and nonfiction to the children.

• Keep in mind that textbooks can sometimes become repetitive and tedious, so it is helpful to enhance your lessons with books other than the assigned textbooks.

If You Are A Student:

• Enhance your cognitive abilities by reading as many books as you can get your hands on. Books can make you feel anger, happiness, sadness, grief, and humor. They can make you see things from the point of view of another person, helping you to develop compassion for fellow human beings. They can teach you things about yourself that you never would have known otherwise.

• Most importantly, do not be discouraged as you experience difficulties when you learn how to read. Remember that books are a way to travel the world without ever leaving your home.

• Reading the words from left to right can be a difficult task for struggling readers. Often the words appear to move around or the space between words us unclear. It helps to use a finger or a card underneath the words to help your eyes “track” and focus on each word and letter you are sounding out. This will train your eyes to focus on the word you are reading instead of skipping around looking for other clues to simply guess at the word.
• Those who struggle with reading often have many amazing strengths such as building things, putting puzzles together, abilities in art, drama, music, and they are very creative. Make sure to focus on those strengths and allow them experiences and success in those areas.
• In order for someone to improve fluency, reading must become automatic. This happens when they are able to see the word and quickly identify the patterns and sounds. This can be accomplished by teaching the person the patterns of English (Five Phonetic Skills) and how these patterns affect the vowels; the more they work with these patterns they will develop this automatic orthographic reading ability and their fluency will increase.
• When you approach a word you do not know it helps to look through it, identify the vowels and decide what they are saying before you sound out the word (this helps if you know the phonetic skills to prove the vowels). Once you know the vowel sounds you have the hardest part done! Then sound out the word from the beginning all the way to the end without stopping or guessing a couple of times and you will get it! (Taken from the Dennis Davis Reading Method © 2006)
• One of the best comprehension strategies is to make a connection with what you are reading. Can you relate to any of the characters or the story? If you make a connection to yourself it is called text-to-self connection; if you make a connection from the story you are reading to another story you have read it is called text-to-text connection; and if you make a connection to something you have seen on the news or an experience someone you know has had it is called text-to-world connection. The more connections you make the better you will remember and comprehend the story.
• Asking questions is another great reading comprehension strategy. If you ask questions about what is happening in the story, a character’s feelings, or wonder what will happen next, you will be engaged in your reading and that will help you understand on a deeper level.
• When you're sounding out a word and you are having a hard time, check to see if there are any “C’s” or “G’s” followed by an “i” or an “e”. Remember that those vowels change the sound of “c” and “g” to their soft sound as in the words city, cent, gentle, and giraffe. (Taken from the Dennis Davis Reading Method © 2006)
• If your child recognizes a word on one line and not on another, this could be an indication of a phonological weakness known as dyslexia. The best thing to do is observe your child and see if this is a pattern that happens often when he reads. Be patient. It is just as frustrating for them that they don’t recognize the word as it is for you. Help them sound it out and look for the vowel sound(s) and patterns in the word. Remember, someone who has dyslexia must see a correct representation of the word almost 30 times more than the average reader in order for it to be stored into long-term memory!
• Remember, when you or your child encounters a new word to look up the meaning of that word. If you attach meaning then you are more likely to remember it and be able to decode it. After you decode the word practice writing it and using it in a sentence.
• Many people who struggle with reading have low self-esteem and feel stupid. They may have been called “stupid” or “lazy”. All research has been conclusive in proving that difficulty with reading has nothing to do with intelligence. If you know someone who feels this way, them know that their reading struggles have nothing to do with their intelligence and they simply need to be taught in the way their brain learns. This can be one of the most empowering pieces of information they ever receive.
• ... "That's the real problem with kids who struggle with learning ... Some kids feel like they're stupid. I want them to know that they're not. They just learn differently. Once they understand that and have the tools to learn in their individual way, then they can feel good about themselves." -- Charles Schwab
• “Automatic word recognition, which is dependent on phonics knowledge, allows readers to attend to meaning, likewise, slow belabored decoding overloads short-term memory and impedes comprehension.” --Louisa C. Moats of the American Federation of Teachers
• When writing or taking spelling tests if you will say the word you are writing out-loud two times, you are better able to feel the sounds you are making in your mouth and voice box and catch all the phonemes that you might miss by simply hearing the word spoken.
• Those who struggle with reading and processing language also have a difficult time processing spoken directions and have a difficult time with organization. One of the best strategies is to encourage the person to make-up checklists outlining each step of a particular task. This is why a phonics program must be systematic and simple — it must progress logically for the learner in order to have it make sense and have them retain the information.
• If you are working with someone who has a processing disorder such as dyslexia, remember that they often need more time to complete tasks. It takes a great amount of effort for them to concentrate so intensely when reading and processing language — allow them the time they need and be patient.
• There is a buzz-word in education called “invented spelling,” which basically means that the child is not required to spell correctly but allowed to express themselves freely and creatively unencumbered by spelling rules. It comes with the best intentions: “When a first grader picks up a pencil and musters the courage to write his very first sentence, you’re not going to harp about the misspellings.” But allowing this free-form spelling method for right-brained children beyond the beginning stages of reading and writing can have disastrous consequences. Because right-brained children have such a good visual memory, they may have difficulty relearning the correct spelling. There must be a balance, and giving them a strong phonetic and spelling foundation will help ensure future reading success.
• Those who struggle with reading are often also easily distracted. They are highly sensitive to stimuli and change their attention with each new sound or movement. It is best if they sit away from high traffic areas such as doors leading out of the classroom or near the teacher’s desk where students are constantly coming and going. The front of the room is optimal so that they are as close to the teacher as possible in order to help eliminate interference when trying to listen to instruction.
• Reading is an intense activity for some and requires them to create their own stimuli to help increase brain waves to match up with the task at hand. Students often do this by wiggling around, bouncing their foot, or tapping their fingers. Let them. It actually helps their concentration for the task instead of hindering it.
• “Children with high ability typically are independent, self-directed, willful, dominant nonconformists. These children are not passive -- they are often difficult to be around because they want to “run the show.” Yet this same quality also makes them most interesting and stimulating to be around.”  -- Ellen Winner, Gifted Children

Using these tools and suggestions you can ensure success for your struggling reader. Success leads to greater self-esteem, which provides hope that creates joy and opens doors for these students to ensure their future happiness and success.

There is hardly anything better than reading to open the doors to the entire universe of experiences. There is hardly anything more valuable that a parent can give to a child for the long run than an appreciation of reading. It is even better for the parent to show a genuine love of reading and expresses this while teaching the child to learn to read.

Once children have learned to read entirely on their own, it is important to maintain a regular regime of reading aloud together...even if it is only a few times a week at a regularly scheduled time so that the children learn to anticipate it. When the children read stories that are intrinsically interesting, but are a bit above their reading level, parents are enabling them to stretch their capabilities and understanding while also motivating them to advance their reading skills. And if there are several children in the household, parents should try to adjust their schedule so that they are able to spend some time reading alone with each child.

Now, parents don't have to spend an enormous amount of time reading with their children. And it isn't important whether they are themselves skilled readers. It is really all about the quality time that parents and children spend together, sharing in the reading adventure.

Long before children notice that there are printed words on the pages of books and magazines, they learn to appreciate the sound of language. Reading aloud with them helps them acquire listening skills and prepares them to understand written words. When the sounds of language become an integral part of children's lives, their learning to read will be as straightforward as their having learned to speak.

Parents should remember as they begin working with their children that they are each in a very different places. Children don't come into the world knowing that words on a page are formed by groups of letters, that letters come in two forms (capital/uppercase and small/lowercase letters), or even that words (in English) are sequenced on a page from left to right. So, at the beginning, it's a good idea to gently bring these matters to their attention.

Younger children often seem to become fixated on one particular book or story and beg parents to read or tell it repeatedly. Although this may concern some parents, particularly if they themselves become somewhat bored with the repetition. But patience is called for because there is probably something in the material that is addressing the child's interests or emotional needs. And introducing a new story or book before repeating a favorite will introduce the child to the idea that even more fascinating materials await them in the days ahead.

Even though the child may initially grow fond of a particular book or story because of its entertainment value, parents should be alert to the opportunities presented for teaching on a larger scale. When the story-reading is over, consider beginning a conversation with the child about the characters in the story. Which are the favorite? Why? How do the characters relate to one another? Are there some hints in the story about their values and expectations? What are the possible consequences of their actions? Is there a moral that can be expressed in an age-appropriate way to the child?

Starting early in the child's life and continuing to regularly read aloud together until the child is regularly reading alone will foster a life-long appreciation for reading ... an appreciation that cannot but help the individual understand an increasingly complex world.

Michael Levy is a teacher who has published more than 250 articles about learning. His latest project is Reading Buddy 2.0, software for teaching children to learn to read basic English using an innovative syllabics methodology. Would you like to know for sure if your child is really ready to learn to read? Claim your free copy of Reading Buddy 2.0.

When a student is struggling with reading there are certain signs or symptoms that show up consistently.  Everyone can struggle over unfamiliar words at times, so we are looking for repeating patterns that show up every time a student encounters text.

Sign 1: Reading for those that struggle is a slow, belabored process. It will take them much longer to read a passage than a student who isn’t struggling.  Because it takes more effort, they will often look away and take breaks.  Reading will be choppy and lack fluency and flow.

Sign 2: Those who struggle will handle the page very differently.  Because they tend to lack sufficient decoding skills to use with unfamiliar words, they look at the page overall and find words that they recognize as ones they have previously memorized.  They will ‘read’ those words while often skipping over sight words and stumbling through unfamiliar words.  Guessing and skipping will be common compensation strategies they apply when reading.

Sign 3: It is not uncommon to have them appear to ‘read’ (automatically recognize) a word one line and when the same word appears a few lines later, act like they have never seen that word.  Struggling readers need to encounter a word 30 more times than an automatic reader before it is stored in their memory.  It takes a lot longer to build a sight vocabulary base.  (This is why decoding strategies are so important for these readers; there are only so many words they can memorize in this fashion.)

Sign 4: When students are assessed for fluency, their scores will only improve within a particular reading passage and then drop back down when a new passage is presented to them.  True fluency is only accomplished when the student is phonologically processing the words from part-to-whole (left-to-right) and storing them in their memories phonetically, not as a memorized whole word.  What happens with repeated fluency practice on the same passage is that students will increase their speed and decrease error rate because they encounter the passage enough time to memorize the words.  This is why when given a new passage with unfamiliar words, their fluency score drops back down.

Sign 5: Those who struggle with reading will avoid reading like the plague. None of us like to do things that we are uncomfortable with or that take extreme effort.  We all avoid things we are not good at.  Struggling readers are the same way.

Struggling readers hurt.  Their self-esteem is damaged and they lack hope in themselves and in ever being successful in reading.  Whatever we do to offer them hope and positive results will be more than worth our efforts.

One of the greatest desires of homeschool parents is to encourage a reading habit in their children. When our children are just babies we start reading to them. We bring our schedules under control so that we will have time to stop our routines and sit down to read.  I know this isn't easy, it isn't easy for me either.  Somehow the tyranny of the urgent can keep us from getting done all the important things we want to do.

It's important to learn to read to your young children.  This is how they will get much of their early knowledge about the world around them. And there is perhaps no fonder childhood memory than one's parents reading picture books. Whether you're sitting on the sofa or bed with your children snuggled around or reading aloud while they roll around the floor playing with matchbox cars, your children will surely enjoy these happy times. And I am certain that all the hours spent reading to your children will become a treasured memory for you too.

Young children love books. Their interests certainly provide a lot to capitalize on. They are fascinated with words (found in books, too), they enjoy things (cars, dolls, balls, -- all visible in books), they delight in painting and coloring (wonderful pictures in books) and they love dramatic play (acting out book characters).

The best place to find books to read is at the library.  Some parents never spent much time in the library and feel intimidated about going to get children's books.  If you feel this way, the children's librarian is there to help you.  She loves to find good books for children.  She is also very willing to explain all the parts of the children's section and the best way to find books. You will find that she can be a very friendly and willing helper.  She is usually just sitting at her desk really hoping someone like you will stop to ask her questions.

Here are some great books to read to your children.  You can find picture story books on the library shelves in alphabetical order according to the author's last name.  If you need help, just take this list to the librarian and she will be happy to find them.  If you don't see a book on the shelf, ask her to order it. You will soon find so many good books to read, this list is just a beginning.

• A Merry Mouse Christmas ABC — Priscilla Hillman
• A Is an Apple Pie — William Stobbs
• Pat the Cat — Colin and Jacqui Hawkins
• Ten, Nine, Eight — Molly Bang
• Brown Bear in a Brown Chair — Irina Hale
• Caps for Sale — Esphyr Slobodkin
• Samson Svenson's Baby — Sheila Moore
• Mousekins Close Call — Edna Miller (There are many Mousekin books)
• Goodnight, Goodnight — Eve Rice
• Richard Scarry's Lowly Worm, Car and Truck Book — Richard Scarry
• The Farmer in the Dell — Diane Zuromskis
• A Hole is to Dig — Ruth Krauss
• I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly — Nadine Westcott
• The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash — Trinka Noble
• The Little Worm Book — Janet and Allan Ahlberg
• The Tale of Thomas Mead — Pat Hutchins
• Pancakes for Breakfast — Tomie dePaola
• The Happy Dog — Hideyuki Tanaka

When you are finished with these, try reading some books from my favorite story book authors.  My top three favorites are:

• Peter Spier
• Cynthia Rylant
• Eloise Wilkins (Golden Books author)

Favorite Picture Book Authors

• Aesop
• Anglund, Joan
• Anno, Mitsumasa
• Berenstain, Jan and Stan
• Carle, Eric
• DePaola, Tomie
• D'Aulaire, Edgar and Ingri
• Emberly, Ed
• Fujikawa, Gyo
• Lionni, Leo
• McCloskey, Robert
• Rockwell, Ann and Thomas
• Scarry, Richard
• Spier, Peter
• Rylant, Cynthia

There are so many others I know, but there is only space to list a few.  All the authors mentioned have each written several books. You should have no trouble finding their books.  Happy Reading!

Randi St. Denis is an educator, popular homeschool speaker, and a seasoned homeschooling mom. Randi works as a consultant to public, private, and homeschool families; providing teaching expertise and assistance for all types of children. You can visit her website at ChicagoHomeschoolExpo.com.