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Enrich Your Child’s Reading Experience with Personalized Storybooks
If you think books about adventures, dinosaurs and princesses make great gifts for kids, then wait till you give a child a book about something(or someone) way cooler …. him!
When I spoke to Maia Haag of I See Me Inc a while ago about personalized books for kids, she brought up an interesting point. When discussing how much kids love books about themselves and characters or people in their lives, she suggested that personalized books help build self esteem in children. Although other children’s books do that as well, when a book’s plot specifically revolves around your child and his life, the adventures or challenges he faces and the people who influence him, it is a very powerful way to impact your child’s thoughts.
I am a big fan of giving personalized kids’ books as gifts. Whenever there’s an occasion to buy gifts for little nieces, nephews or friends’ kids, I grab the opportunity to hunt for and buy personalized books. I enjoy picking out just the perfect theme, setting or story that suits the little person I’m buying the book for and the whole process of furnishing little details like their names, ages, favorite colors or pets’ names or whatever it is the personalized book creator needs from me in order to create the unique gifts which are sure to be cherished for years.
Besides adding that very personal, special touch there are several other benefits of personalized children’s books -
They’re way more fun – because a personalized book is not about a charming prince fighting a fire-breathing dragon. It’s about the child who will read it. And if there’s something that brings more delight to a child while reading than reading a book about him, I’d like to know what it is.
Easy to Understand - Kids find it easy to relate to the incidents and characters in the book. They’re able to make connections, remember the story better and even grasp its message(if there is one) effortlessly and almost…subconsciously…because, they’re right in the middle of it all.
Reading Motivation - A healthy ego and curiosity can work wonders when you’re trying to get your child to achieve just about anything. I’ve noticed that even babies and kids reluctant to being read to or reading or their own, all of a sudden, start paying attention when you make up a story about them and their friends. Imagine having a book on hand that actually encourages the reluctant reader to pick it up and try to read. Or maybe even just flip through the pages. Reading experts may say you’ve won half the battle if you’ve perked up a child’s interest in reading.
Builds Self Esteem( and other qualities) – If you’ve ever tried to use books as tools to tackle tot troubles, you know how helpful it can be to have a book handy about the situation you’re facing. Be it temper tantrums or sibling rivalry, a thoughtfully penned book is your best friend in getting the message across to your child without him even realizing what you’re doing. And a personalized book dealing with a specific situation or phase that your child is experiencing at the moment can work wonders. One of my little nieces used to be very shy around people, and could not bring herself to perform in front of audiences even though she enjoyed ballet immensely. She loved being a ballerina and twirling around, but would only allow the closest of family to watch her. I bought her a custom storybook about a little ballerina and her friends preparing for a recital as a birthday gift that year. Her mom told me that my niece asked her to read it to her over and over again. She took the book everywhere she went. She showed it off proudly to her ballet instructor. Using the book as an aid, her mom was able to gently nudge her out of her shell and encourage her to open up and share her talents with larger audiences. Her beautiful recital that year is the talk of the family. So, be it confidence, patience, politeness, honesty, being organized, friendliness or any other quality you want your child to imbibe, a creatively crafted and well-produced personalized storybook is sure to be a great inspiration.
One of a Kind - You can be pretty sure your gift won’t be the one that will get returned to the department store because four other people got the child the same gift for his birthday.
Keepsakes, Memory Keepers, Heirloom – This is my favorite reason for getting kids personalized books as gifts. They stay in the family forever. Tattered, torn maybe, with some pages destroyed beyond recognition, but they’ll be around all right. Not too many people have the heart to discard them. They’re the kind of gifts people talk about at family gatherings and pass on to their children or grandchildren. “Remember that book about the ballerina Aunt Lily gave me when I was 6?” And a personalized book serves as a great item to put in a time capsule or memory box for kids to open many years later. And since there’s bound to be only one of its kind in the whole world, a personalized book’s sentimental value only multiplies with time. Call me self-indulgent or egoistic…but hey, I want my little nieces and nephews to remember my gift forever. I want to be the aunt who got them the book they still have 20 years later.
How and where to find personalized children’s books
1.Online – I’m sure there are plenty of options out there that a simple internet search for personalized storybooks will spit out. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve purchased from Custom Story Books and I See Me Inc on many occasions. Both offer unique ways to customize your gift. Custom Story Books have a large number of product options to choose from including personalized photo books, personalized photo coloring books, personalized DVDs, name trains and wooden toys. One of the unique aspects of their personalized photo books is that they digitally convert your child’s photo ( which you upload while personalizing), into a painting that blends well with the book’s characters and settings. So, it’s really as if your child is a part of the story. I See Me offers a fresh perspective to personalized books – the child’s! Their popular product The World According to (Child) book uses the child’s own imagination, illustrations and answers to various questions to create the final product. In this and a few other products, I See Me engages the child in the book’s creation process, which could be a great family project as well as a way to put your child’s imagination and time to productive use in producing something that he is sure to read, enjoy and be proud of for a long time. I particularly like their My Very Own Name book and floor puzzle, which I think make great gifts for young children learning to spell or read their names. The book, of course, makes a lovely newborn gift as well. Both places offer excellent customer service, timely delivery and the personalization process is fairly easy and enjoyable.
2. Picture or Photo Books – Every drug store or discount store that offers photo printing, also offers several custom photo gifts such as mugs, picture books, clocks, calendars and the like. To some people, these gifts may seem lame or far too common. After all, haven’t we all received a photo calendar or desk clock at some point? But I find that creating picture books, especially using captions or a storyline that a child can relate to makes them inexpensive and memorable gifts. Babies love looking at pictures of people, especially people they know. So, next time, maybe skip the photo calendar or clock for the grown-ups. But, go for the picture books with photos of grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins for the baby.
3. Make your own personalized books at home! It doesn’t get any more personal. It doesn’t have to be super-professional. Or it could be, if you like. Just think up your own stories about your kids and other familiar characters. If imagination lets you down, add a new twist to old stories by changing the names and settings. Use family pictures, clipart images, pencil sketches, hand-made drawings, pages from your child’s coloring book or old photographs to illustrate your book. Depending on your skill level and available time, you can make the books as professional-looking as you want. Involve your child in the process if he is old enough. Ask him to suggest character and place names, and how a story might turn out. Include their doodles in the book. You could either use self-publishing services such as Lulu to publish your book. Or choose a simpler, hand-made, home-made version.
So there! If there’s a birthday coming up or even if there’s no occasion, but you just feel like indulging a little guy or girl you know, a personalized storybook is sure to win little hearts. And find you a place there even when they’re not so little any more.
Dr. Seuss turns 106! How will you celebrate?
March 2nd marks the birthday of one of America’s, and perhaps the world’s, most beloved and charming children’s authors who has captured our hearts with his quirky writing and clever tales for decades.
Whenever I read his books with my daughter, I am reminded that sometimes, you need no rhyme or reason to enjoy what you’re reading. (Well, maybe some rhyme does help. Especially since we’re talking about his books!) But here’s the thing – it doesn’t always have to make sense. Or feel right. Or adhere to some invisible writing standard. The bottom line is if you’re having fun reading to your kid, you’re definitely doing something right.
And the man who made this experience possible for so many of us is Dr. Seuss.
What are your children’s Dr. Seuss favorites?
My daughter’s favorite lines from his books are “Not one of them is like another. Don’t ask us why. Go ask your mother” and “Why do I like to hop, hop, hop? I do not know. Go ask your Pop” from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. No matter how many times we read the book, I can be 95.379% sure that when we come to that verse, she will burst into giggles! At least for now. I’m sure, every family and child who has ever read his books has a favorite Dr. Seuss book, verse or story. I’d love to know what yours are!
Read Across America – what the good Doctor would have prescribed!
Could there be a more appropriate day to celebrate Read Across America day than on Dr. Seuss’s birthday? Which is exactly what the National Education Alliance (NEA) has been doing since 1998. Regardless of whether you read to your kids everyday or sporadically or haven’t started yet, this is a day to motivate kids and parents across America to start reading. Together. To each other. With one another. Or independently. A day to honor and encourage reading.
Your role in reading across America
Check out NEA’s Read Across America page for details of activities around the country and how you can get involved. From just committing to read to your child at least for a few minutes to volunteering at the local library or supporting events at a book store – it turns out there’s a lot you can do in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.
And while you’re at it, check out some of the free events happening in and around your town to wish Dr. Seuss a Happy Birthday!
Birthday parties your kids don’t want to miss. No cake, but lots of goodies!
Where: Target stores in your city
When: Saturday, February 27, 9 to 11 a.m.
What: *Special reading of Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, *Free Dr. Seuss-inspired games and activities *Exclusive Dr. Seuss giveaways
Where:Lakeshore Learning store in your city
When: Saturday, February 27, 11 am to 3 pm
What: * Storytime every hour * Kids’ crafts * Games * Face painting
Remember, it’s all free.
And when you’re back from these parties, don’t forget to invite your children’s friends, their siblings and parents for your very own
Dr. Seuss reading party at home!
*Let everyone bring along a favorite book or books and take turns reading aloud.
*Choose from the many, many printable Dr Seuss activities, coloring sheets, puzzles and games available online to keep everyone happily engaged for a while.
* Make up some of your own Dr Seuss games -pinning the hat on the cat, Dr. Seuss says instead of Simon says come to mind at this instant. I’m sure with a little more thought, you’ll come up with waaay better ideas. (Please share them with me!)
* Conduct a Dr Seuss books fun quiz…write down lines from his books on small pieces of paper, fold them up and throw them into a jar. Take turns picking out a line and guessing which book the line is from. Even older kids will find this intriguing.
The perfect time to spread the love….of reading!
If you’ve been thinking about volunteering your time towards reading or literacy programs, can you think of a better time to start?! Why not get in touch with Reach Out and Read, Everybody Wins! or your local library and fill in a volunteer application on Read Across America day?
Through his legacy of charming children’sbooks, the clever Doctor has made it impossible to forget him or his birthday even when he’s not around. I can’t help but wonder if he knew the places he’d go!
What are some of your favorite Dr. Seuss book moments?
Reading to Kids Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune
Let me ask you this. Does a trip to the book store end up lightening your pocket book a little more than you expected it to?
And do you have a hard time picking the best books to read with your kids or keeping up with age-appropriate titles?
The Dilemma Surrounding Children’s Books – To Buy, Borrow or Forgo?
The fact is, you walk into a bookstore with the best of intentions ( namely, to grab a cuppa joe and browse books for free, mostly!) But, somehow, somewhere between the caffeine, the music, the lights and the aisles of glossy, printed material, you decide you just have to have some of those shiny, new books adorning your book shelf at home. Today.
And if you are a parent of young kids, many of those shiny books are likely to have snuck up into your shopping cart from the children’s section.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for buying books for kids. Children’s books make the best gifts for any occasion. Yet, these books aren’t cheap. And you don’t always know which books your child will enjoy. If you end up buying a handful of children’s books everytime you visit the bookstore, the cost adds up. Although I’m guilty of giving in to temptation on several occasions when it comes to buying new books for my daughter, I must admit that there have been times when I’ve refrained, thanks to the price tag. I say to myself that I’ll find a copy at our library or a used one online. And sometimes I do.
But, I’ve often wondered if it wouldn’t be nice to have some kind of a circulation service or online library where we could borrow books instead of buying them and where the cost of books wouldn’t be a factor in enjoying the most beautiful children’s books with our little readers as and when we wanted to.
Grow Up With Books may have the answer
Sanitized, good as new books. Delivered to your door step every month. No late fees.
 Reading to kids made easier Rent. Read. Return. Repeat!
Grow Up With Books is a company that provides an ‘online children’s book rental experience.’ Not only can parents afford to bring home as many children’s books and picture books as they want, but they can also enjoy several added benefits of the GUWB membership for a nominal cost..like finding the best, age-appropriate books for kids or learning ways to enrich their reading experience with the Read TWO concept. To tell you more about the idea, the company and the experience, I asked Lara Ivey a few questions. Lara is a Reading Consultant with GUWB and was kind enough to answer my questions, along with Phil Daukys, the brain behind Grow Up With Books.
If you’re looking for a way to surround your kids with books all the time, without having to resist temptation in bookstore aisles or writing off all your savings, and if you’d like to learn about ways to engage your children with reading-related activities and ideas, you’ve got to read what Lara has to say.
 Reading Consultant at GUWB When I visit your site, the first words I see are ” Online Children’s Book Rental Experience” But, I’ve noticed you say it’s more than that. How would you describe GUWB?
At first glance, you’d think we were a company that rents books Netflix style. Which we are–that is true. However, we like to call it an “experience.” We offer quality literature, connection ideas, the Read TWO Experience, a reading consulting team to help with reading related questions, and even a sanitizing process so that you know your books are clean.
*The books that are offered have been specifically chosen so that GUWB can act as sort of a “filter” for parents having a hard time choosing books.
*One of my favorite things we do that adds to the “experience” is our Connection Cards. Inside most of our books (as long as there is a place to put it) you will find a sticker that gives additional ideas for you and your child to connect with a book. The connection ideas include movement, art, music, math, science, social studies, technology, cooking, writing, and general ones that don’t necessarily fit into a category. For me, the “connections” bring the books to life and is an added benefit to a GUWB membership.
*Our Reading Consulting Team (RCT) is available to offer guidance with reading related questions. We won’t diagnose reading problems, but we can suggest books, reading strategies, and activities to make reading an enjoyable experience. We are available close to 24/7, so that is a definite bonus to GUWB members.
*The Read TWO Experience…
Which is…?
At GUWB, we believe strongly in the importance of reading being a family experience. That’s where the “Read TWO Experience” comes into play and GUWB comes to the rescue. Many times, parents will ask, “I don’t know what to read with my child.” Or they may say, “I don’t know what my child should be reading on her own and what I should read aloud to her!” When we review each book, we will mark the general age group that the book is appropriate for as well as HOW to read it. Would this book be read To, With, or on their Own (T, W, O= Read TWO). One book might be for 2 different age groups, but would be used differently within each group. A 3-4 year old would have it read TO them, but a 5-8 year old you might read it WITH or let them read it on their OWN. The Read TWO Experience really helps to understand how to best use each book.
What age groups do you target and how do you select the books?
Ages birth-12. Book selection is key! We pride ourselves on choosing high-quality books and offering connections with them. When selecting picture books, some things we look for are rich vocabulary, believable characters that may be multi-dimensional, “voice,” engaging illustrations, child-friendly, humor, age-appropriate, and possible future “classic.” With novels, we look for some of the same things…rich vocabulary and phrases, complex storyline, “back story” to the main one, believable characters, “voice,” humor, age-appropriate, etc. With our concept books we’re looking for them to be clear, developmentally appropriate, interactive, and have engaging text and pictures. Not each and every book will have all of those, but that’s our guide.
Do you offer recommendations or reviews to help parents/kids in the book selection process?
Reviews are given for each book we offer. Our RCT personally reads each and every title, taking notes along the way and creating connection ideas. We also include a “Just a Heads Up” section on books that may be of concern to parents. Our categories for that are…General, Mild Violence, Mature Language, Mature Content, and Springboard Topics. The goal of offering the “Just a Heads Up” section is to make parents aware of what their children are reading. Too often we let our kids read books that we know nothing about. The “Just a Heads Up” section is located at the end of any book review that we felt deserved it. Knowing that a book includes “Mature Content” would let you know that it needs a mature reader. It also may guide a parent to read the book with their child rather than have the child read on his/her own.
How much does it cost to rent books on GUWB?
Plans range from $13 per month for Very Light Readers to $ 40 per month for Heavy Readers depending on how many books you wish to receive and read each month. The number varies from 3 to 15. You can change your plan at any time…choose a plan with more or less books depending on your need. You can always email us with questions if one arises.
Who came up with this idea and how did it all start?
(Answered by Phil Daukys) After listening to my son tell me that “Mommy read that book last night… Daddy, you read that book last week,” my wife and I decided that we needed an alternative and wanted to find a way to help others in the same boat. Understanding that the library was a great place to get books, but it still did not alleviate that problem of what books we should be reading. In addition, all people are not close to a library… Grow Up With Books was created.
How does this compare to visiting the library with your child? You have advantages like participating in story time, being able to select books physically, and enjoying an atmosphere of books and reading. Can GUWB replace that?
(Answered by Phil Dauksys) We love libraries and fortunately we’re close to them, but not all parents are. We have no intention of competing with libraries. What we offer, that most libraries do not, is recommended rich literature by age group, taking the guessing game out of the equation for parents in trying to pick the ‘right’ books for their children. We have sanitized books, connection cards in each book that allows both the parents and children to take a book to the next level, making it come alive. GUWB subscribers have the ability to ask our Reading Consulting Team any question regarding their children’s reading development.
Are you able to source the latest or relatively new titles?
That’s one of my jobs–keeping up with what is coming and what is newly out there. Some of our latest ones are the Newbery and Caldecott winners. However, we are always looking for new ideas and welcome suggestions. Being on Twitter and Facebook connects me with authors, publishers, and educators who also are quite knowledgeable in the book field.
Is this service available in all the states currently?
YES! We’ve even sent books to Hawaii.
What is your role with GUWB as a reading consultant?
I’m afraid to tell you because everyone will want my job! I have the privledge and pleasure of choosing books, reading them, reviewing, writing connection pieces, blogging, twittering, Facebook, etc. I get to connect with people and bring books along with me! It is my dream job and I love spreading the joy of books!
Children’s books are going digital in a huge way these days as that seems to be an attractive way to get kids to read….you have iPhone apps, digital story readers etc…what do you think of this trend? Do you feel it’s all right as long as kids are reading somehow…or do you think that it’s important for kids to experience reading actual books?
My first thought is if a child is reading, we have accomplished the first and very important goal(digital or not). If we are building better readers by reading with, to, or having children reading on their own, we have accomplished a bigger goal. There is no question that the digital movement is upon us, providing convenience. However, no matter what technology comes around, NOTHING will replace the connection made when you are holding your child in your lap and turning actual pages of a loved book. Prominent author Emile Buchwald puts it quite nicely, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” We couldn’t agree more.
How long has GUWB been around and how would you say the response has been? Are parents enthusiastic about your service?
(Answered by Phil Daukys)The concept has been in place for 10 months, the actually website has been operational since 10/09. The overall response has been enthusiastic. We have people that love the idea and wish they would have come up with it themselves. When you combine reading, children, and a mechanism to provide a service that is designed to save parents time and money, you’ve succeeded.
I find the Read TWO experience interesting – I guess I do a little bit of all three when I read to/with my daughter. Is there any incident or memorable ‘reading’ moment you’d like to share related to reading with your kids or in your experience as a teacher?
One of the most important things that I NEVER was willing to forgo during the day was the time I read aloud to my class. Some of my favorites were Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlotte’s Web, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, All About Sam, Wayside School is Falling Down, Frindle, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Then there are the lesser-known titles like People in Pineapple Place, The Real Thief, and The Fairy Rebel. Just recently I had a former student (now a student-teacher) tell me that People in Pineapple Place was the best book she ever heard read aloud. Now I have to find a copy of it and get it for her so that she can carry on the tradition. You never know what impact your “reading choices” will have on others!
How does this work logistically? ( According to your site, kids can keep the books for as long as they want, there are no late fees, the books are sanitized every time, how does all this work?)
Phil Daukys: An absolutely seamless process. Parents sign up, add books to their queue (hopefully with the help of their children), and we automatically ship books to you, free. When you are done reading the books, you simply place them in the return envelope mailed with original shipment, and place them in your mail. If, by chance, your child falls in love with the book, you can opt to buy the book straight from us! There are no late fees, no shipping fees, and no concerns with germs with our sanitization process. Through the sanitization process upon return of books we disinfect each book with an environmentally safe, EPA approved product that kills 99.9% of the bacteria, including H1N1.
If someone reading this is interested in renting children’s books or checking your service out – what action do they have to take and how long on an average would the whole process take?
Phil Daukys:Interested parents can simply log on to the site, chose a plan, add books to their queue and then wait for their Grow Up With Books shipment. Online time is minimal, but we encourage subscribers to browse our books, ask questions of our Reading Consulting Team, and even check out our prices. We also sell books and are often, if not always, cheaper than Amazon and other online retailers. Shipping in general takes about 3-5 days to receive your books. We have created an expedited process when books are returned allowing us to have knowledge that your shipment is on its way back. Then we immediately ship out your next round of books, taking precious days out of the process.
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The primary goal of Grow Up With Books is to encourage reading and the love of books among children and to make books accessible to them wherever they are. The online book rental service is just a part of their bigger plan to promote reading and reading-related activities among children, including underprivileged kids. It is with this goal in sight that Grow Up With Books has partnered with various charities and organizations to donate books and promote early literacy both within and outside the United States. To learn more about GUWB’s philanthropic endeavours or if you’re interested in checking out the online children’s book rental experience for yourself, visit http://growupwithbooks.com/. And let me know what you thought!
Has reading to your child ever given you goosebumps? (And I mean in a good way!) It may not happen often. And it probably doesn’t happen to everyone. But if you’ve shared the adaptation of John Denver’s Sunshine on My Shoulders with your little sunshine, you probably know what I’m talking about.
Listening to John Denver’s rendition of the song, in itself, is an experience one doesn’t forget easily. What’s more, the pages of this cheerful book come alive with Christopher Canyon’s splendid illustrations. Brimming with innocence, whimsy, humor, wonder and amazement that characterize a child’s view of life and his surroundings, the book is sure to be one that stays in your( and your child’s) heart, mind and memory for a long time. Not to mention your book shelf.
Simple verses extoll the beautiful nature of sunshine, love and friendship and how they permeate our lives. When you listen to the CD and read/sing it along with your child, Denver’s simple, yet sincere wish – for the reader and the child in each of us – to have a day ‘just like today’ and for ’sunshine all the while’ will tug at your heart strings, on at least a few occasions.
This is another great book that you can share with kids of all ages. The soothing melody and lyrics along with the bright, crisp illustrations will appeal to very young babies. Older kids may enjoy singing along with the CD and observing the pictures more closely. I think this book makes a wonderful gift for expecting and new parents, kids and tweens. When you share Sunshine on My Shoulders with your child, you aren’t just reading or singing the words. The magic of John Denver’s music and Christopher Canyon’s illustrations actually transport you to a different realm where you simply begin to appreciate nature, relationships, your family, friends, music, love and everything else that you are blessed with…a little bit more every time you read.
At least, that has been my experience. What do you think?
Sometimes, when you’re reading a book with your child, you don’t have to say a word.
 Birds by Kevin Henkes, Laura Dronzek The cliche about a picture saying a thousand words? You have to experience it to believe it. And during one of my recent trips to the children’s section at our library, I was lucky to stumble upon one such experience.
We happened to find the book, Birds, created by Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek. And let me tell you, it’s a visual treat from start to finish.
Illustrated by Laura Dronzek, vibrant colors fill its pages. Bright acrylic paintings with thick black outlines depict different kinds of birds in various settings throughout the book. They’re simple, beautiful images with no intricate detailing or embellishments. But, from the moment you open the book to the time you turn over the last page, you’ll probably have a hard time catching your breath, as each page and the visuals on it tell a hundred stories.
This simple children’s book with sparse text and generous use of primary colors will appeal to very young babies, pre-schoolers and beginner readers alike. Very few kinds of books effectively combine all the elements that are appropriate for these different age groups, and Birds is one such exceptional book.
 Read to Your Baby Narrated from a little girl’s point of view, the book is about her observation of and interaction with birds. She appears to be fascinated by their form, number, colors, shapes and habits and wonders what the sky would look like if birds painted the sky with their tail feathers as they flew. She observes how they never seem to move when you keep looking at them and when you look away for just a second, ”they were gone.” Sparingly used, yet compelling words convey the child’s curiosity, wonder, imagination and longing to be more like a bird. The book ends with her innocent and charming declaration that although she can’t fly like a bird, she can do something else that brings her closer to the birds that captivate her imagination…
 Reading to Kids Reasons to share this book with your child -
*You can enjoy it with a child of any age – the white background and bold images with minimal text are easy on the eye, yet very hard to ignore
* It gives you and your child an opportunity to appreciate art – colors, forms, shapes without being overwhelmed by intricate details or too many images
* Since there isn’t really a plot or story, there is tremendous scope for you to engage your child in a conversation – ask questions, count the birds on each page, name them, wonder what a bird might do next, identify favorites, find out the type of birds. The images are simple enough to be traced out for your child to color in on a rainy afternoon.
* It could serve as a great introduction to birds for pre-schoolers, encouraging them to observe birds everywhere.
Have you ever read to your child in a language you don’t usually read in?
It’s a parenting experience like none other. And you shouldn’t miss a chance to try it if you can.
Although my daughter is fluent in our mother tongue( Tamil), we haven’t really read many books written in Tamil with her. We’re teaching her to identify some of the alphabets and make the effort to ensure that she speaks in Tamil at home( and believe me, it’s tough, once kids start going to daycare or preschool on a regular basis and are exposed to more and more of English everyday). However, we haven’t been able to lay our hands on too many good children’s books written in Tamil. I’ve come across a few that weren’t very well produced. And the ones that I’m looking for don’t seem to be available anywhere.
However, a few days ago, I came across Pratham Books, a non-profit trust in India that offers beautiful picture books for kids in Indian languages. The best part is that some of these books are available online on Scribd, so I didn’t have to wait. I just started reading it to my daughter right away.
And boy, was it a delight to watch her!
Tamil is one of those languages that doesn’t sound exactly the same when you speak as when you write it. No matter how casual or conversational you try to make the writing sound, written Tamil always seems to come across as a little formal and ‘purer’ than spoken Tamil. As a result, when I read to my daughter from the book, the range of expressions that crossed her face went from interested to puzzled to delighted to confused to one of comprehension and wonderment. How I wish I could have captured it on video! Had I plotted her reaction on a graph, the spikes would probably have made a porcupine retreat in defeat.
What’s beautiful though – is how she loved the novelty of the experience. She may not have understood all the words at first, but that perked her interest. She could figure out the plot from the visuals, and so tried to relate the story with the images. She was intrigued by the fact that we were reading in Tamil – a language she knew well – and yet, there was something about it that she didn’t fully understand.
We read it a couple of times and I explained to her what some of the words meant. Then she asked me to read it again and seemed to enjoy the experience even better.
In all, reading Nilaavum Thoppiyum (The Moon and the Cap) and its Hindi version, Chaand ka Tohfa ( The Moon’s Gift) was a delightful, eye opening experience for both of us.
It reminded me to put more effort into exposing my daughter to Indian language books so she could begin to appreciate the richness and diversity in these languages and also to encourage her to continue to learn and use our mother tongue. As for M, she seemed to be pretty fascinated by the fact that we were reading from different scripts and pronouncing strange new words. It was almost like a game – like I was reading some secret code or posing a riddle – and she couldn’t wait to figure out what I was saying.
In their book, To Learn with Love, authors William and Constance Starr describe Dr. Suzuki’s ‘mother tongue approach’ to teaching students music. His method was based on the simple observation that babies everywhere learn their mother tongue, almost effortlessly. He observed that since babies are constantly exposed to their mother tongue, they pick it up by merely being in the environment they’re in and by repeating what they hear several hundred or thousand times. He borrows this idea and applies it to teaching music. The Suzuki method involves exposing children to music from a young age, playing recordings and encouraging repetitions. And sure enough, kids who are trained in this way for years, do go on to achieve fine musical abilities in due course with exposure, training and consistent practice.
In today’s globalized world, where we are all about leveling the playing field and creating a universal language and breaking barriers, it’s not easy to hold on to one’s mother tongue. let alone ensure that our kids do. It’s more convenient and seems more practical to allow a language to fade away than make the effort to weave it into our complex world. “Language should unite, not divide.” “Language is just a means of communication, why make such a fuss?” are some of the arguments we hear in favor of allowing languages to disappear. But, children born in bilingual and multilingual families or those whose parents know more than one language are at a natural advantage over others who don’t share their background. Various studies show the correlation between being bilingual and acquiring proficiency in other fields. Learning foreign languages also seems to be the fashionable thing to do. So, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to throw this natural advantage away, merely because it takes a little more effort to reinforce one’s mother tongue on a regular basis?
Maybe it’s time we borrowed Suzuki’s mother tongue approach and began applying it to teaching kids their mother tongue. And if your mother tongue is an Indian language, then children’s books like those from Pratham Books are a great place to start.
Have you been following the Ideas for Change in America? One of the ideas proposed under the Education category is to launch a national ‘Read to Kids’ campaign. Suggested by Everybody Wins! (Boston, MA), an organization that takes early literacy and reading skills very seriously, the idea is now among the top 3 contenders, set to compete in the final round. Of course, I’m delighted and hopeful.
Change America by reading to kids? Really?
Everybody Wins! is a national literacy and mentoring non-profit that aims to build the love of reading and reading skills among low-income students. The way they do this is by following the philosophy of one mentor, one child, one book at a time. Working professionals volunteer time once a week to participate in the Power Lunch program – a simple arrangement where volunteers spend 30 minutes reading to a child during lunch.
That’s it.
If you’re wondering if there’s really that strong a connection between reading to kids and changing a country, you’re probably not alone.
But if you take a look at the extent to which reading aloud to children impacts statistics such as the size of prisons in a state and healthcare costs, you may be in for a shock. I was amazed to learn that just reading to kids for about 20 minutes everyday could make that much of a difference in these very crucial numbers.
How 20 Minutes of Reading Changes a Child’s Life
When you think about it, it does make sense. 20 minutes may not seem like a lot, at first. And reading from a children’s book hardly seems like an intellectually stimulating activity, at least for grown-ups. But, it’s not just the act of reading itself that matters but the entire process and the various elements involved that makes an impact. When we read to kids everyday, we do a lot more than pronouce a set of words and sentences. Among other things, we help children
* form a lifelong reading habit – a key ingredient for academic success, higher education levels, acquiring new skills, employability
* develop an interest in reading – a factor crucial to learning and expanding knowledge in almost any field
* explore various subjects and areas of interest including other cultures and countries – which in turn helps to…
* develop tolerance, acceptance and a broader vision of the world
* build self esteem – by helping them transition from listening to reading along to reading independently and by showing them that we value our ‘reading time’ together
And I almost forgot to mention how it helps kids with learning a language, improving vocabulary, memory and communication skills. Which, I think, are more the byproducts of the reading process rather than the purpose.
By being consistent with, committed to and passionate about reading with our children, we become role models not just for reading, but as someone who values learning, honors commitment and is constantly open to new ideas. And the presence of such role models in a child’s life contributes largely to a child’s thoughts, aspirations, world view, beliefs and eventually to his future.
So, this Read to Kids campaign is not so much about reading as it is about creating positive role models for kids to emulate, learn from and be inspired by. And although it’s a national campaign, it starts with each of us committing ourselves to reading to kids( both ours and others who may benefit by being read to) consistently for a period of time. And if you think that’s important and that it could be a factor in changing the future of this country or maybe even the world – do take a minute to read about it and decide if you want to vote for it.
Related posts :
Raising a Generation of Readers 1
Raising a Generation of Readers 2
Nurture Compassion by Reading to Kids
My 3-year old demands to know what an earthquake is, why it happens and what will happen to all the babies trapped under the rubble in Haiti. We listen to the news as I drive her to daycare and back everyday and she puts two and two together. She watches us discuss the situation, the organizations that accept donations, the rescue efforts and developments and she wants to know more. Above all, she wants to know if she can help. And how.
On one hand, I feel incredibly proud. I’m moved by the compassion that this little thing shows for people she doesn’t know in a situation she probably doesn’t fully comprehend. I’m glad she wants to help.
On the other hand – I’m terrified. I’m not quite sure how much to tell her and how to nurture her compassion without allowing her wonderful, large, yet delicate heart to break.
Compassion – The Currency That Matters
To tell you the truth – this is exactly what we had hoped for – when my husband and I named our daughter, we chose a name that loosely translates to ‘ Universal Peace.’ It is the first word in our favorite song which is about creating a world of peace and friendship where war is shunned and compassion prevails. Call us dreamers, but, compassion is among the most important values that we hope our daughter upholds. And raising compassionate kids in an exceedingly competitive and materialistic world is proving to be quite a challenge for most parents.
So, it’s heartening to see her express concern and offer to alleviate the pain of children thousands of miles away. Yet, it’s a challenge. How do you talk to a 3 year-old child about death and suffering? And how can you avoid those subjects when she bombards you with questions? Do you just switch off all media and not expose her to any news that’s even remotely disturbing? Which is most news these days. Or do we make up stories about the darker side of life or simply change the subject to something more “child-friendly”?
It’s not easy. Parents don’t always know how to handle questions surrounding tragic situations and we all do the best we can. But the important thing to keep in mind is to give children the opportunity to express their compassion. I think that’s the most significant investment we can make in our children’s future.
If we can somehow identify and nurture that natural instinct in children to sympathize and help – we’ll likely be way better off as a civilization and will be well on our way to creating that elusive ‘better place on earth’ we keep hearing about.
Which is why it’s important to make compassion, tolerance and understanding a part of everyday life.
Compassion as a way of life.
Children mirror the world around them – which usually constitutes their parents. So, of course, it’s essential that they see these qualities in us and in our actions and the examples we set for them everyday. The manner in which we handle world news that doesn’t directly affect us, how we talk about these situations, whether we discuss how to help or donate or sign up to volunteer, whether we’re appreciative of our own lives and what we have – are all factors that shape our child’s thoughts and beliefs.
As I was writing this post, I connected with Lara Ivey who shares her thoughts on being more appreciative and encouraging kids to do the same in her beautiful post, Beyond Blessed. You’ll also find some resources and ideas on helping kids cope with and contribute to such situations.
The other important source of input for children is the printed world. Children’s books are far more powerful and leave a much deeper impact than they are usually given credit for. There’s a lot we can achieve by picking the right books and reading with our children on a regular basis. Reading to kids helps you do something interesting and almost impossible with any other method – teach without preaching. Whether it’s a story about being honest or about kindness, children’s books have a way of weaving the moral and message into the plot so kids don’t zone out when you deliver it. It is this unique characteristic of reading aloud that comes to our rescue in difficult situations such as these as well.
I believe that we can turn to children’s books not just to answer their difficult questions, but even to ask a few of our own and in the process, maybe even learn a little, with them.
How Reading to Your Baby or Child can Help Raise a Compassionate Generation
1. Pick books about other cultures, races, countries, history. Bring home a mix of children’s books on different themes and cultures. The classics, fairy tales and popular books are great. But, why not alternate them with books by authors from other countries or those translated from another language? Encourage your child to learn about children’s lives in other countries. Just becoming aware that there is so much diversity and disparity in the world is the first step towards raising a more compassionate and tolerant generation. The fact that there may not be flush toilets in houses in some countries or that children walk many miles to get to school and back may help put things in perspective, when our kids are extra-demanding or are disappointed with something. At the same time, learning about how wonderfully different those cultures are – their music, dance, literature, architecture, family structure – is both entertaining and educational for young children.
2. Read about those who didn’t live happily ever after. There’s never a good time to introduce children to the harsh realities that we try to protect them from. But, sooner or later, they’re going to learn about the not-so-happy endings of the world. Every once in a while, when you read with your kids, pick books about real people who faced extraordinarily difficult situations or tragic or disappointing events in history. These are not just stories with sad endings, but contain examples of courage, heroism, integrity, patriotism and other great qualities that you want to imbibe in your child. Age appropriateness is an important question, however, in many cases, you can use a book meant for an older reader with a younger child simply by explaining the events in your own words, showing them the pictures and asking them about what they think. Tone down or sugarcoat the details as you see appropriate – only you know how much bare truth your child is ready for.
3. Read the papers. You don’t always have to pick books to read with your kids. How about settling down with a bunch of papers or magazines and spending an afternoon talking about a certain event, situation or country? I’ve even seen some 2 year-olds respond to this kind of interaction – sometimes, they just appreciate the change from looking at illustrations and colorful pictures to real photos and visuals of places and people. They’re excited about reading from “grown-up books”. With older kids, it could turn into a very interesting afternoon project. Together, pick any topic like hurricanes, war or forest fire – anything that’s interesting to them or relevant to the current context – and read to them from different newspapers or feature articles. Not just the science and reasoning behind it but the human interest stories as well. Like the kid who never let go of his baby brother even when he almost drowned or the little girl who got lost while camping and managed to survive alone in the wild until rescue workers found her.
4. Do activities together. Find a country on the globe. Identify flags. Pretend you’re living in another country. A globe and/or a large wall world map is a must for every home with kids. (I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t name some of the countries and capitals that my little nieces and nephews can.) Learning about countries, their locations and history is important for children to understand the nature of our world and how we are constantly evolving as a civilization and how interdependent we all are. Get a good world atlas and read parts of it with your child often. Come up with fun crafts and activities together.
5. Discuss and read about ways you can help. It’s great that the Haiti earthquake has spurred relief efforts and donations from so many of us. In many families, children are stepping up – offering to part with their allowances or piggy bank savings. News stations are brimming with stories of young children raising thousands of dollars for Haiti relief. This is the silver lining to an otherwise horrific and overwhelming situation – we have the opportunity to encourage and witness our children’s compassion and generosity. Making volunteering and donating to charities a regular practice is a great way for a family to engage in an activity together, to bond and to evolve together. So, whenever possible, read to your child about volunteering, non-profit organizations that help various causes, about their efforts and how people can contribute. Read, discuss and act. Even a three year old can be encouraged to give away clothes or toys to a kid who needs them.
Children are naturally compassionate. Underneath their impish smiles and adorable faces, lies an ocean of empathy, love, tenderness and generosity just waiting to be uncovered and utilized. It’s up to us – parents and educators – to recognize, acknowledge and encourage them to express their humane side and to use their gifts for greater causes.
 Children's Storybooks that entertain and teach What has reading to your baby got to do with disciplining her or tackling potty training?
A lot more than you might imagine.
Whether you’re dealing with the terrible twos, terrific threes or other stages in between or haven’t yet figured out how to get your picky eater to well…pick a meal and eat it, you’ll be surprised to find an unlikely friend in your baby’s book shelf.
Books prove to be quite effective and helpful in coaxing children into doing things they don’t want to do. They provide parents a way of getting their fussy kids to cooperate without having to resort to the frequently futile lecture mode.
I think the authors of children’s books are either insanely wicked-smart or have wised-up with parenting experience. Either way – they seem to know what they’re dealing with when they write books about dinosaurs eating healthy or being polite or a little, determined engine climbing an impossible mountain. The best part is – now all you and I have to do is to find these gems and read them to our little guys and gals when the situation demands it. Of course, you may not find success the first time or even the first dozen times. But rest assured, reading to your kids about everyday situations that they can relate to and showing them how their favorite dinosaur, giant red dog or bespectacled character handled a situation or acted in a certain way brings you a lot closer to accomplishing your mission – be it potty training, a lesson in politeness or helping kids overcome separation anxiety.
You don’t have to take my word for it though, for, each child, situation and family is different. And both you and I know that no two days or experiences in the parenting universe are the same. But the next time you are faced with a difficult situation that involves your kid, why not give reading to your child about a similar or related incident a shot? It just might help. Besides, if you’ve faced a check-out lane crisis at the supermarket or lived through one of Junior’s screaming episodes at the popular, neighborhood restaurant – you don’t even have your dignity or reputation at stake. So, there’s nothing to lose and maybe a solution in sight.
So, go ahead – pick up one(or more) of these delightful books and read it with your child. Will your problems vanish and your child undergo a dramatic behavioral change? Of course not. (And gosh, I hope not!) But you will have, together, discovered a few different ways to deal with the little challenges you face as a parent. And maybe along the way, if you’re lucky, you will have instilled in your child a love of reading and sowed the seeds to a lifelong habit that’s incredibly hard to break.
Baby books to the rescue – Here’s a list of children’s books – some old favorites and a few you may not have heard of – that you may find helpful in dealing with the common challenges of parenting, especially with younger kids. Of course, this is nowhere near an exhaustive list. Please feel free to add to it with your suggestions.
Title: The Little Engine that Could
Creators: Watty Piper and Cristina Ong
Helps with: Encouraging kids to persevere, be helpful, kind and friendly and to never give up . Especially helps when kids are frustrated with a difficult puzzle or can’t figure out something by themselves. Give this book a few casual readings and when you see them ready to give up or feeling overwhelmed with something, offer a gentle reminder. Even chanting the mantra ” I think I can” with them, when dealing with a challenging task, may help.
Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Creator: Eric Carle
Helps with: Teaching kids to eat healthy, the connection between eating and development and about transitions.
Title: How do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food
Creators: Jane Yolen, Mark Teague
Helps with: Teaching kids table manners, being polite and coaxing picky eaters at meal time. Also, check out the other books in this series.
Title: Raccoon On His Own
Creator: Jim Arnosky
Helps with: Easing separation anxiety, especially when kids start daycare or school. A beautiful book about a baby raccoon unwillingly separated from his family only to be reunited with them at the end of his unexpected, but exciting adventure.
Title: A Potty for Me – A Lift-the-Flap Instruction Manual
Creator: Karen Katz
Helps with: Potty training, of course. What happens when mom gets a brand new potty for her baby but he is not quite ready to use it, yet? A simple book that coaxes kids into the process, gently and naturally.
Title: Ready for Anything
Creator: Keiko Kasza
Helps with: Encouraging optimism, a positive attitude and teaches kids about the importance of being well-prepared. A tale of two friends who, after almost cancelling their picnic, manage to overcome their fears of what might happen and eventually have a great day out.
Title: I’m Going to be a Big Brother/ I’m Going to Be a Big Sister
Creators: Brenda Bercun, Sue Gross
Helps with: Coping with the arrival of a new sibling. By telling them the important role they have to play as big brother or sister and how everybody loves them just as much as before their little sibling arrived, these books make great gifts for the older child when the new baby arrives.
Title: Tilly and the Rhinoceros
Creator: Sheila White Samton
Helps with: Showing kids to be compassionate and give unconditionally, like Tilly Gobble the kind goose. The book depicts an unlikely friendship that develops between the kind Tilly and Gregor the bully. It’s also a great book to share with your kids when you want to discourage them from bullying.
Title: Yes We Can!
Creators: Sam Mcbratney and Charles Fuge
Helps with: Teaching kids about their special talents and individuality and how they can combine their gifts to work and play together. When Kangaroo, Duck and Mouse set out to outdo each other at what the other is good at, everyone ends up disappointed and grumpy. But, with a little encouragement from Mommy Kangaroo, when each does what he is best at, they quickly turn the day around and have fun just as they planned to. This book offers a way to tackle sibling fights and is a good choice to take along on play dates too.
What if?
Ah! The universal question that puts a damper on pretty much anything you ever want to do.
How many childhood dreams and adventures have we all given up, not daring to follow through because of this very question sneaking its way into our eager, curious minds…either because someone planted it there or it just sort of weaved its way in somehow?
On the other hand…how many fantastic discoveries have been made because of this very question? Because someone took the fear out of it and put the wonder back in ‘What if’.
If you think about it, I’m sure you’ll trace pretty much every memorable experience, adventure or event that you can think of to a ‘What if’…either in a good, wouldn’t-have-missed-it-for-the-world way or a regretful, why-did-I-ever-listen-to-them-and-not-to-my-heart way.
As you turn the colorful pages of Ready for Anything by Keiko Kasza, with your child, you’ll discover together how easy it is to turn things around simply by asking a set of What if’s!
Buddies Raccoon and Duck are almost ready for a picnic when one of them comes up with some of the scariest situations that might ruin their day. Just when they decide that picnics are way too dangerous for them and opt to stay home hidden beneath the safety of their blankets, the other wonders…What if none of those horrible things were to happen? Instead what if all that’s in store for them is a beautiful day with a picnic-basket full of fun – just the way they had planned? Their enthusiasm returns as they visualize a wonderful day out and encouraged by pleasant thoughts, they do end up going on their picnic after all.
Things are going well until one of them realizes he’s forgotten a huge detail! But, luckily the other – is ready for anything.
Ready for Anything is a great book to read aloud with your child for many reasons. First of all, it’s interesting. It takes you into the workings of a child’s mind via the two friends in the book – one of whom is afraid horrible things might happen and the other imagines just the opposite. It’s not just a great read for kids, but a charming, simple reminder to us grown-ups to replace some of the negative What-ifs that prevent us from enjoying the lighter moments in life with a few positive ones. Camouflaged beneath the simple, child-friendly plot lie layers of sub-text reflecting how we think, why we don’t take risks and how by choosing to imagine the worst, we often miss out on the best. I love the way this book is designed and written to appeal to very little ones as well as to older children and parents who read to them. The illustrations capture the vivid details visualized by the two friends, bringing the characters and their worlds – real and imagined – alive.
Whether to encourage your child to try a new hobby or to alleviate her pre-school separation anxieties or just to enjoy a good read with her – Ready for Anything lives up to its title.
Additional activities to try with your child -
- Talk about a picnic your child would like to go on. Come up with a few What if’s together. (Try the same for any situation – first day of school, first swimming lesson, first weekend away from parents with a grandparent or relative)
- What does Raccoon bring to the picnic? How many can you/ your child remember without looking at the book?
- Think of a situation where each of those items may come in handy.
- Which of the ‘What if’s’ do you think really happened on their picnic? Whose version was closer to what actually took place?
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