As we grow older, we develop our own interests in books and don’t need anyone to pick out books on our behalf. Unfortunately, children aren’t so lucky. If your kids are still building their reading skills, they may be unaware of what else is out there. It’s important to keep your child reading if you want them to make it a habit, so here are four simple tricks to help find the best books for your kids.
- Check Online
It used to be that picking a book revolved around word of mouth. Nowadays, it’s more like word of web. The most obvious thing to do is simply search for books in your child’s reading level, but it’s generally more effective to ask online forums for recommendations. Look for sites that cater to parents of children of the appropriate age, then ask on their message boards.
- Check Within Reading Levels
One of the hardest things about looking for a book for your child is getting the right reading level. However, reading levels can be something of an advantage. You’ll often find that a book your child loved is associated with a similar book aimed at slightly older children.
- Look for a Series
It’s good to read widely, but it’s still helpful to look for a series of books. If you know there are going to be four or five subsequent stories waiting in the wings, you’ll know that you aren’t going to run out of books in the near future. Also, kids tend to like getting stuck into a series.
- Talk to Your Library
Who better to ask about books than your local librarian? Libraries remain popular among young children, so librarians tend to develop a very strong knowledge of the best books to suit younger readers. Take in a few of your kid’s more cherished titles and ask if there’s anything similar. As an added benefit, you’ll be able to check those books out for free instead of paying for brand new copies.
