The joy of reading: What books are good for your kids and the freedom of choice

Recently, I took a trip to the post office and the young lady working behind the counter asked me what I do for a living. I told her that I work with young kids who need a little extra help with reading and her face lit up. With no one in line behind me,  we chatted about the stories she would read and write as a child. She even told me she felt inclined to visit her mom’s house after we spoke to find the stories that used to mean so much to her. There is something special about the gift of reading. It is wonderfully magical, piques your mind, allows you to travel to new places, and empowers you to think about things you may have never considered. Reading opens your mind to unimaginable possibilities and everyone should have the opportunity to experience the freedom of choice that comes with selecting books and the joy that comes from reading them.

Here are 4 tips for giving your child the freedom of choice in selecting a book:

Follow their interests

Ask your child what they are interested in. Your child may surprise you with new curiosities 

that you didn’t know about, giving you the opportunity to look for books on those topics. I recommend checking out our many booklists on varying topics, including food, different heritage groups, sports and more, to find a title your child may like. 

Connect with your child’s teacher

Speaking with your child’s teacher can be very helpful as it will give you insight into what they’re teaching in your child’s class. They can also help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your child as it relates to current class objectives. If you can’t speak with them in person, you can ask to schedule a phone or Zoom meeting, or you can email with a few questions. Here are some helpful questions to get you started.

1. How is my child performing in reading? What is their current strength? What is their biggest area of focus? You want to ask this question because it is very important to know your child’s progress in class. You should be informed of their current strengths and their current weaknesses. When you have this information, you’ll have a better idea of how you can give your child extra help at home.
2. Can you give me two tips for helping my child with reading at home? Your child’s teacher can provide you with helpful tips that they may be using in class. These tips can be very helpful at home when working one on one with your young learner.
3. What should I do when we come to a difficult word? How can I help to figure out this word? There are many ways to help a child understand new and difficult words. Your child’s teacher can give you grade-level ways to help your child decode a word.
4. What book or story did the class read together? How was it received? Should I follow up and continue with that at home?This question allows you to learn what the teacher is covering in class and if it is something you can continue at home. You may be able to find a follow-up to go with the in-class reading, and you can have your child tell you about what they read and talked about in class.

Asking questions is a great way to start a conversation with your child’s teacher so you know how to better help your learner at home. The answers to these questions will help you provide your child with the support they need to choose the most appropriate book for their reading and comprehension level. When kids read, you want them to understand what they are reading so that they can really enjoy it. 

Look for books with strong and enticing illustrations or graphics

We have to be willing to move outside of our comfort zones with the books that we allow our kids to read and allow children to choose books that are appealing to their eye and their mind. When I recently visited a bookstore, I walked through the children’s section and noticed a lot of books with large illustrations and short sentences or graphic novels/comic books. Teachers have expressed that they don’t prefer these books for students and think that students should be reading ‘traditional’ books, but these books are exciting, engaging, and they are keeping young readers interested. 

When choosing books, children’s eyes get big when they see lots of color. It is exciting, captivating, and stimulating for them. They want to turn the pages and see what’s going to happen when they have books that are full of color. Young learners also like short statements. Kids who are in the beginning stages of reading often choose books that have short sentences. This allows them to not feel overwhelmed by all of the words on the page and allows them to build their confidence in reading. Picture books (with short statements on each page), graphic novels, and comic books are all great for young learners. Visit a local bookstore or library with your child to choose one of these books together and watch them grow in their love for reading. 

Use the 5-finger rule

Using this rule will help your child choose a book that is not too difficult for them.

When choosing a book, have your child read the first page of the book. Every time they come to a word that they don’t know, they should put a finger up. The number of fingers they have up will determine if they should choose this book or not.

0-1 fingers the book is too easy

2-3 fingers the book is just right

4-5 fingers the book is too hard

This 5-finger rule is a great way for a child to know if a book is too hard for them without the aid of an adult. They will have independence, control, and joy with choosing a book that is just right for them.

Why giving kids the freedom of choice is so important

Kids are little adults! It is important to treat them as full humans who have thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We would not want someone to choose every book we read so it is important that we teach kids how to choose good books for themselves. So much of a child’s day is controlled by parents, teachers, and other adults. It is empowering for kids when they have the option to choose. When we give kids the freedom of choice, it makes them more likely to want to read! We want them to be engaged with reading that interests them. This will motivate them to read on their own. 

It is important that kids are able to find and see themselves in books. This is one reason why representation matters in books. When kids see themselves in what they read, their world becomes bigger. Without this experience, they may not even choose a book to read at all. 

If we really want kids to find their love of reading, we want to be sure they have joy when they read. The joy comes from the freedom of choice in selecting an appropriate and stimulating book. In 2023, this may mean that kids are reading comic books, graphic novels, or even joke books. We, as adults, may not find these books interesting, but as long as it is appropriate for their reading and age level, we must be open to their choices. You never know, you might find yourself enjoying a kids’ series along with your little learner.

It is my hope, as a book lover, that kids embrace and experience reading so much that as soon as they finish one book, they are ready for the next book. As the Polish comic writer Piotr Kowalcyz once said, “There is only one thing that can replace a book: the next book.” 

Reading is an important skill for future learning. Here are some tips for choosing good books for infants and toddlers. Parents, caregivers, and guardians may find these tips helpful.

The following tips sheet is provided courtesy of the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL).

Infants: Birth to 6 Months

• Content. Choose books with large pictures or bright and bold illustrations set against a contrasting background. Look for books that have simple pictures, one per page.
• Language. Infants will enjoy looking through wordless picture books, or books that have just a single word along with a big picture. But also try books that contain phrases or short sentences. It's important for infants to hear language. Nursery rhymes and verse books are good for this age, too.
• Design. Books for infants should be interesting and appealing to look at. Try stiff cardboard books, books with fold-out pages that create colorful panels, cloth or soft vinyl books, and books with handles.
• Reading Aloud. Infants want your full attention, so try reciting rhymes and songs that you remember by heart. Also, try reading to your infant while she has a toy to hold. Reading at bedtime is always a nice way to end the day!

Infants: 7 to 12 Months

• Content. Children this age will enjoy books with medium to large photos and bright, bold illustrations. Look for books that have simple drawings of familiar things, actions, and events.
• Language. Children begin to key into content and can relate pictures to their world. While they still enjoy picture books, try some books with simple stories that have one line of text per page.
• Design. Infants this age like to handle cloth and vinyl books, and cardboard books with stiff, thick pages.
• Reading Aloud. As your baby gets older, try this four-part interaction sequence:
  1. Get your baby's attention by pointing out something in a book. ("Look!")
  2. Ask a labeling question. ("What's that?")
  3. Wait for your baby to respond, verbally or non-verbally. If necessary, provide the answer yourself. ("That's a monkey!")
  4. Acknowledge your baby's response. ("Yes" or repeat your baby's word.) If your baby mislabels the picture, correct him in a positive manner. ("Yes, it's brown like a dog, but it's a monkey.")

Keep in mind that you may not get through a whole book in one reading. As your child starts to explore books, support her progress by watching, listening, and acknowledging.

Infants: 12 to 18 months

• Content. For children this age, try books with pictures of familiar characters, like animals, children, TV characters, or adults in familiar roles. Look for books that have action pictures - your baby is starting to be able to enjoy pictures with more details.
• Language. This is a great age to try books with songs and repetitive verses. Books that have a simple story line that relates to your child's own experiences will also have appeal. You might also look for theme books that show a series of related pictures and a few words. These books follow a progression of simple activities, but don't try to introduce a plot or complex storyline.
• Design. Even though your baby is growing fast, she'll still enjoy playing with books with handles and books with stiff, thick pages. And she'll still like having these books read to her. Books with thinner pages that are plastic-coated are also a good choice for this age.
• Reading Aloud. Your infant will probably still enjoy reading with you as he sits on your lap or close to you in a comfortable chair. This helps your baby associate reading with feeling secure. Connecting sounds with the pictures he sees in the books will make reading together even more fun. Make your own sounds, and don't be surprised if your baby joins in! You may also notice your child looking through the book alone and making noises (sometimes called "book babble").

Toddlers: 19 to 30 Months

• Content. Toddlers will continue to enjoy books with familiar characters, but they also will begin to take interest in pictures filled with information, action, and detail. Try some short stories, cause and effect stories, and fictional books that describe a problem or circumstance to overcome.
• Language. Try predictable books with repeated text, words that rhyme, and pictures that correspond to the text. Books with songs and repetitive verses are still a good choice for this age.
• Design. Toddlers can enjoy books with paper pages—but will still like books with a picture on every page and just a little bit of text.
• Reading Aloud. Let your toddler decide if she wants to sit on your lap while you read, or next to you on the couch or floor. Follow her cues. Talk about the characters and events in the story, relating them to your child's own experiences. Pause when you read aloud to let your child fill in a word or phrase. This works great with rhyming and repetitive books.

Written by the National Center for Family Literacy.