A page dedicated to helping Parents help their Children become Better Readers!
Books to Read at Home...And How to Choose Them!
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket: 3-5. The three Baudelaire children are orphaned when their parents die in a fire, and the
children are taken in by their distant relative, Count Olaf. Count Olaf intends to secure their fortune, and has many dastardly
plans to get it. The children manage to thwart his plans in the end, but he will be back.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: 3-6. Harry spends 11 awful years with his aunt and uncle, not knowing that
he is a wizard until he receives his letter. Strange things happen to him at the wizarding school, but Harry manages to save the
day!
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White: 3-6. A young pig is raised by a girl and her family, and becomes a prize winning pig with the help
of his barnyard friends and Charlotte the Spider.
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems: PreK-3. Trixie goes with her dad to the Laundromat. She helps out, but realizes on the way home that
she has left her stuffed bunny behind. She cannot talk to explain why she is upset, until they get home and Mom notices the
bunny is gone. Dad finds it in the wet laundry.
Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss: PreK-3. Clever rhymes and a narrator tell the tale of the main character who leaves town to
explore and visit new places. The main character comes to a place called "The Waiting Place" but moves on with thoughts
of bigger and better places.
Tips for Helping your Child Read, and Become a Better Reader
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket: 3-5. The three Baudelaire children are orphaned when their parents die in a fire, and the
children are taken in by their distant relative, Count Olaf. Count Olaf intends to secure their fortune, and has many dastardly
plans to get it. The children manage to thwart his plans in the end, but he will be back.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: 3-6. Harry spends 11 awful years with his aunt and uncle, not knowing that
he is a wizard until he receives his letter. Strange things happen to him at the wizarding school, but Harry manages to save the
day!
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White: 3-6. A young pig is raised by a girl and her family, and becomes a prize winning pig with the help
of his barnyard friends and Charlotte the Spider.
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems: PreK-3. Trixie goes with her dad to the Laundromat. She helps out, but realizes on the way home that
she has left her stuffed bunny behind. She cannot talk to explain why she is upset, until they get home and Mom notices the
bunny is gone. Dad finds it in the wet laundry.
Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss: PreK-3. Clever rhymes and a narrator tell the tale of the main character who leaves town to
explore and visit new places. The main character comes to a place called "The Waiting Place" but moves on with thoughts
of bigger and better places.
- Find out what your child likes to read. Choose books that focus on that topic, or something close to it.
- Check the Interest Level for books you aren't sure of. Make sure the Interest Level of the book matches their age to make sure they enjoy it and fully understand it. http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ is a good resource to use to check the Interest Level
- Ask for help from your local librarian or your child's teacher...They get paid to do this!
- Let your child have a say. Let them choose some books, and also listen when they tell you they like it or don't like it.
- Look for books that have won awards: books noticed for the illustrations, the characters, the writing, the topic, etc.
Tips for Helping your Child Read, and Become a Better Reader
- Read to them every night. Studies have shown that this has many, many benefits. Allow them to read to you.
- Show them that you like reading. Let them catch you reading a book of your own (and finish it), and also let them see you laughing or smiling while reading.
- Encourage your child to pick books that they can read on their own from the library. Perhaps set aside some time at home for reading.
- For younger children, books consisting of mostly illustrations are better than books with more text. It is easier for them to stay engaged in the story.
- Practice reading with more than just books. Identify familiar letters and words in every day activities: writing a grocery list, driving down the street, looking through magazines. The more practice your child has with reading, the better they will be at it.