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Choosing Carefully: Books and Parents

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It’s a startling discovery, made accidentally as you clean through the endless stacks of clothes, toys and unidentifiable projects (that decision to purchase a chemistry set now seems to be a foolish one. Alchemy stains all carpets and leaves the walls peeling gray). Your child is reading. Of this youâ€™re glad. But the book itself is far too mature, far too demanding in its themes; a sampling of horror and nightmare inducing words. And this… is not what you intended when you encouraged pages. This is not what you wished for when you first offered stories.

There is a delicate line that parents must straddle when deciding what is appropriate and what is simply too impossible. Children are mercurial – their moods and interests are forever changing. This will be reflected in the books they read and the information they seek. But you must still be involved with decisions, urging them to find the better choices and the right materials.

Doing this requires three vital steps:

1. Discuss everything. The desire for books is to be celebrated. The desire for books that are far beyond for your childâ€™s age is to instead be considered. Understand what your son or daughter wishes to read and why. Learn their interests and be certain of their ability to understand ideas that may be considered controversial. If the choice is deemed problematic, then explain why. Donâ€™t simply ban the story.

2. Understand age. Each year offers new skills and comprehensions. And you must remember that, while you still imagine your child as too young for more than rhymes, they may in fact be ready for more daring pages. Recognize their true maturity and emotional age.

3. Seek recommendations. If books that do no please are found, you should not simply condemn them. You should instead find the common interests within them and search for stories that are similar in content but are tailored still for youth.

Choosing the perfect material can be a challenge. You must never tame the urge to read. You must instead tame the urge to learn too much too quickly.

Filed Under: Book Distribution, Books Tagged With: Arts, Book, Chemistry, Child, Children, Literature, Reading, Shopping

Reading as a Summer Sport

The long days of summer were made for reading. The library is a cool retreat from the hot outdoors, and an armful of books are the perfect companions on a hammock in the shade. Though bibliophile adults savor their quiet hours of reading, they are often faced with the herculean task of persuading their children to do the same.

Yet these astounding acts of persuasion, when successful, reward book-loving families with more than a peaceful afternoon’s literary idyll. According to the Scholastic books website, school-aged children who read four or more age-appropriate books over their school’s summer break score far better than their book-eschewing friends. Summer readers’ comprehension scores are higher in general. Reading over the summer keeps kids’ verbal skills from atrophy.

To help parents keep their kids’ reading skills sharp, Scholastic has issued a challenge. Kids may download a log to record their reading minutes, just as they’d log training for a serious sporting event. They can share these minutes online. The school whose students log the most hours will receive an honor that most schoolchildren dream of—the school will be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The internet-based book challenge uses a number of motivating ploys that the Nike + iPod community has successfully pioneered. The book challenge offers a method of quantifying reading effort, and a public means of comparing successes. In every sense except the physical, reading challenges turn summer reading into a sport.

The idea of a summer book challenge is very savvy because it makes reading appealing to the very youngsters who might usually pass it by—kids who get a thrill out of challenges and competitions. The passive act of reading becomes sweeter when it comes in the guise of a game. These world record contenders are likely to discover a latent love for books in the process.

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Child, Reading, School

Why are Non-Fiction Books Such a Gold Mine of Information?

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Non-fiction books are great because they are full experience that possibly took somebody a lifetime to acquire. What took an author years to learn can be digested by a reader in hours. Reading can be fun when it stimulates your mind!

When some people think of non-fiction literature, they may think of large, reference books such as encyclopedias or dictionaries. Those aren’t the only type of non-fiction, books, though! There are all types of informational books that are interesting to read, as they are filled with fun facts on subjects which interests you.

Hobby Interest Books

Rarely is there a hobby to so unique that nobody has ever done it. When you first begin a hobby that interests you, there are a plethora of little things to learn. Non-fiction books provide a productive avenue through which you are able to gather somebody else’s experience, offering you an inexpensive way to gain valuable insight and master the craft of your hobby a bit quicker than you may have otherwise been able to.

How-To Books

How-to books have been popular for years because they offer step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish a life goal. There are books that teach you how to make money online, how to lose weight, how to overcome jealousy, and the list goes on ad infinitum!

Historical Books

There is a great fascination about the historical periods that have preceded our current age, from dinosaurs to ancient cultures all the way to today. As children we are intrigued by the prospect of a land different than the one in which we live. Historical books provide an opportunity for us to read more about ways of life that have long been forgotten.

The digital age allows books of all types to be available to readers world-wide. With more sophisticated book distribution channels, readers have access to every book imaginable. If there’s a topic or time period you’ve been wanting to know more about, go online and see if you can find a book that will give you more information.

Filed Under: Book Distribution, Books Tagged With: Author, Book, Reading

Teach Children to Read

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Reading is a way to expand your mind and enhance your creativity. As we stumble into adulthood, we find less time to devote to the mentally stimulating activity of reading a book. Even if we don’t always have time to read as many books as we would like, it is in our children’s best interest if we instill this habit into them.

As children are growing, their minds are developing, along with opinions, knowledge and experience. Exposing children to books is an excellent way to help develop their brains, both intellectually and creatively.

Intellectual Development

The intellectual development of children who read books occurs more quickly and in a more well-rounded manner than in those who do not read books. Learning and practicing the English language is just like anything else. The more practice you get at it, the more proficient you become. Children have minds like sponges, and the more information that is offered to them at a younger age, the more they will retain as they grow.

Not only are you providing an outlet through which your child can acquire more knowledge and a higher vocabulary, you are giving them practice reading the language they will be using for the rest of their lives!

Creative Development

Reading a book without pictures is very different than watching a movie or cartoon. When you are visually seeing somebody else’s creation, there is no picture to create in your mind. Reading a book without pictures forces the reader to develop a mental image based on the words they are perceiving. When children are presented with the opportunity to use a bit of creativity, they get quite good at it! There are tons of reference points in books that make it easy for them to create the entire picture in their own minds.

There are books available for readers of every age. Put a book in your child’s hands today, and start them on the right road to success.

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Book, Child, Reading

Tips to Improve your Spelling

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Few things in life are more embarrassing that handing in a paper or a memo to people with misspellings all over it. Even in a world of automatic spell check, a term paper or proposals are often times covered in spelling errors. At work, it’s embarrassing and at school, it may even be the difference between an “A” and a “B.” Here are some ways to improve your spelling so that the next time, you are on the right side of the curve!

1. Make a List
To correct a mistake that you make over and over again, try making a list of your mistakes to go over later. Instead of just spell-checking and be done with it, add a misspelled word to the list to review later. At the end of the day or at the end of the week, take some time to take a look at this list that you have made. Try spelling the words over and over. Practice makes perfect and it couldn’t be truer than in spelling.

2. Practice
Do you remember spelling books? Well, they still distribute spelling books. If you feel that your spelling is incredibly poor, try purchasing a spelling tablet from your local school supplies store. The advantage is that these cover the basic slip-ups that even most adults still make. Take a look at these old spelling books – in your own privacy, if you are embarrassed – and spell your way to success!

3. READ!
The most important thing to do to spell better is to read and read profusely. Exposure to words and sentences from a young age has been found to dramatically increase spelling. However, at any age, reading can help to improve spelling. If reading is not something that is part of your normal schedule, try engraining it easily by reading an article a day. Then, try reading two a day. Eventually, try ten pages of a book. Work on exposing yourself to more of the written word and you will see your spelling improve, just like as if you were in school!

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Reading, Spell checker, Spelling and Grammar

One Book A Day

One book a day keeps boredom away! There is much to be said for including reading in your every day activities. Not only does it provide you with more knowledge that you can apply to your life or contribute to every day conversation, but it also helps keep your creativity in tact as you go about your daily grind.

Acquiring Information

As we go through life, there are a ton of obstacles we face. Some of us find ourselves in financial turmoil or we feel sick. We have cars and electronics, as well as interests and phobias. We are parents, teachers, workers, and employees. Sometimes we need the experience of those who have walked before us. It is in every one of these situations that we can rely on books to provide us with applicable knowledge. There is hardly any task or solution to a life crisis you cannot learn from a book. Having a point of reference from which to move forward is helpful when you, in and of your own devices, are unsure what to do next.

Aside from their ability to help individuals through life’s circumstances, books help make your life more interesting. When you have read about a variety of topics, you will be able to intelligently contribute to many more conversations.

Creativity Maintenance

Age has a way of diminishing the creative potential of our minds. As we learn more and more about the logical way of the world, we tend to think less in terms of fantasy. There are numerous every day tasks that require a bit of creativity to accomplish them efficiently and effectively.

Internet book distribution sites and storefront book stores have made it possible to have books of all genres and interests available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Look around online and see if you can’t find the perfect book to stimulate your mind!

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Book, Creativity, Reading

Read Right! Avoiding Bad Reading Habits

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In everything in life, there is a right way and there is a wrong way to do things. Reading is no different. As a reader, bad habits can emerge during school. With the pressure of so many assignments, some become skimmers. Skimmers start reading the top of a page and then merely glaze through an article to pick up keywords. Some teachers have actually advocated this technique. Students have also been found to skip to the end of a book in order gloss the conclusion. However, these techniques seriously hinder a student’s development of reading comprehension and severely limit them as an adult.

Another serious problem amongst students has been a deficiency in remembering what was read. Due to the sheer amount of knowledge necessary for success in the new millennium, curriculums have expanded in all subject areas. Because of the surmounting pressure, students have been reading and storing more and more information as “short-term” knowledge. “Cramming,” while traditionally for tests here and there, has become a powerful tool for today’s students. However, the knowledge quickly disappears and in the long run, hinders students who may need the skills later.

What’s the best way to avoid these bad habits? Always be conscious of these problems while you or your child is reading. If it’s you, of course, do not skip to the end of the book or article. If it is your child, watch his or her habits as he or she reads a book, even if it’s for leisure. Often times, these bad reading habits will carry over. Then, talk to your child and understand why he or she does it. Review the environment in which your child studies. Make sure that it is relaxed, quiet and conducive to concentration. Finally, replace the bad habit with technique. If you or your child is a skimmer, replace skimming with reading aloud. This way each word gets undivided attention! Take diligent notes to help information stay out of “short-term” memory. Avoid habits by being proactive and taking steps so that you and your family will be good readers!

Filed Under: Books, Readers, Reference Tagged With: Knowledge, Language Arts, Reading, Reading comprehension

Don’t Let Your Children to Miss Out on the Reading Culture

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Is reading a sort of worldwide culture? If you think about the number of book clubs and reading groups that exist, you may start to wonder if there is not some sort of cultural development that is protecting the value of reading.

While there are a great many book distribution sites that allow readers to have an endless availability of books, visual media somewhat threatens the culture of reading. There are quite a few celebrities that have stepped up – Oprah leading the pack – to encourage the world to not forget about the value of reading.

We must teach our children to appreciate literature of all genres. One of the greatest experiences since the development of film was the comparison of the movie to the book. You can create family activities involving reading out loud a book that has been turned into a movie. At the end of the book you’ve read as a family, you can then watch the film version.

The more your children practice paying attention to the facts of the book and comparing it to details in the movie, the more experience they will have making logical comparisons for the rest of their lives! Books are more than an outlet for fantasy or a reference for educational information. Books are a way to teach both children and adults how to reason, how to develop a picture or fantasy in their mind, and how to stay connected to other members of the human race, seeing through another set of eyes.

Turning reading into a fun activity that stimulates thought and conversation will prepare your children for more of life’s challenges than could possibly be mentioned in a single article. Encouraging them to read is a major step in the right direction so that they develop their intellect and imagination.

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Book, Child, Education, Reading

Top of the Class: Ten Great Things about Readers!

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They say that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, don’t judge a reader by his or her cover either! Here are ten positive facts about readers:

1. Readers typically are able to handle higher volumes of stress. Also, it is fun and serves as a stress reducer. Typically, a reading routine will give well-read people a sense of discipline that will help them deal with life’s challenges.

2. Well-read people often have a grasp of any and all topics. This makes them fun to talk to because no matter whether it’s cars, cats or anything else, they have something to talk about!

3. Generally speaking, well-reader people are happier. This is because most well-read people enjoy reading and more importantly, do it anywhere they can. That includes thirty-minute bus rides. Or a ten-minute break. These short little bursts of happiness are what keep well-read people “in a happy place” all day!

4. Reading helps improve not only comprehension and speed but also the memory. That means readers are not only getting more out of life, but they’re remembering more of it too!

5. Well-read people have a better vocabulary than non-readers. They typically fare better in arguments and debates. It also means in a price negotiation, you’ll probably want a reader on your side of the table!

6. The brain is like any other muscle in the body. Use it or lose it! Brain activity is improved through reading. Compare this to television, which has been found to slow down brain activity!

7. Being better informed has never been more important than today. And yes, well-read people are not only checking the Internet for news, but also getting to that news quicker.

8. Incomes are higher among well-read people. Often, jobs such as attorneys, doctors, even engineers are subject to a lot of material. Even web designers succumb to infinite research.

9. Typically, well-read people are better decision makers.

10. The well-read succeed in school as well. Reading comprehension helps getting through not only reading classes, but math and science as well!

Filed Under: Readers Tagged With: Reading, Reading comprehension, Research