Sit down with your kids this week and spend some time reading with them. It will foster a lifelong love of reading and learning and create memories to last a lifetime.
This week, May 6th-12th, 2024, is National Children’s Book Week. As a former daycare teacher, I always loved reading both classic books and new favorites to my kids during this week. I also loved when they would bring in their favorite books to read together, too. It was always fun to watch their reactions and talk to them about what they learned from the book. Library day was always a big day for us as well, and they loved picking out books.
As a Children's Author
As a children’s book author myself, I love this week from an author’s perspective. One of my favorite things about publishing a children’s book is the cover and the illustrations. It’s always exciting to see what my illustrator comes up with. I can still remember the first time she sent over a rough sketch of my character Goober from my first children’s book. I was so excited because it was a thousand times better than what I envisioned in my head, and he was so cute. I love everything about children’s books, from the wide array of stories they tell, from fun to life lessons, and everything in between.
I remember one day the kids were playing in my classroom and out of the blue one said, “What happens when we eat our boogers?” Another one said, “We turn green!” They were referring to my first children’s book, Don’t Eat Your Boogers (You’ll Turn Green). It made me happy to know that I wrote a story that they enjoyed. I felt humbled because when I published it, I didn’t know how kids were going to react to it. It was a proud moment for me.
Another reason I love National Children’s Book Week is that it gives parents a chance to sit down and read with their children. There are so many benefits to sitting down and reading with your children. Benefits like growing a closer bond, supporting their cognitive development, improving their language skills, enhancing their imagination and learning, and helping foster a lifelong love of reading.
My List of Children's Reads
Here are some fantastic books to sit down and read with your kids this week:
1. Bedtime Prayers Praying Hands Board Book by Ginger Swift- This board book is perfect for little hands. It’s a collection of classic and modern prayers to help little ones discover the benefits of prayer and inspire a commitment to prayer. It also has the shape of praying hands, which makes it extra cute. (Ages 1-5)
2. When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner- This cute illustrated book teaches kids that God was thinking about them before they were born. It will inspire your kids to learn about their talents and gifts and how they fit into God’s plan as they grow, explore, and create in this big world. (Ages 3-7)
3. Kindness is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego- This book teaches kids that it’s okay to make mistakes and say, "I’m sorry." Lucas, the superhero of the story, learns what it means to be kind and how to be sensitive, caring, and generous. (Ages 0-11 years)
4. Good Manners Boy by Elizabeth Cartwright and Daniel Cartwright- Daniel is having a hard time with his emotions and has a choice to make. Will he give in to his feelings of being the villain, or will he overcome his frustrations and bring out the hero in himself? (Ages 4-8)
5. I Get Scared When (A Day in the Life of a Little Kid) by Jennifer Waddle- Do you sometimes wonder what makes kids scared? Kids will relate to this book about everyday things that can make them scared and will learn to look at those things from a less scary angle. (Ages 2-8)
6. Don’t Eat Your Boogers (You’ll Turn Green) by Carrie Lowrance- Goober McGee has a bad habit; he eats his boogers! He eats so many of them he comes down with a case of boogeritis. When he finds out what will cure it, he is not happy. Will Goober learn to try new foods and never eat his boogers again? (Ages 7-10)
7. Gus Gets Adopted and Saves the Day by Alisa Guttaduaro- Gus the cat is constantly getting overlooked at the shelter. Then, one day, a kind lady named Anna adopts him. Gus is excited and wonders how he will like his new home. What he doesn’t know is that he is about to make a new friend, get caught up in a new adventure, and ultimately save the day. (Ages 0-9 years)
8. My Miles and Me by Carrie Lowrance- This whimsical book is about Creeper the Sweeper. Creeper loves to clean for his family but does not like that he scares their baby boy, Miles. One day Miles comes around and he and Creeper become friends. Then, one day, Creeper gets sick. Will his friendship with Miles survive? (Ages 3-8)
9. The Berenstain Bears and the Golden Rule by Mike Berenstain- Kids will learn how important it is to treat others like they want to be treated and that choosing to do the right thing and be kind is not always easy. (Ages 3-6)
10. Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss- This beginner book is a fun way to teach your children their ABCs. It has a great cast of unique characters and is a funny and easy read. This one is one of my favorites because my grandmother used to read it to me all the time. (Ages 3-7)
Parent-Child Bond Created by Reading
There are so many amazing children’s books to choose from that it can be a little overwhelming. Take your child to the library or the bookstore and talk to them about what they would like to read about or learn. You will learn a lot about them and may even learn about some new topics they are interested in that you weren’t aware of.
Mixing some classics in like Dr. Seuss, A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh), and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie) are ideas to add to the fun as well. Think about your favorite books as a kid and introduce your kids to some of your favorite authors. Once you know what your child is interested in, look on the bestseller list and see if any of the books match their interests. Then you can check them out from the library or purchase them.
Once you have books in hand, snuggle up on the couch or tuck them in and read that fun and magical story. When you are done, talk about it with them and ask them what they liked and disliked. You can also talk to them about what they learned from the book and talk about examples in real life where they can apply what they learned. Parents can even give examples from their own lives that relate to the book that are kid-appropriate. If the story is more of a fun one, ask them about their favorite characters and favorite part of the story. This will help you learn about each other and bring your bond even closer. Sit down with your kids this week and spend some time reading with them. It will foster a lifelong love of reading and learning and create memories to last a lifetime.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Evgeniia Siiankovskaia
