How to Choose the Perfect Book
Choosing the perfect book is just as important for a child as it is for an adult. When adults choose a book they often choose a specific genre, read reviews and get recommendations from friends and family. The same goes for children as soon as they begin reading. It is a skill that can and should be taught at a young age. Below are simple tips and tricks on how to teach your child how to pick the perfect book!
Explore Genres
At a young age children will gravitate towards specific genres based on their interests. To help foster a love of reading allow children to choose genres they enjoy. As your child grows in reading, start to suggest different genres. For example if your child loves graphic novels (think Dogman) suggest a chapter book that still has pictures but will have more words per page such as Eerie Elementary or Diary of a Pug.
Find a Favorite Author
Adults will often find an author that they enjoy reading and continue to read book written by that author. The same can be said for children! If your child likes a specific author or series allow them to read all the books written by that author. Once they have exhausted that list do a little research with them to find similar authors. A simple Google or asking your local librarian will do the trick!
Determine if the book is the right level
Using the five finger rule is a great way to determine whether or not a book is the right level of difficulty. This is best used for a book your child plans to read independently.
Have your child open the book to a random page and read it.
For every word they do not know or cannot read, hold up one finger.
Once they are done reading the page, evaluate how many fingers are up.
0-1: The book is too easy
2-3: This is a good “just right” level
4-5: The book is too challenging and another book should be chosen.
Using the above tips can help your child pick the perfect book and explore all different types of literature. Remember you can also utilize resources such as your child’s teacher and local librarian to help give your child suggestions on what book to read next!