Parents- be a reading role model

The famous Walt Disney wrote: "There is more treasure in

books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island . . . and

best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life."

Educators need the involvement of parents to improve the

quality of today's troubled public education system. Parents

can become reading role models for their children.

The following advice will help your child become a reader:

First, recognize the value of a good book. Books have

tremendous value to people of all ages- consider the following

observation from a distinguished author, S.I. Hayakawa:

"In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have

lived more than people who cannot or will not read. It is not true

that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as

many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish. "Charles W.

Eliot, the former president of Harvard University observed:

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the

most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of

teachers." Family members can sit in the living room and read a

good book-it's kind of hard to do that with a computer. Reading

books will improve your family conversations- it's awfully boring

to hear about video games all the time.

Second, choose books that are appropriate for your child.

Keep in mind the following when selecting a book:

Babies and Toddlers- choose books that have color pictures

if simple objects, text and good rhythms. They enjoy indestructible

books- board books and cloth books.

Preschool and Kindergarten-they enjoy nursery stories, books

with words repetition, and toy-like books that move, pop up, and

are full of surprises.

Early school years- select books with strong story lines and a

character development. Choose books with words your child will

understand. Third graders enjoy books that deal with topics that

are interesting to them and books that include some challenging

words.

Older children- search for books that fit their personal interests

and personality traits.

Third, ask an expert for book advice. Reading is a great summer

activity that both parents and children can enjoy. Plan to make

regular visits to your local library. Central Florida has several

great public libraries. Our librarians spend hundreds of hours

reviewing books and would be glad to help you develop a list

of great books. If you are having difficulty locating a book for

your child, visit http://www.askalibrarian.org.

Fourth, read books with your child. According to Lucy Calkins,

author of Raising Lifelong Learners, "Reading aloud and talking

about books is part of the education of the heart, and it is best

done in families. And so we read aloud, then we put books down

to talk. We talk to identify with new heroes, to dream new

lifelines, to weave new stories into the fabric of ourselves. We talk

bout books because we believe in the education of the heart, but

also because talking about books helps children read more

thoughtfully, to speak and write more fluently."

Can you imagine the impact if parents worked with librarians and

educators to develop a generation of readers.