Childrens Books

Childrens Books - How to Find Good Books For Your Child to Read

By Annalaura Brown

Are you having a hard time finding good children’s books for your children to read that are uplifting and the kind of books you would be proud for them to read.

Here are some ideas and guidelines for your consideration :

1. Is it a classic book? That is how long has it been in publication and has it stood the test of time? If it is a new book, is the author already well known? Or is it a new author?
2. Has it won any awards? Some common ones to look for include the Newberry medal and the Caldecott medal.
3. What are others saying about the book? Can you find some good detailed reviews on the book?
4. What kind of values is the book teaching your child? This can be difficult to determine but usually reading it yourself first will be a good indicator.
5. Is it age appropriate? For some books this is quite obvious but with others you may have to read the introduction and publishers notes.
6. If you are looking for a more detailed guide, try looking in the book “Honey for the Child’s Heart.” This reading guide is full of suggested reading lists and practical advice on how to choose quality books for your child to read.
7. Has it made it on the best seller list? This is not always an indication of anything but it can at least give you an idea of its popularity.
8. What is the background on the author? Is the author from a Christian background or from an otherwise clean and good taste background? This information can often be found by simply entering his or her name into Google and reading the results that appear.
9. Another idea is to visit the American Library Associations website at http://ala.org and to look at their recent reviews and awards of childrens’ books. They often have useful and helpful information for finding great books for your children to read.
10. Lastly, know that even though it can be challenging, it is possible and well worth while to spend some time doing your homework in order to find uplifting and inspirational books for your child to read.