When children are really young (a couple of months old), it may not matter as much what you are going to select when it comes to children’s books, because at that age they do not really pay attention to anything that you are reading since they can hardly understand anything.
However, as they grow older, it becomes more difficult to hold their attention, hence it’s of huge importance to select a book that’s not only interesting and creative, but that may even build a love for reading in them when they grow up.
The options are endless when it comes to this which is great but also overwhelming because you may find it hard to recognize a good book among various genres and titles. If you are struggling with this too, then maybe you’ll find these tips below helpful.
Get Started With Award-Winning Books
Although there’s no such a thing as bad children’s book, there’s something special about award-winning books. If you are wondering why you should pick award winning children’s books over others, that’s because by obtaining them, you will ensure that you are reading to your little one something that’s been thoroughly evaluated and perceived as top-quality by professionals. There are several rewards that recognize someone’s talent and creativity as far as children’s books are concerned.
For starters, you have the Caldecott Medal which is intended for the most distinguished American picture books for the youngest, and then you have the Newbery Medal which is given to the ones who greatly contributed to American literature for kids.
Furthermore, then there’s the Coretta Scott King Award which is awarded to African-American writers and illustrators of fantastic books that are written for kids and young adults, showcasing how appreciative they are of African-American culture.
Every single one of these awards is intended for a certain age group. For instance, the Caldecott Medal is normally given to picture books, the Coretta Scott King Award is mostly awarded to kids and young adults, and the Newberry Medal is for middle-grade books.
Prioritize Quality
Even if you think that your child will outgrow a certain book, it still doesn’t mean that you should buy just about anything. It needs to be something that will stand the test of time, because, who knows, maybe, at some point, your little one decides to read it once again when they are a bit older.
So what can be described as a high-quality book? It is something that’s full of wonderful interactive elements, that has strong pages that cannot easily be ripped out, and other elements.
If you want to treat your kiddo to picture books, then make sure to buy hardcover versions. Yes, they are a bit pricier but are definitely worth every dime. Now, before you obtain them, first check the spine just to be sure that the pages are properly sewn.
Generally speaking, picture books are great for children of all ages, however, if your kid is too young, then it would be advisable to supervise them when they are exploring the book just to make sure they do not accidentally rip out anything.
Is There Someone Who Can Give You Recommendations?
If you’re surrounded by bookworms, then it’s not going to be too challenging to get a good recommendation when it comes to this. For starters, you can always consult other parents to see if they recently acquired a children’s book that their child enjoyed.
If they are not of huge help, then the next step is to go to the school, public library, or a bookstore because staff who work there are generally always interested in recommending books, because, at the end of the day, that’s one of the reasons why decided to become librarians in the first place, right?
If There Are No Recommendations, Move On To Reviews
If book recommendations weren’t of huge assistance, then you should resort to a solution that will undoubtedly help you spot a good book. The most popular place of this kind is Goodreads where a bunch of passionate readers rate and review the books they read.
Their reviews are usually very thorough which is great when you want to figure out if a particular children’s book is truly good or not. Besides this website, other options that are at your disposal are magazines and newspapers that are dedicated to children’s books of every level.
In these instances, your safest bets are Publishers Weekly and the New York Times because they are normally packed with a variety of book reviews and recommendations.
The Importance Of Illustrations
Even though books can be amazing even without them, however, there’s something special about children’s books that are full of different illustrations. Kids generally adore them, particularly younger ones because they help them imagine certain situations and characters much better.
Not to mention the fact that if you have a kiddo who is not too fond of reading, if they notice an illustrated book, they will be a lot more interested in reading it. In a nutshell, illustrations are here to help readers engage and immerse themselves in a story much faster.
Therefore, you should opt for children’s books that contain multicolored, vibrant, and detailed illustrations that perfectly depict the story. If you manage to find that in a book, then be sure to purchase it because it will undoubtedly enhance the vocabulary and comprehension of your little one.
Realistic And Relatable Characters
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what your kiddo loves, however, if they still haven’t acquired the taste for certain genres, then for starters, you should opt for books that have realistic and relatable characters.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be a human. Animals, ghosts, fairies, and others can be equally as strong and relatable. These characters are supposed to be interesting and not too plain and one-dimensional because there are no traits that are going to pique anyone’s interest.
When a child is very young, there’s nothing they enjoy more than high-quality story time that awakens their imagination and transports them into a world that’s full of wonderful beings and things. If you want your kid to fall in love with reading even more, then be sure to follow all the above-mentioned guidelines.
