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My new book, Book Love: Help Grow Your Child From Reluctant to Enthusiastic Reader, will be available in under two months!
To celebrate early, please welcome Helen Perelman, author of the uber-sweet Candy Fairies Series and mother of two.
When I was an editor, people would ask me what I was reading all the time. Now I field questions like what are you reading to your kids? What are your kids reading? Everyone agrees that reading to your child is beneficial, but here are some tips on how to make your child a book lover.
1) The “B Routine”
Long before babies can understand stories, the pictures and your voice stimulate them. Get in the habit of reading before the last bottle and use the “B routine” – bath, books, bottle, bed. As children grow, the routine will alter slightly (no bottles!) but the B routine is still useful.
2) Together Time
Snuggling with a book is adds to the love! Point to words as you read with nonreaders and take time to ask questions. Use the artwork on the page to facilitate discussion as well as anticipate what might happen next in the story. Associating text with pictures is a pre-reading skill that will help readers as they grow into independent readers.
3) Take Turns
“You read to me. I will read to you.” Share the beginning readers with your kids. You can read a page and then they can try. Always point to the word so the child can follow along.
4) High Interest
Let your child pick books herself. If she finds a character that she likes, explore the series and let her delve into that world. If your son loves cars, get books that feature cars. High interest chapter books ignite enthusiasm and love of reading even in the youngest reader.
5) Flashlights
No hiding under the covers! Ten minutes of flashlight time is important alone time with a book. At first, my kids were just looking at pictures. Now they read at bedtime. Warning – sometimes it’s hard to get the flashlight away if it’s a good book. Have cute bookmarks on hand…and know that your kids just might become a book lover!
Bio: Helen Perelman is the author of Candy Fairies, a series for 7-10 year olds and several other titles for young readers. She lives in New York City with her husband and twin seven year old readers. Visit her at www.helenperelman.com. Follow her Candy Fairies on Facebook and on Twitter
Sweepstakes
Win a signed copy of Perelman’s NEWEST Candy Fairy book, #9 Double Dip. ($15.99 retail.) Description: Dash and Cocoa are on track to win the Double Dip sled race—but only if the rest of the Candy Fairies can help them.
JJ, age seven, devours these delicious books and can’t wait to read #9. She’s a big fan!
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