Kids Need to Know--Reading is Fun!
I came across the following article in the San Antonio Express-News, "Kids need to know reading is fun--Experts suggest ways to help them find out," written by Michael Kelly from the Albany Times Union. In it he analyzes Scholastic's 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report which shows that kids are reading les and less for fun.
Some alarming high(low)lights:
--Only one in 4 kids read for fun daily.
--Twenty-two percent of kids rarely read for fun.
--Half of all kids think there aren't any interesting books for them.
What can parents do to help their children read more? Simply put--read to them! Praise them for their reading accomplishments. Find out what interests them and get them books on it!
Most important (for me) is to encourage your kids to read at a young age.
Here are some recently released books that I believe will entertain your child or children and foster in them an appreciation for books and the stories they tell:
The "My Family, Mi Familia" bilingual (Spanish) series by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
This is scheduled to be a four book series.
Book Three was just released and is entitled "Here, Kitty, Kitty!/Ven, gatita, ven" and it's about a newly acquired cat that likes to hide.
Book Two is "Sweet Dreams, Dulce Suenos" and it's about going to sleep at night.
Book One is "Let's Eat/A Comer" and it's about a family thankful for dinner.
My six-year-old daughter loves the series and the bilingual stories has even reinforced a couple of Spanish words--especially when she can now put a colorful picture to the words!
Arte Publico has a bilingual book recently released entitled "Growing up with Tamales/Los Tamales de Ana" by Gwendolyn Zepeda and illustrated by April Ward. This is a book for young readers (perhaps a couple of years older than my daughter) about a little girl named Ana who is learning how to make tamales, but who wishes she was as proficient at it as her sister who is two years older.
This book really captured my attention because it described the thoughts and hopes of a six-year-old who has carefully thought out her future and there's a funny twist at the end for her sister!
HarperCollins Children's Books recently released an all-Spanish book by Cheech Marin--yes, that Cheech!--and illustrated by Orlando L. Ramirez, entitled "El Capitan Cheech." The story involves a boat race for Cheech and his Cheecharrones in a transformed school bus! Of course, all kinds of obstacles appear and yet....well, you'll just have to read the book to find out!
Finally, an all-Spanish book released by Rayo, entitled "Tu si puedes, Gabriela!" by Spanish radio psychologist Dr. Isabel Gomez-Bassols with Eric Vasallo and illustrated by Priscilla Garcia Burris, is aimed at children but contains a message for all ages. It deals with preventing obesity in children and features a child named Gabriela who becomes upset when she finishes last in a school race. Gabriela learns how important it is to eat fruits and vegtables, and of course, exercise. It's a cute story that doesn't get bogged down in preaching healthy food and exercise for everyone.
Some alarming high(low)lights:
--Only one in 4 kids read for fun daily.
--Twenty-two percent of kids rarely read for fun.
--Half of all kids think there aren't any interesting books for them.
What can parents do to help their children read more? Simply put--read to them! Praise them for their reading accomplishments. Find out what interests them and get them books on it!
Most important (for me) is to encourage your kids to read at a young age.
Here are some recently released books that I believe will entertain your child or children and foster in them an appreciation for books and the stories they tell:
The "My Family, Mi Familia" bilingual (Spanish) series by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
This is scheduled to be a four book series.
Book Three was just released and is entitled "Here, Kitty, Kitty!/Ven, gatita, ven" and it's about a newly acquired cat that likes to hide.
Book Two is "Sweet Dreams, Dulce Suenos" and it's about going to sleep at night.
Book One is "Let's Eat/A Comer" and it's about a family thankful for dinner.
My six-year-old daughter loves the series and the bilingual stories has even reinforced a couple of Spanish words--especially when she can now put a colorful picture to the words!
Arte Publico has a bilingual book recently released entitled "Growing up with Tamales/Los Tamales de Ana" by Gwendolyn Zepeda and illustrated by April Ward. This is a book for young readers (perhaps a couple of years older than my daughter) about a little girl named Ana who is learning how to make tamales, but who wishes she was as proficient at it as her sister who is two years older.
This book really captured my attention because it described the thoughts and hopes of a six-year-old who has carefully thought out her future and there's a funny twist at the end for her sister!
HarperCollins Children's Books recently released an all-Spanish book by Cheech Marin--yes, that Cheech!--and illustrated by Orlando L. Ramirez, entitled "El Capitan Cheech." The story involves a boat race for Cheech and his Cheecharrones in a transformed school bus! Of course, all kinds of obstacles appear and yet....well, you'll just have to read the book to find out!
Finally, an all-Spanish book released by Rayo, entitled "Tu si puedes, Gabriela!" by Spanish radio psychologist Dr. Isabel Gomez-Bassols with Eric Vasallo and illustrated by Priscilla Garcia Burris, is aimed at children but contains a message for all ages. It deals with preventing obesity in children and features a child named Gabriela who becomes upset when she finishes last in a school race. Gabriela learns how important it is to eat fruits and vegtables, and of course, exercise. It's a cute story that doesn't get bogged down in preaching healthy food and exercise for everyone.
posted by PAC PR at 6:47 AM
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