How to Grow a Young Reader: A Parent's Guide to Books for Kids

by Kathryn Lindskoog, Ranelda Mack Hunsicker

In an age of electronic games, TV, videos, and the Internet…You can raise a book lover.

Reading opens up a lifetime of learning and delight to children. In How to Grow a Young Reader, Kathryn Lindskoog and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker offer suggestions for creating a reader-friendly home, truths about how literature strengthens character development, and helpful strategies for nurturing a love of reading in any child.

Includes a helpful guide to over 1,800 books.

Genres: Books About Books, Education

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1999

Reviews

[Lisa Givan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the title of this book is a bit deceptive. I gathered it would be about finding ways to encourage your child to read and grow to love it. Instead I found a fascinating book chock full of suggestions of wonderful read-alouds and children's books. There are suggestions for Classic literature all the way up to the copyright date of the book.

I think what thrilled me the most about this book was that many of the suggested books also included brief biographies about the author. What inspired them to write as well as why they wrote that specific book. In truth I think I find the lives of the authors more intriguing than the actual books they wrote. This book was full of so many great facts that I found myself pausing to read snippets aloud to my kids.

For instance, I never knew that Wendy is a name that was entirely conjured up by J.M. Barrie who wrote Peter Pan. Before Peter Pan there is no record of anyone being named Wendy.

It is believed that the story of Huckleberry Finn is partly copied from ideas Mark Twain took from his friend, another great author George Macdonald.

The Wind in the Willows was actually written as little stories which were to be sent to the authors son when he had to spend a vacation away from him.

The book is full of little informative bits like these. I must admit my to-read here on goodreads is a lot longer thanks to this book.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay in comparison to some other excellent resources: Honey for a Child's Heart, Books Children Love, Books that Build Character, Children of a Greater God, etc.

P.S. As much as we'd like to think so, there is no secret formula for creating voracious readers. We followed all the tips with our children and half of them love to read. And half of them don't.

[Kayla]

Albeit a bit outdated now, this book has a thorough list of books, old and new(er... the book was revised and updated in 2002). The resource list will help me compile books I might not have found otherwise -- books for read-alouds in particular. I don't think my 2 year old is quite ready for chapter books on his own. :)