by Marie Pozzanghera

Created on: January 29, 2011

The best books for children are those books that create future interest in reading. A really good book might even cause parents some frustration when trying to get a child to do household chores. Not surprisingly, the best critics of good books are children. The best books are the ones that children tell their friends about. They will usually be the ones that are most worn and may even have dog-eared corners. When Harry Potter came out their was a sudden surge in readers. Even those who normally would not consider themselves avid readers bought and read the book. Younger readers were so interested in the story that they did not get overly challenged at the higher vocabulary.

Another sign of a good book is the outward expression of a child reading a book. There is nothing more delightful than hearing a child suddenly laugh in an otherwise quiet room. Instantly others will look up, trying to discover what book is good enough to make you laugh out loud. A child might originate that a particular book was really sad and then tell their friend it was a really good book...but a bit sad at the end.

Children are extremely interested in life and adventure, the more of it, the better. There are so many excellent books available for children that it's hard to list just a few. On the other hand there are lots of mediocre books as well and some that are just awful. Some books are inane and others (even popular ones) tend to bring out the worst manners and behavior that if mimicked by your child, might get them into trouble. While others can encourage cruelty and dishonesty. The best way to discover which books are good and which aren't is to take a few minutes to quickly read the book before buying it. Reading a few pages of any chapter in longer books will give you an idea of its general tone.

As a teacher of Elementary school age children I base the following recommendations on the reader's choice. Here is what they have recommended:

Some of the best books for pre-readers are those that have simple vocabulary with very good illustrations. Goodnight Moon, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Just Me And My Dad are some good examples. Being very expressive while you read will help to maintain interest and getting them to talk about the pictures keeps it interactive. As they are beginning to read, ease of vocabulary and repetition are important. Dr. Seuss books and books such as Go, Dog, Go by P.D. Eastman are perfect for this next step.

As children get older story content will

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