Helping Families Build Joyful Reading Habits

DePaul University College of Education Prof. Roxanne Owens addresses two of the most common literacy questions parents and caregivers ask—sharing practical, encouraging advice you can use right away.

So many new books are published each year, how do I choose the best books for my child? How do I help them choose quality books they will enjoy?

With thousands of new titles each year, finding the right book can feel overwhelming.

Here’s how to make the process simpler and more joyful.

• Choose durable formats: board books, cloth books, bath books. Babies like to eat their books, so sturdiness is important.
• Include interactive features: textures, mirrors, levers, seek/find. Books should be sources of fun—entertaining and educational –easy counting books, colors, numbers, shapes, letters…(there are an unbelievable number of creative alphabet books that go way beyond A is for Apple, B is for Ball).
• From the very beginning you want books to be associated with positive feelings. We know that during those first few months they aren’t really tracking what’s going on with the pages, but they are bonding with you and are creating the beginning understandings of language and how books *work*.

• Let interests guide you—topic enthusiasm matters more than strict reading level. A child fascinated by dinosaurs or Pokémon will happily engage with a book slightly above reading level.
• Expect genre preferences to emerge. Children begin to lean into non-fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, realistic fiction, etc. Do they tend to like particular types of TV shows or movies or music or topics in school? Follow those leads.
• Humorous poetry and light-hearted, short chapter books can be powerful tools for reluctant readers.
• Graphic novels are popular, but may worry parents as they can seem too easy or *not real reading.* They do require comprehension skills to analyze characters, setting, and plot elements, and some can be quite complex. Parents may want to require that their child also read other formats—perhaps comparing the graphic and narrative format of the same book.

Pro Tip: Even after your child can read independently, keep reading together—at bedtime, over video calls with family (perhaps a cousin book club?), or on a warm day after a bike ride to the local park. Make it part of the family routine.

Pro Tip: Home reading should feel enjoyable and restorative. Just as adults often choose light reading after a long day, children also benefit from choosing books for pleasure—even if they are below their reading level. Magazines are fine, too.

Book Resource

What Do We Do All Day?

Extensive themed lists & newsletter

Bank Street College Best Books Archive

Free archives of award-winning titles

University of Wisconsin CCBC Booklists

Curated by theme and topic

ALA Notable Children’s Books

Includes major award winners*

*One note about Award Lists: While many award lists are excellent resources, keep in mind they may reflect adult perspectives of what children should read rather than what they want to read.

I know ideally I should read to and with my child because it increases vocabulary and comprehension, but every once in a while I just need a break to get something done. Are there quality sites that will read to my child that don’t have a bunch of distracting bells and whistles and ads?

Yes! Storyline Online offers excellent read-aloud videos—free, and narrated by Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members.*

• Search by grade level or title.
• Videos run 5–15 minutes.
• Activity guides extend learning.
• Celebrity narrators include Cynthia Erivo, Betty White, Wanda Sykes, Kristen Bell, Sheryl Lee Ralph.
  

* “While nothing replaces reading together, this is a wonderful alternative when you need a breather.” — Dr. Owens.

It is rare to find people who enjoy doing something at which they are consistently unsuccessful. It is hard to stay motivated when a person is met with constant failure—especially when the failures are public in front of peers.

If your child has hit roadblocks with reading, it would stand to reason that they would not choose reading as a thing to do for relaxation. It is a misconception that some kids don’t like to read because they prefer being active. Even the most active child eventually can find a book that engages them. It more likely may have to do with a roadblock or a lack of interesting material. Working with a teacher and a librarian to get around those issues is key. Perhaps the answer is finding a book where a child sees themselves represented or finding a book where a child is introduced to a completely other type of world they never

imagined. 

The most important ingredient in building literacy is joy. A child who enjoys reading will read more—and every page builds confidence.

For more literacy tips or questions, contact Roxanne Owens at rowens@depaul.edu