Reading time with kids (part 2)
by The Flamingo
I wrote the first article about reading with kids (see here) almost one year ago, when we were hit hard by the first wave of the pandemic. And because it was one of the most popular articles on the blog I decided to update it regularly for those of you interested in this subject.
People who read really understand the importance of books. Those who don’t and were only exposed to the basics in school, are not that prone to start reading as adults. It’s not impossible, but rare. So if you have children, make it easy for them. Start reading early on. All the reasons why this is so important and why it contributes to a well rounded education, you can find in my first post on this theme.
My son turned 6 this autumn and his tastes in literature have evolved somewhat. He has now very specific favorite authors and he is always seeking for new ones that satisfy his interests. He is now passionate not only about fiction books, but non fiction books as well, like encyclopedias about the world, animals, dinosaurs. He likes looking at maps and deciphering them. He also started reading easy books for first time readers and I am so very proud of him.
Here are some of the new favorite authors he added to his list since one year ago. Keep in mind that all these authors have been translated in lots of languages, so you can search for them and see what books in their repertoire have been published in your mother tongue.
Mo Willems
Most kids over 5 years old become obsessed with Mo Willems after their first meeting with an Elephant and Piggie book. He has a comic-like cartoonish style of drawing, very expressive and funny. The dialog is hilarious and makes kids and adults alike laugh out loud. I recommend all the 25 books of the Elephant and Piggie series, as well as the “Pigeon books”. If I were to choose some of my son’s favorites, they would be: I really like slop, Waiting is not easy, Don’t let the Pigeon stay up late, The Pigeon finds a hot dog. Mo Willems is definitely brilliant in his way, keeping the children engaged in his stories and I like him most out of all children’s authors just because he nudged my son to begin reading by himself. For Mo Willems’s books see here.
Dr. Seuss
Most of you are acquainted with this classic American children’s author. The beauty of Dr. Seuss is in his writing, although he has a very personal and funny way of illustrating his stories. His writing is characterized by rhymes and simple phrases, but it’s also political and has a good psychological component to it. We started with the Butter Battle Book (which is an allegory of the Cold War) and then continued with How the Grinch stole Christmas and Cat in a Hat. His works are easy to understand and very entertaining. For Dr. Seuss’s books see here.
Roald Dahl
Although we are a bit early for this amazing British author, we have found a book fit for a 6 year old. It is called The Enormous Crocodile. Like most of Roald Dahl stories, this is a teaching lesson: beware of strangers in camouflage who want to do you harm. It also teaches the valued lesson that you should help others in their time of need and not be a passive bystander. It’s written in the usual beautiful and hilarious Dahl way and beautifully illustrated by his collaborator Quentin Blake. My son loved this story and I am thinking of introducing him soon to the adventures of Fantastic Mr. Fox. For Roald Dahl’s books see here.
Rev. W. Awdry
Those of you who are parents of boys, have heard for sure of the famous Thomas The Tank Engine. Not only boys, of course. I myself watched the old cartoon when I was young on Cartoon Network, but I must admit I found it rather boring. My son, however, doesn’t and that is the most important. The cartoons are made after a very popular British series of books written by Reverend W. Awdry between 1945-1972. The series contains 26 books about Thomas and his other engine friends, and yes…we have them all. My son was obsessed with trains from the age of two and knows the cartoons and books by heart. They are very well written, in a very proper British fashion, that makes a delight for an adult to read out loud. The stories are mostly about friendships and are very educational for kids. For Rev. Awdry’s books see here.
Elsa Beskow
She is a Swedish author and illustrator that we recently discovered. Has a lovely way of writing, very serene that reminds me of Beatrix Potter, a favorite of mine. Her themes focus on nature, fairies, wood life and farm life. Animals and people are as one in her stories and she follows their adventures throughout the change of seasons. The stories are full of fantasy, but quite simple at heart. Our favorite books by Elsa Beskow: Woody, Hazel and Little Pip, Children of the Forest, Pelle’s New Suit, Flowers’ Festival. For Elsa Beskow’s books see here.
Shirley Barber
On the same note as the above author, Shirley Barber, an English writer and illustrator has a series of amazing books about woodland creatures, fairies and the like. It features two main characters Martha B. Rabbit and her cat friend Tabitha. What we like most about this author are the magnificent works of art that are her illustrations. They are beautiful and an inspiration to any art enthusiast. Her stories are rather long, as the ones of Elsa Beskow, so more suitable to children over 5 or 6 years old. She also emphasizes nature, the changes of weather and how animals are affected. It’s a great way for a child to learn the differences between seasons and all about woodland creatures. Recommended books for boys and girls alike: The Fairies Cook, Martha B. Rabbit and those wicked rats again, Martha B. Rabbit and the unexpected guests. For Shirley Barber’s books see here.
These are the latest additions to our reading list. For other beloved children’s literature authors like Julia Donaldson or Beatrix Potter, you can see my former article Reading time with kids (part 1). All these authors can be found on Amazon or on The Book Depository (which has free shipping all around the world). I would love to find out what other recommendations on children’s authors you have. We love exploring new things in literature. Happy reading everyone!
For games that young kids enjoy you can find some inspiration in my older post Board games for young kids.
Photos from Flamingo‘s archive.
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