Booked Up at home
Booked Up 2008
Booked Up at home
Reading really is a skill for life; we read for all sorts of reasons and in all sorts of moods: books give pleasure, solace, information and POWER! Yes, power – young people with good reading skills have access to the world of words, access to the whole curriculum and so many more choices as they move into adult life.How do children get these reading skills? By reading! And the more that children enjoy reading, the more they will want to read. The more they read, the more their minds and imaginations will grow and their vocabulary develop, and soon they will have the stamina to read the long and sometimes difficult texts they will come across in all areas of life.
If there is a sense of pressure, this can put some children off and make it less fun and enjoyable. Instead promote the pleasure and the fun of reading.
Here are some tips for encouraging reading in your home:
- Ensure that your children see you reading. It doesn't matter if it's the newspaper, a cookery book, a romantic novel, a detective mystery, short stories, a computer manual... anything!· Encourage children to join in - ask a child to read out a recipe for you as you cook, or the TV listings when you are watching TV.
- Give, and encourage others to give, books/book tokens as presents.
- Encourage children to carry a book at all times - do this yourself too!
- Read with your children - many books are enjoyed by adults and young people alike - the Harry Potter books, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon to mention just a couple. It's great to read books you can all talk about, but make the talk light-hearted, not testing and over-questioning.
- Go to libraries/bookshops when authors are visiting. Children love meeting their favourite writers - Jacqueline Wilson and Anthony Horowitz always have signing queues that are miles long -don't be impatient if you have to wait!
- Make sure your home is a reading home - have a family bookshelf and make sure there are shelves in your children's bedrooms as well.
- Don't panic if your child reads the same book over and over again - be honest, we've probably all done it!
- Encourage your children and their friends to swap books with each other - this will encourage them to talk and think about the books they are reading.
Want your child to read more of the Booked Up books?
Your public library will be able to help. Your child can join your local library and take any of the Booked Up books out for free. You'll also be able to get other reading recommendations for your child as well as advice on how you can help your child read for pleasure.
The main message is MAKE IT FUN! However much you want to, don't nag when you don't like the books they choose - all reading is to be celebrated!
Sometimes parents may struggle when helping their children to read. Don't worry - help is at hand. Free local courses are on offer all over the country to help you improve your skills. See here for further information:
Improving Your Skills
Quick Reads are fast-paced, bite-size books by bestselling writers. They are aimed at emergent readers, anyone who had lost the reading habit or simply wants a short, fast read. To find out more see: www.quickreads.org.uk
Booked Up is a Booktrust book gifting programme.