Getting Your Child Hooked on Reading: Eight Literary Works to Start
Reading is fundamental to the formation of all children. The lessons learned through reading are endless – it brings to us people, places, ideas and concepts that we before may have never considered. It is impossible to deny the importance of reading. However, getting a child to do so is not always the easiest task. It is worth the effort, though, for it introduces a child to the world.
Here is a list of eight must-reads for children that are sure to get them interested in reading:
1. Dr. Seuss Green Eggs & Ham Green Eggs & Ham serves as an early introduction to poetry sure to please both kids and parents. Its rhymes are relaxing, funny, and for small children, easy to follow. A staple of the world of English-language children’s literature, Green Eggs & Ham allows children to form a part of a literary tradition.
2. Mother Goose Fairytales These historic works of children’s literature apply as much today as they did hundreds of years ago, possessing an inexplicable worldwide and timeless appeal. The lessons they pretend to teach are important ones that will not be lost on your children, and the stories they tell are endearing.
3. Robert Munsch Love You Forever The topic of this book is quite serious – the evolution of the relationship between parent and child and the reversal of role of caretaker. It is sure to move both parents and children, entertaining while instilling an important life lesson in the process.
4. J.K. Rowling Harry Potter A worldwide sensation, the books of the Harry Potter series are sure to please and engage your child just like it has so many others throughout the world. These books are a great tool for getting children hooked on literature.
5. William Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet Shakespeare is arguably the most important figure in English-language literature – his work is probably the single most influential factor in the stories we tell today. Romeo & Juliet is the perfect way to introduce a child to this famous literary figure.
6. J.D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye This is a book no teen should go to college without reading first. The voice it presents is something with which adolescents will be sure to identify. And though the book does present rather serious topics – suicide and sex, for example – it does so in a way that is non-confrontational and instead thought-provoking.
7. Homer The Iliad and The Odyssey These two ancient epic poems, though dense, are at the base of world literature. This is why it is vital for all children to be familiar with them. Both poems provide insight into the world of literature that has followed.
8. Emily Bronte Wuthering Heights This passionate novel is one for the ages. Not only will your child become enthralled in its story, but you may be inspired to get involved in it as well. Furthermore, Wuthering Heights is a prime example of literature written by female authors, among the first of its kind to be truly respected by critics.
