The Gift of Family Reading
by Julie Douglas, Missouri Humanities Council

Description: Tips for enjoying reading together as a family.

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Recently my train-loving nephew celebrated his 4th birthday. As you might have guessed, I like to give books or magazines to my young nieces and nephews for birthdays and Christmas. So, weeks before the birthday I set out on my search for the perfect train book. After browsing through piles of Thomas the Train books, rereading The Little Engine That Could, and discovering some new additions to the Transportation book shelf, I went home with All Aboard ABC.

As soon as the wrapping paper was ripped away, the cheering and jumping up and down commenced. Immediately I was led to the sofa where we were transported, letter by letter, through the world of trains. For twenty minutes or so, the noisy activities of our large family faded into the background and my four year old friend and I were captivated by tracks and couplers and giant refrigerated cars (they haul chocolate milk...did you know that?). We talked about trains we had seen and people we knew who had traveled by train. We made up our own sound effects as we read the page that showed a photograph of a train horn. We counted the cars in a train racing towards the station. Each page elicited a squeal of joy from the tiny train expert sitting on my lap.

Certainly there are flashier gifts than books. And you probably won't see a child's Christmas list that has "bonding with an adult" or "opportunity to take part in a conversation" written in crayon. But consider for a moment the real "gifts" of reading with a child. A young child who interacts with books and stories develops a broader vocabulary and better listening skills. By reading a book with a child, we send the message that books are important and exciting. When we stop and discuss the illustrations in a book, we help the child make those important text-to-self and text-to-world connections.

Whether you are giving a child a new book, or pulling out an old favorite, use these tips to make the most of the book-sharing experience:

1. Spend some time talking about the book before you read it together. Look at the cover and title. Are there any clues about what might happen in the story?

2. As you read, find ways to bring the story to life. Use voices for the characters, encourage the child to add sound effects, or act out the story. If the story has a repetitive phrase, invite the child to recite it.

3. Stop and talk. Study the details in the illustrations. Predict what might happen next. Ask the child how he/she feels about what it happening in the story.

4. Don't stop at "The End." Find a way to extend the story. Let the illustrations inspire an art activity. Read another book by the author. Make up a new ending to the story. Refer back to the story during the day. The very best gifts connect the giver to the receiver.

Sharing a book with a child can do that. Happy reading!

Julie Douglas is a Family Program Specialist with the Missouri Humanities Council, and director of the Council's READ from the START program. A former Kindergarten teacher with fifteen years of classroom experience, Julie is also a published author of children's literature and an experienced workshop designer and trainer of adult parents, writers, and care-providers.

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