Ideas For My Pocket: a Support Group for Families: Get ‘em hooked on loving books!

A mother of a 21-month old found a sturdy board book all about trucks that her little boy loved! She would read it to him before bed. If she asked him if he were ready for bed, he would say “No!” But if she asked if he wanted to go read his truck book, he said, “Yea!” and would follow her into the bedroom. He sat next to her on big brother’s bed while she read; then they had a song and a prayer and hopped him in his crib. As the book got very familiar, the mother pointed out the dog sometimes, or they pretended to eat the ice cream from the ice cream truck. She had her little boy point to the red pickup truck on each page. Sometimes she pointed at the words as she read them (to teach left to right reading). She knew that reading the same book over and over develops vocabulary and rhythm of words. After a couple weeks of that book, the mother located another board book all about toys. He invited the change and loved this book too; although sometimes he wanted to read the truck book again. Then came a book about animals. Gradually, she added new books one at a time from the library or from a thrift shop. The baby got to pick which book, an old favorite or a new one. He loved to keep his stack of books at the foot of his crib.

A little bit older child who has a stack of books by his bed can use books to look at when it is hard to fall asleep. Many a child is calmed down at night with a book he has chosen. Many a tired parent has dropped off in the middle of a sentence but has stuck it out and given a bedtime gift of a story.

2. Read aloud to children of all ages.

“You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be -
I have a mother who read to me.”
― Strickland W. Gillilan

Reading to your children is highly recommended, but not always easy to fit in. It is so worth it when you do!

Janda designed her new house with most of the bedrooms opening out to the same area and putting a book nook at that spot. There she sits at night to read. Children can be in bed and still hear the story well. She often starts reading earlier than bedtime, reads several pages, then stops and insists that all teeth be brushed before she goes on. After a few more pages, she stops for pajamas on.

As her children grew, Janda noticed that though they seemed to be less interested in the book being read, it was often the 16-year old who would beg for “just one more chapter” or the 18-year old who would come lie down on the floor to hear her read. The 14-year old would sometimes close the door when Janda read, so he could do his homework. But he too would occasionally join in and ask about the characters in the current book. It was a source of security for the whole family and a pleasant way to settle down at night to the sound of Mom’s voice.

What book to choose for a variety of ages of kids? When Wendi chose The Yearling to read to her family, her youngest child of 4 was not pleased—at first. It was long and it was hard for him to follow, and he begged for an easier book, like Charlotte’s Web, which she had read earlier. But Wendi would read him a picture book more at his level first, then open up The Yearling for the older ones. As time went by—it was quite a long book—she began to notice that her 4-year old quit complaining. Gradually, he was following the story line just fine. In fact, he was caught up in the story just as were the others, wondering what would happen to “Jodi” and “Flag.” Wendi was so pleased at her young child’s growth in ability to concentrate and comprehend. A year later, when Wendi began the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, she was wondering whether her family of boys would enjoy this book about a young girl; but immediately in the first of the series, she found so much adventure and wild animal tales that they loved. Then the second book added Indian stories that captivated her boys. As they worked their way through the series, the boys even enjoyed the stories of love and courtship. In fact, it was her youngest, five years old by now, who begged her to continue! Some of the family’s other favorites were A Cricket in Time Square, A Single Shard, Johnny Tremaine, and Across Five Aprils. They read the diaries in the Dear America series. Historical fiction was a great way to make history come alive.

Krisann also liked to read to her kids at night. She chose to sing three songs as a signal that soon she would be reading, and they needed to be ready for bed by then. Krisann would choose Primary songs or quiet folk songs to settle things down. Her youngest started to remind her, “Mommy, your three songs!” And of course, everyone loved to listen to the current book.

One summer, Celia decided to read to her kids during the middle of the day instead of her usual night reading. Everyone went downstairs after lunch with a book. They found a pillow and lay on a couch or on the floor, and Celia took her place on the rocking chair. She would read from the books she had loved as a child or Stone Fox or Maniac Magee or Snow Treasure or many of the Newberry award winning books she had checked out or purchased. Reading a chapter aloud, she found, settled everyone down even in the middle of the day. Her little ones had drifted off to sleep for a much-needed nap, and the big ones then opened their own books. Celia set the timer for one hour (the kind that rings then goes off by itself rather than having to be turned off). The kids learned quickly to stay quiet and in their chosen spot, for if anyone didn’t, Celia would have to extend the time. She was then free to go take a nap herself, or do a quiet project uninterrupted, or read ahead in the book!! “At our house that’s what we do,” she insisted. “ We read for one hour a day.”

When Jen had a good book in mind that she wanted her kids to read, she had a stealthy plan! She would simply start reading that book to her kids before bed, as was her usual practice. Using her most expressive voice, she got through the introduction parts and into the good stuff. Invariably, the kids would ask for more and since she left the book there in the hallway next to their bedroom doors, one or another would pick the book up and finish it off! Success!!

3. Make a Library Card a Big Deal!

In the Gray family, getting a library card is a huge event! When a child has learned to print his own name small enough to fit on the spot the library card allots, he has earned his right to one! What a proud day! Amanda Gray will usually keep the kids’ cards all in her purse, so as to not get misplaced. Once a child picks out his allotted number of books, she hands the child his beloved card and he gets to check them out. Amanda, upon noticing that her children might pick out only one type of book, adds to her own stack of books by checking out more variety of picture books or early readers or old favorites. Once home, Amanda has a special box where all library books go. Even so, they invariably lose a book or two and end up with fines. However, Troy convinced her that library books were an Investment, and that the fines were a small price to pay for the good that the books did their young children’s’ minds. Troy and Amanda explained to her kids that while TV and movies give our minds what to think, a book lets your own mind come up with the pictures. Shows cannot give near the detail that a book can, and an imagination is engaged for the whole reading process.

If library fines from lost books are discouraging, maybe a change of attitude will help. Daphanie felt she had definitely paid her fair share of support to the library! Though she worked to keep the library books only in the family room, and only books they owned in bedrooms, there still were lost books. In fact, she decided that it cost $5 every time the family went to the library. If there should be no fines to pay that visit, she told her kids, they could use the money for a treat on the way home! Children do lose books. It is worth the cost to engender a love of learning and a love of good books.

Many libraries have a summer reading program complete with charts and prizes. If yours does not or if yours doesn’t work out well, make your own. Make any pathway on a piece of paper, with steps that your reader can check off. Pre-readers can check off when someone reads a book to them. New readers can check off each beginner book they read. Older readers can keep track of pages read or time spent reading. Prizes can be individual, or even better, a family prize when everyone reaches a certain point. That way, older ones help the younger ones to reach the family goal!

4. Read what your kids read!

Holly liked to read the same book her child was reading. One son liked to get a head start on the “Battle of the Books” list for school the next year. The younger ones had reading programs and the older ones had literature to read for English classes’ summer projects. Whenever she possibly could, Holly checked out the same book they were supposed to read and read it too. Book reviews helped her make sure these were appropriate reading (and if not, she could request an alternative assignment). But mostly, Holly found that this provided a connection with that particular child. They could discuss the characters and the ideas in the book. “What did you think about the part where ______ happened?” she could ask. Or, "I'm at the exciting part!! Have you got there yet?"

Not every book a child chooses may be ideal and a wise mother will carefully and discreetly hide that book out of reach, in favor of a better choice. She will choose a few herself from a good book list or the Newberry or Caldecott winners, classics that are longtime proven to be uplifting. Steer children to the nonfiction shelves too, toward books of their interest.

Do monitor what your child is reading, and teach them that what they read becomes a part of them. Use the teachings in Moroni 7:12-19 as a discussion about deciding what is good and what is evil. Talk about the books you read. The Peterson’s were reading Tom Sawyer aloud together. As Tom stole things and sneaked out, the children wondered about the book bringing them closer to Christ. The mother continued, acknowledging the he did make some mistakes but pointing out the punishment that he took for Becky and the ultimate risk (Tom was sure he would die if he broke his blood oath!) he took to tell the truth. She talked to them about his bravery against Injun Joe, and they decided together that the book did bring them closer to Christ. Mormon warned not to condemn good things and to take care not to “judge wrongfully,” but to use the Light of Christ to help you. It was a good discussion about mistakes and repenting and choosing the right.

On the other hand, there are more and more children’s books which are full of sarcasm or adult humor. Some are entertaining but have no redeeming value. Tara read a popular current book and discussed with her kids that all the female characters in the book were totally tough! Kindness and gentleness was lacking. Karl shared with his family the experience of deciding a certain book was better off unread. He told them of reading his novel, finding it exciting and entertaining, but just not quite in good taste. He had decided to set that one aside. What a lesson for his kids!

5. Set up a Book Club!

When Karen’s daughter was 9 or 10, she set up a Mother/Daughter book club. All the mothers and daughters read the same book, then they met to have a party based on the theme of the book. Both she and her daughter loved it! They read some wonderful books and had a great time together.

Years later, Karen wanted a connection with her grandchildren, many of whom lived far away. So she set up a special Summer Book Club! At the beginning of the summer, she mailed a copy of the selected book to each family. Karen had stuck paper inserts at various pages in the chosen book, usually at the end of a chapter. An insert might read, “Call me when you get to this page.” It might have as many sticks of gum or quarters as there were family members taped to it, with a note to “Enjoy a Stick of Gum while you read!” Another insert might include a little map of the area from the book’s setting or interesting information about the author. All the way through, the family found messages from Grandma! When everyone had finished the book, Karen arranged a time to get together. When the family finished the book Heidi, they all danced a traditional Scandinavian dance, “churned” butter (they shook cream in a quart jar), “milked” a pretend goat using surgical gloves, and did a little craft together. Other summers, Karen chose the book, Of Courage Undaunted, a child-friendly version of Lewis and Clark’s adventure; Charles and Mary Lamb’s Shakespeare; and the Biography of Noah Webster. Her advice was to start with an extra fun book, and from there, the children are hooked! It was a wonderful way to teach her love of good books and to bond with the kids.

Tom and Terri motivated their kids to read. In fact, every night at the dinner table each person was encouraged to share what he or she had read that day, Tom and Terri included. In fact, Tom issued a challenge to each of his pre-teen and teenaged kids to join the “3000 Page Club” by reading that many pages! He put a chart up on the wall, close to the dinner table to track pages read. Some of the children recorded daily. Others only put down the pages of each book as they finished it. His plan was to design a cool t-shirt showing how they had reached the goal!

Mark has felt strongly that his children should learn about true heroes and heroines. There is so much of magic and supernatural that it became all they think about. Trying to bring them down to earth again, Mark suggested they make every other book be a true one. Along with the fantasy that his kids read, they should read real-life stories. He and I have searched for true stories, whether it was biographies or historical fiction to interest them. We feel that learning the Lord’s dealings with His children will uplift and teach, as well as entertain.

One of our daughters was caught up in Jane Austen-era romance books (actually she and I both!!) ; and while many of these were classics and great books, we felt that she (and I) should balance her reading with true books. I found her a wonderful biography of Marjorie Hinckley and of some of the Presidential wives. There were some wonderful books about Women of the Scriptures. A couple of our sons read a constant diet of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson-type books. While these are not bad, they are a limited diet among the great books available. I found them a couple of true accounts of courageous athletes who overcame great set-backs, and missionaries who faced amazing trials, such as In the Eye of the Storm. There are great books about the Reformers and those who facilitated the “tipping points” that led to the Restoration.

Reading the Scriptures is an obvious source of truth. Summer is a good time for a goal to read them together or to read them daily. One summer, our family used a set of clickers to keep track of their progress. Each day, each person got to click it if they read! Either Mark or I will read with a child the first time through, a few verses every day. It turns out to be a sweet memory of time together with the Word of God. Now that our children read on their own, we are planning a summer “Scriptures First” campaign, to encourage them to read at least a little in the scriptures each day before they start on the current adventure book they are reading!

Get ‘em hooked on loving books!

Summer is a great time to read! Plan for some each day.

What a service you do for your child when you engender a love for books! To do so, you must have books around. Use the library. Get second-hand books at a thrift store or garage sale. Fix your favorites with book tape as they fall apart from overuse.