Comments on: How to Help Young Children Love Chapter Books

By: Erica MomandKiddo

Erica MomandKiddo — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:45:24 +0000

In reply to Gina. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Gina. I love that you help your daughter visualize the stories before you read them since that is what helps her best. I see my boys being inspired in play by what they read, too. My older son never did much self-directed pretend play and reading was so helpful in giving him prompts.

By: Gina

Gina — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 13:05:16 +0000

We love reading to our children and chapter books are a very important part of our daily family time at bedtime. We snuggle in our big bed bed and away we all go. If my dh has to work a little late, they go to bed late. We have older children, 6 and 7 but they are emotionally delayed, so a bit young for their years and our girl is on the autistic spectrum and making pictures in her head is hard for her. So we watch DVDs first and then read the books. This has been very successful, we have read The Princess Bride (mega long but amazing), some Famous Five, The Hobbit and we are on book 3 of Harry Potter. We still read and use picture books as well and they can read to us as well now. Reading is one of the most wonderful things we share.

Reading these lovely books has helped with their language, we stop and define/explain also, as well as the stories they write. The books also inform their imaginary play. Which with an autistic child is a delightful surprise, she can't go off-script but she can pretend to be someone or something else. Currently, randomly, Draco Malfoy! Lol.

Excellent post, thank you.

By: Anna@The Measured Mom

Anna@The Measured Mom — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 01:39:47 +0000

I refer to your list of chapter books for preschoolers often, Erika (I think it's what originally brought me to your blog). And I really appreciate this guest post! Lots of great stuff - featuring at the After School Linky on Monday.

By: Stephanie Whittle

Stephanie Whittle — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 03:01:40 +0000

A thought provoking post! Thanks for sharing at the After School Linky.

By: Amy @ Sunlit Pages

Amy @ Sunlit Pages — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 22:41:27 +0000

In reply to writersideup. Yes, you hit the nail on the head. It is a challenge to find books that all three of them will like (besides being different ages, they also have different interests), but that's part of the fun, too!

By: Amy @ Sunlit Pages

Amy @ Sunlit Pages — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 22:39:51 +0000

In reply to Monika. Thanks, Monika!

By: writersideup

writersideup — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:02:19 +0000

This was a wonderful, enjoyable post :) I have a feeling one of the reasons it can sometimes be challenging for you is because you're reading to 3 children, all of different ages. That's tough to find something they will all be interested in and engaged in, but it sounds like you've been finding some good ones :) I know when my son (I only have one) was young, when I read a chapter book to him at bedtime, he would keep asking me to read the next chapter and the next. He really enjoyed it, but I think he was maybe 5 by that time. Can't remember! It's too long ago now lol (he's 28 and married!)

By: Monika

Monika — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 06:14:42 +0000

Great post from one of my favorite bloggers! Thanks for sharing these thoughts, Amy!