Tired of giving high-tech (and expensive) gifts for every birthday or holiday? Don’t forget the lasting joy of giving gifts that are decidedly low-tech.
Long after the batteries have faded and gadgets are misplaced, gifts like real paper books have positive educational benefits.
Sharing a love of classic books
Studies show that families who share their love of books can inspire children to take pleasure in reading. In addition to the enjoyment children can get from books, developing a lifelong love of reading makes a child more likely to succeed in school.
Book Adventure and the International Reading Association suggest that parents and families share classic books from their youth with their children.
“Timeless favorites, such as Curious George and Charlotte’s Web appeal to children as much now as they did 50 years ago,” said Dr Richard E Bavaria, Book Adventure advisor and education expert. “Families will find that memories come to life when rereading childhood favorites.”
ALSO SEE: Here’s how you can turn your kids into big readers
Classic books for kids
Here are their recommendations, plus a few suggestions from the Lilyvolt editorial team.
Kindergarten through 2nd grade
Curious George, by H.A. Rey
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Brown
Little Red Riding Hood, by Trina Schart Hyman
Paddington, by Michael Bond
Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr Seuss
The Real Mother Goose, by Blanche Fisher Wright
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
Corduroy, by Don Freeman
The Lorax, by Dr Seuss
3rd grade through 5th grade
Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
Paul Bunyan, by Steven Kellogg
Ramona Quimby Age 8, by Beverly Cleary
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
The Twenty-One Balloons, by William Pene du Bois
6th Grade through 8th grade
Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell
Call of the Wild, by Jack London
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
The Velvet Room, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Outsiders, by by S. E. Hinton
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg
Dr Bavaria feels that sharing this nostalgia with a child is an important part of the learning process. “When children see parents get excited about reading, it motivates the child to read, too,” he says. “This type of positive influence promotes enthusiasm for reading.”
