Knowing which genre of books your child likes best can help you buy books that will encourage his or her interest in reading. Each child is unique, and your child will not be interested in every good children’s book out there. The following tips can help you discover which genre of books your child is most likely to enjoy.
Know Your Child
What are your child’s interests, passions and hobbies? A child who loves animals will most likely enjoy books about animals or books in which animals are the main characters. In the same vein, kids who love adventure and action will probably enjoy action-filled books while kids who enjoy cracking jokes will likely enjoy humorous books.
Get Advice
Ask your local librarian for book recommendations for your child. Librarians are often more than happy to help parents inspire their kids to become lifelong readers and can offer great advice that you simply cannot find online.
Parents of preteens and teens should ask their child’s friends about which genre (or genres) of books they enjoy reading. Chances are your child’s friends have insight into your child’s likes and dislikes that you simply don’t have. What’s more, they may know about fascinating titles that you haven’t heard of yet, or about series that everyone their age is reading.
You can also ask your child’s teacher or grandparents, and anyone who regularly spends time with your child, about the child’s interests. Some questions you may want to ask include: What books does my child enjoy reading with others? Has my child commented about a certain book or book genre when talking to others? The more outside perspectives you get, the better book choices you can make.
Provide a Wide Range of Options
Take your child to the local library. Let him or her explore the titles and check out any books he or she wants. Read to your child or let your child read alone or read out loud to you. Then, talk about what he or she reads. Try to find out not only what titles your child likes but also why he or she likes them.
Be aware that finding the right book genre for your child is an ongoing process. Children change as they grow older or simply acquire new interests and skills. Don’t assume that a genre your child enjoyed in the past is still his or her favorite book genre. Keep paying attention to a child’s likes and dislikes, talk to others about your child’s interests and provide him or her with a wide variety of reading material. Doing so can help you keep your child interested in reading both now and in the future.
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