Books that Inspire a Love of Reading

World Book Day may seem like a distant memory now and the momentum to keep children passionate about reading can sometimes be a tricky one.

The benefits of reading to a child purely for the joy of reading are astonishing. It provides comfort, reassurance, security, relaxation, happiness and fun… all of this whilst learning! It can be a wonderful opportunity to connect with a child, spend time together and slow the day down. When children read they get to meet new cultures, characters and ideas. Pages can transport them to another world and let their imaginations run wild. Often, providing an escape from real life, stories help children to understand feelings, develop empathy and have a positive impact on mental wellbeing.

Although reality may look a little different as we are often challenged by hectic lifestyles, lack of time and the thought of reading as a chore. There can be too much emphasis placed on reading as a skill and not as a pleasure and this notion needs to be overturned if we are to nurture a generation of bookworms. Traditionally you assume reading requires silence, intense concentration and a prolonged period spent quietly in the same position – all the things that most children find boring! This doesn’t have to be the case and at Browns Books were are adamant that reading can be fun for all! Here’s our top 5 tips to encourage a love of reading…

1.  Make it part of your routine. Reading is a great habit and like all habits it needs repetition to become established. Incorporate story time into your daily routine until it becomes as natural as brushing your teeth. It doesn’t have to be made into a big thing, it can be part of everyday life like reading the recipe for dinner or the instructions for a game. A quick win is turning the sub-titles on the TV so that children are exposed to words. Ensuring books are easy to access is also vital, be that in the car, in your backpack or at the dinner table.   

2. Tap into their interests. If a child is not interested in the topic of the story they’re not going to stick with it. Let children choose what to read and let them choose widely. There’s no need to restrict to story books… there’s comics, cookbooks, nursery rhymes, audiobooks, non-fiction, joke books, the same book over and over, a new book every night… the possibilities are endless!

3. Picture books are empowering. Picture books provide a representation of what the story is saying in visual form, making it easier for children to follow along. They’re also more visually appealing and attention-grabbing meaning a child will be more inclined to talk about what is on the page. Moreover, let a child ‘read’ wordless stories aloud to you, this empowers children and gives them the  confidence that they are just as competent at reading as adults.

4. Make use of your local library. Children are natural explorers which makes libraries an excellent place for them. They offer freedom of choice and expose them to more reading materials than you may have at home. It is here that they can truly discover what they enjoy reading and find books on almost every topic. Libraries are typically thought of as eerily quiet places with lots of shushing, but that’s simply not the case. They’re vibrant settings, filled with engaging activities, storytellers, knowledgeable librarians, book clubs, cosy reading nooks, nursery rhyme singing and most essentially it’s free!

5. Bring reading to life. Children love to laugh… use silly voices, add sound effects, act it out, build a reading fort, add a torch and some teddies, read to your pet, read outside, dress up as the characters, read whilst hula-hooping and standing on your head. Finally… NO MORE NAGGING! Stop making reading a chore and turn it into a fun, positive experience for all.

A great place to start is to read books about books! Magical stories that celebrate reading, make library trips an adventure and have an empathetic representation of reluctant readers are a fantastic way to encourage a love of reading. All of the below books show children that they can read whatever, however and wherever they choose. 

For more inspiring children’s books about the joy of storytelling, libraries and reading browse here.

Not sure where to start on your child’s reading journey? We have some great selections ready to inspire a love of reading for all abilities. With long summer days just around the corner there has never been a more perfect time to sit back, relax and read for pleasure.