Making a regular habit of reading for pleasure is one of the most powerful tools that can significantly impact a child’s future success. In fact, as an indicator of future success and happiness it surpasses factors such as parents’ educational background or household income.
That’s why fostering a love for reading from an early age is vital and something that we spend a lot of time talking to parents about here at Mr B’s. But of course encouraging that love of reading early on isn’t always easy.
One of the key tactics that we share with parents – either here in the shop or at organised sessions at schools – is the art of reading aloud with children – even after they have reached the stage where they’re reading independently.
In a series of groundbreaking studies Egmont publishing (now Farshore) looked at the reactions of parents and children who read together. They worked with families who hadn’t previously made time for reading in this way and the outcomes were remarkable, including:
- That the very act of a parent and child spending time reading together increased outward calm, relaxation and happiness (measured by galvanic skin responses!) and was seen by the participants as valuable respite from busy screen-filled lives;
- That reading books with a child who has already reached independent reading age, makes that child 70% more likely to become a regular reader themselves.
Of course, reading with children can provide a safe backdrop for opening up conversations on bigger topics that we might not always know how to access. By exploring stories and the challenges characters face, we can talk about complex themes and ideas in a safe and engaging way.
But it’s not vital that the books we read with our children reflect life’s big problems. The real power of books can come just from the shared enjoyment of any fantastic storytelling that a child is excited about reading.
Giving children freedom to choose the books we read with them is so important. Whether they’re drawn to graphic novels, adventure stories or funny tales, if they’ve had agency in that choice it tends to make for a more rewarding experience.
At Mr B’s, our greatest of the many bookselling pleasures is talking to kids in the shop to help them with the choosing part. Having the opportunity to chat to grown-ups who aren’t their family-members but who, mysteriously, seem to be over-excited about books, can be a powerful thing for a young would-be reader!
When running sessions at schools, we’re often asked for some go-to books that we think would especially well when read aloud. Our answers are ever-changing but usually we come back to books that are full of excitement and laughter. Right now, if you asked us, we might suggest trying:
- The Legend of Podkin One Ear by Kieran Larwood
- The Chronicles of Whetherwhy by Anna James
- The Swifts by Beth Lincoln
- Impossible Creatures by Katharine Rundell
But who knows what we’d say tomorrow!
If you’re interested in having Mr B’s come to your school to talk with parents about the power, impact and joy of reading together with children after they’ve learned to read independently then get in touch with Hannah here at Mr B’s – email hidden; JavaScript is required
Main photo Emily Chesterton Photography
