"Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him." – Maya Angelou
The fundamentals of encouraging healthy reading habits in kids at an early age are reading with them at home. By reading together often or reading to them, your child will learn the joys of reading and get motivated to read.
Reading is a nourishing and fulfilling experience and enables kids to grasp new things at an early age. By listening to someone read; small babies are known to start to enjoy the sound of someone's voice, changing facial expressions, and even try to imitate the words. This activity is essential as it increases the attention span of kids as well.
We have curated a list of age-appropriate books that will help developing reading habit in children:
Age: 5-7 years
1. Charlotte's Web by E.B White
Introduce your child to the world of love, friendship and affection. This is Charlotte's story (a large grey spider) and Wilbur (a pig) and their depiction of friendship. It is a tremendous sacrifice story, which will also help young readers understand that death is a natural part of a long life. This is a perfect story for kids who are sensitive animal lovers and ready to explore life's cycle
2. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda is a story about a 5-year-old girl with highly intellectual abilities. Even before turning five, she has read many books by different authors. The story revolves around her struggles with her family and how she finds solace in books. The protagonist will inspire kids to learn kindness, bravery and diligence. This story is beautifully heartwarming; a surprising mix of humor, adventure, and mystery. And, as with any Dahl story, Matilda provides a strong message to children: you can do it.
3. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland represents the child's struggle to survive in the confusing world of adults. To understand our adult world, Alice has to overcome the open-mindedness that is characteristic of children. One of the best things about this story is the imagery, wonder and fantasy; making it an inspiring way to challenge your child's perceptions and expectations of the world.
Age: 8-10 years
1. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's moral is that children who are honest and well-behaved will be rewarded. It's a vividly told wild ride with amusing, cartoon-like sketches that will keep kids excited and laughing. Darkly sarcastic and hugely entertaining, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory deals with themes of sin and temptation and sees a triumphant and moral conclusion that spells the end of a life of poverty for Charlie and his family.
2. Peter Pan by James Barrie, Joeming W Dunn and Andy Mangels
Peter Pan is a story about a young boy who never grew up but could fly. It revolves around his adventure with Wendy and her little brothers into a land called "Neverland". The moral of Peter Pan is to believe in family above all else. Family and a mother's love are real, while Neverland is an illusion. The whole story is this beautiful blend of imagination, reality and celebrates childhood. A theme that kept popping up was that children are carefree, innocent, and happy yet heartless.
3. Harry Potter by J.K Rowling
The Harry Potter series has touched the hearts of so many young readers with its charm and magic, making it a must-read for children of all ages. Harry was faced with exceptional circumstances, and he was able to overcome the challenge. Harry was a wizard which he was not aware of. He possessed a unique ability and found reserves of bravery within himself. Also, it teaches kids to face their fears. Harry Potter has magic, humour, pathos, suspense, and fast-paced action; It amalgamates numerous genres into one series.
4. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is a classic novel for children. A must-read for every growing child to learn and understand the kindness and empathy we need to share with animals. These are the qualities every parent wants to cultivate in their children. This book is one of the best media to instill these qualities in children.
Age: 11-15 years
1. Malgudi days by R.K.Narayan
The book comprises a cluster of more than 40 short stories revolving around Narayan's powerful and magical portraits. Malgudi days teach moral values such as honesty, integrity, proper behaviour, respecting elders, and hard work.
2. The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini
'The Kite Runner' is a vivid reminder that one can always be a good human despite making mistakes, accepting them, and redeeming ourselves. It teaches the depths of true friendship and loyalty. A gripping and emotional story of betrayal and redemption, the Kite Runner also explores the very art of storytelling.
3. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
It is a story about the early life experiences of fraternal twins whose lives are shattered by the Love Laws that lay down unwritten rules of who should be loved and how much. The book explores small things in life affect people's behaviour and their lives. The God of Small Things also reflects its irony against casteism, which is significant discrimination in India.
4. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The story revolves around being selfless and having taught us the power of hope in terrible circumstances. One should never give up and always strive for improvement. The book's most important message is that all people have the right to freedom and live with it. This book is highly recommended to introduce and build interest in history and war amongst children.
Children learn a lot of new things from books and this automatically helps to channel their curiosity. It makes them ask questions in the quest for knowledge. The importance of reading in a child's life is invaluable. Make it a habit to sit with your child and read using a lot of expressions, and you'll be surprised as to how much you enjoy the activity too.
