Nonna's Guide to Reading & Stories

2/26/2020

Stories are life saving

You know reading well is essential for a child’s success in school. But did you know reading is also critically important for a child’s happiness and health? Reading facilitates your child’s

emotional and moral growth,
ability to focus and concentrate,
emerging imagination and creativity,
ability to handle stress, and
development in empathy and kindness.

I have sweet memories of riding my bicycle or walking to my neighborhood public library almost daily during the summers of my childhood to get more books – more stories. Later in life when we home schooled our daughters the local library was our greatest resource. Reading is my passion and libraries have my life-long support – I was a licensed school librarian for goodness sake! It’s the stories we read and hear that makes us who we are – individually and as a society.

Gaia Vince in Transcendence: How Humans Evolved through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time powerfully reminds us "stories shape our minds, our societies, and our interaction with the environment. Stories save our lives.”

What stories matter?

If it is true to say stories shape our children’s minds and hearts, then which stories are the most important? Which ones should our children hear and read? Not all children’s or young adult books are created equal. Some are better than others – for many different reasons including your child’s individual development and personality.

I used a few simple questions to determine book purchases as a school librarian – and relied on the similar questions as a parent:

Who is the author? What other books has this author written? What do the reviews say about the author’s skill?
What is the book’s synopsis? Is it age appropriate? Are my students ready to tackle the subject matter?
What about the richness of the language and illustrations – are they fascinating and challenging?
Does the book fit with the values promoted by the school (or at home)?
What do children or young adults say about the book or author?

If this seems like a lot of effort, it is.

Investing time in choosing books for and with your child -- don’t forget the young adults -- is important to their happiness and health. I disagree wholeheartedly with the idea that “as long as my child is reading, it’s good.”

Stories Matter Blog

Our active parenting season -- 17 to 20 years -- is short and the window of parental influence narrow.

And families are BUSY.

Understanding this -- my Little Guy is approaching his second birthday!! -- it has been on my heart for some time to find a way to support parents in selecting stories and books. It would be foolish to say definitively which are the most important books -- books and stories are as diverse as families. But I have the time to share with parents my thoughts and research about books -- translation: “I get to read children's stories and young adult novels and tell you about them!!”

So, it is exciting to share with you this additional blog at Nonna & The Boss: Stories Matter.

Over time you will find reviews for a variety of books for children and young adults: picture books, award winning books, novels, poetry and graphic novels. Each book post will include a synopsis, subject matter, information about the author, reading level or age appropriateness where possible, and why the book is relevant in a world context.

I hope you will find "Stories Matter" useful! The first reviews are on their way.

Nonna

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

STORIES MATTER @ Nonna and The Boss