By the Cover: Finding Books Your Child Will Read

When Apple introduced the first iMac computer, I bought one. I had no idea how much disk space it came with, or how much RAM it had. Frankly, I didn’t care. It was small and blue; I loved it for that. Let’s face it appearances sell. And when it comes to young readers, the same is true for books.

Children today are bombarded with marketing. By the age of five or six, most are savvy consumers. They have countless toys and videos games, television, and Nintendo. They participate in sports, take lessons, and have schedules that keep us all running. So how can a book compete? With no bells and whistles, no marketing gimmicks, how does a book attract, let alone hold, a child’s attention? To be honest, not every book can, but some clearly do better than others.

As a child, I spent a great deal of time with books. I carried them everywhere and spent hours in bookstores with my mother. Suffering from dyslexia, however, I remained unable to read. Without the ability to absorb the written content of a book, I found myself studying its features. What did the page look like? How were the pictures arranged? How frequent were they? Is this a book I would want to read, providing of course that I could? The answers I discovered over 30 years ago have not changed and should still be considered when selecting a book for the young reader today. Consider the following:

Exterior Features:

Most children prefer paperbacks. They are smaller, lighter, and simply more user-friendly. Look for bright glossy covers with colorful if not humorous illustrations. Avoid covers with landscape photographs or real-life portraits. Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Brink, for example, is a Newberry award-winning book, but I cannot convince my children to read it. “It just doesn’t look interesting” they complain. And in all honesty, they’re right. The front cover displays a single portrait of a teenage girl standing in a wheat field. Not exactly an image I would turn off the television to investigate. Once your child is hooked on reading, these books may make wonderful choices, but for the struggling new reader, they can’t be expected to compete with the excitement of Nintendo.

If you purchase books at yard sales and flea markets, be on the lookout for musty or offensive odors. A book that smells “old” will simply not hold much appeal. The smaller size of a paperback is also intriguing to children. Like my shiny blue iMac computer, the paperback book simply conveys a more welcoming image.

Reading levels:

Most easy reader and young adult paperbacks provide recommended reading levels. Somewhere on the back cover, usually in the lower left-hand corner, there will be a mark that reads RL: followed by two numbers. R.L. 4.6, for example, means that this particular book is recommended for a child reading at a fourth grade, six months level. Another book might be labeled R.L. 2.4, which means the book is recommended for a child who is reading as well as most second graders, four months into the school year. Reading levels are generally determined by the complexity of the sentences and the difficulty of individual words. But remember, these are simply the publisher’s suggested guidelines. They may or may not apply to your child.

Occasionally, a book will be labeled as an easier reader when, in fact, it is not. "Not even a tadpole, Minneapolis Simpkin, yelled Mom” is the very first line in Peggy Parish’s book No More Monsters for Me. The book, classified as an I Can Read book, is recommended for children in preschool through first grade. Granted, Minneapolis Simpkin is a wonderfully rich name, but for a new reader it can spell disaster. Too difficult to decipher, the child is likely to skip over this character’s name or simply close the book. “Detective Dinosaur and Officer Pterodactyl were on patrol” is another great example. This is the first line in the book: Detective Dinosaur Lost and Found, by James Skofield. This easy reader is categorized as a level 2 in the I Can Read series and is considered appropriate for children in grades 1-3. I disagree. In fact, I would venture that even an adult might struggle with this sentence. When selecting beginning books for your child, don’t be fooled by poor labels. Check the text carefully. Watch for difficult words, phrases, or names. Regardless of how wonderful the story may be, if the child’s struggles endlessly with inappropriate words, the meaning will be lost.

The second type of book to watch out for is one that overcompensates to remain at a consistent reading level. This book will go so far in its effort to utilize only easily pronounced, phonetically correct words that it will employ outdated or uncommon words. Smirk, for example, is phonetically correct. It is also easy to pronounce, however it isn’t likely to be a part of the young child’s vocabulary. Grim (bad), lurk (to hang around), press (to iron), swell (good), and imp (mischievous), provide a few more examples of this type of word usage. Again, all of these words are easy to pronounce. All are phonetically correct, yet they are also outdated and not likely to resonate with the child.

Interior features:

After thoroughly examining the outside of the book and checking the recommended reading level, shift your attention to the interior. What do the pages look like? How are the pictures arranged? How frequent are they? These factors work together to make a book appear welcoming. The pages should ease the child into the story. Though many publishers continue to utilize the less expensive cream or off-white paper, a crisp white page is often more appealing to children. Be aware of how much white is on a page. This is especially important for new readers making the transition from easy readers to chapter books. Wide margins, shorter paragraphs, and the presence of dialogue help to break up the potentially overwhelming text.

A good choice should also have pictures; an ideal choice will have some form of illustration on almost every other page. Remember children today are bombarded with commercials. They expect interruptions. They expect to receive information in small bites. Pictures also provide the struggling reader with support, hints, and reassurance. They offer clues to the story and provide detailed background information. In short, frequent illustrations will increase the reader’s understanding beyond the limited text.

Monsters:

Many parents are so glad to have their children reading that they disregard the content of the books. In my opinion, this is a mistake. Books can have a profound effect on young children. Characters become friends; plots become memories. Through television, film, and radio, children are exposed to many frightening realities; books should not be one of them. Be aware of what your children are reading. Avoid sad or frightening stories. Even if they don’t result in nightmares, they may alter the child’s perception of reading as an enjoyable experience. When my daughter Kathryn, an avid animal lover, was eight she read Shiloh, by Phyllis Naylor. The book is a Newberry Award winner, yet Kathryn was so upset by the story that she refused to read anything for a month. Associating reading with the somewhat depressing story, she simply didn’t want to read anymore. Finally, after convincing her to try something light-hearted and fun, she was back on track.

Friends:

Books, like tricycles, or a favorite blanket, can quickly become old friends. Revisiting them after moving on can give a child a sense of confidence and allow them to appreciate the progress they have made. Long after progressing to young adult novels, Kathryn would pick up an easier book and read it from cover to cover. She laughed at herself and relish the memories of struggling through the simple text. Like an old friend, she associated the familiar book with safety, fun, and adventure. Moving on is exciting, but it can also be frightening. Occasionally any child will long to return to familiar ground. Encourage your child to do this. Occasionally, selecting a book below the child’s current reading level can be just as important as selecting one above. Remember, through repetition and review the new reader build speed and confidence.

Obviously as the child grows, his or her capabilities will increase and many of these criteria will become unnecessary. But for the child who is just learning to read, or one that would rather play Nintendo, recognizing how a particular book markets itself can make a world of difference. Try it; see for yourself.

About the author:

Ann Lloyd is the author of two books: Tips and Tricks for Homeschooling Survival and Just 'Til I Finish This Chapter...,. Tips, Quotes and Practical Advice for Nurturing Young Readers. She is a 10-year homeschooling veteran and the mother of three. Her work has been featured in Home Education, Practical Homeschooling, and Life Learning Magazines. For more information visit her website at: www.mereink.com