In the Oxford University Press report "Gift of Words 2021 - The Power of Reading" 49% of survey participants said that "reading for school puts their child off from reading for pleasure." This is certainly something that I can relate to with my own children's individual reading journeys, as I'm sure many of you can also relate which is why you are here! If you are seeing that your child is feeling uninspired in their reading, (and you're sick of those Biff, Chip and Kipper books!!) please continue reading on to find out how carefully selected classic children's literature can inspire a life-long passion for books and reading.
The vast majority of children first experience the joy of reading with their parents and/or carers, and daily reading is a wonderful opportunity for adult/child bonding. Reading and listening to stories allows children to cultivate verbal proficiency which leads to increased ability to express thoughts and feelings as well as increased powers of concentration, mindfulness and imagination. Parents and carers can select appropriate storybooks as well as gently direct children's book choices by thinking more deeply about the child's emotional and intellectual needs. Properly chosen storybooks are a valuable resource for overall child development because stories are easier for children to decode than real-life situations. Storybooks create fictional situations that match with children's reality and provide characters that children can relate to, whilst allowing the child to absorb and engross themselves in a world outside their own reality. Classic literature provides children with the perfect opportunity to fully engross themselves in a vivid language experience. Classic writers, generally speaking, draw on a wider vocabulary and use richer language than what is used in more contemporary stories because they were written in a time when print media was the only available medium to convey stories, ideas, themes and events. The greater use of rich language allows for more complex themes to be explored more deeply, and by reading stories from days gone by children have the opportunity to recognise their own real-world experiences in the fictional settings of bygone eras.
It is of course imperative to allow children some manner of choice, so this is not to say that popular contemporary stories don't have their place in a child's reading journey, because they certainly do. In my personal experience children tend to baulk at classic literature because they perceive the stories as challenging, and revert too quickly to the familiarity and simplicity of popular contemporary books. It is in this moment that parents and carers can take the opportunity to encourage the child to give classic stories a try. My own children have often objected to my classic literature suggestions, but usually after reading a few chapters they couldn't put it down. It is therefore incumbent upon adults to provide the proper guidance when it comes to book selection, as well as to recognise when there isn't a good book/reader fit. If the child just isn't getting on with a particular story then do let them put the book down and try something different. It isn't a "failure" not to finish a book, just as it isn't a failure not to like a popular television series! Not all stories are relatable to all people.
Browse our Children’s section for inspiration to help kick start your child's lifelong passion for reading. We have many beautiful children’s books available, thanks for shopping at an independent store.
Happy reading!