"Reading is for girls!"

As a librarian, it’s a sentiment that I am all too famiar with, and one that breaks my heart. Worse, and almost always from boys, is the complaint: “Reading is boring.” Studies consistently show that, on average, boys take longer to learn to read and value reading less than girls. I read an article recently on Reading Rockets explaining that families are at the center of the solution to the idea that reading is for girls…especially dads. “There is only one way to change this perception and that is for men both at home and in the community to read aloud to boys and to show that reading is an activity of value.” What a simple, enjoyable (and free!) way to be able to give our boys an advantage in school!

Here’s a start:

1. Encourage and support his reading choices, whether they are non-fiction, magazines, graphic novels or sports titles.

2. Stop in and take a look at our booklist The Guys Guide to Books that Aren’t Lame.

3. Look at Jon Sczieska’s website, Guys Read, for excellent practical strategies and anything-but-lame book titles.

It's a Numbers Game

A non-fiction numbers game, that is. This section of the children's room is one that most parents and caregivers of young children don't even think to browse.  Admittedly, the Dewey Decimal System isn't exactly intuitive.  But, once you get the hang of the numbers, you'll find that many of the titles in this section are intended for a young audience and have a narrative more like a picture book.

Bonus for your kids -- One of the most important early literacy skills is a child’s enjoyment of and interest in books and children are more likely to want to learn to read if they think of it as something fun to do.

Bonus for you -- Because all the books on a subject are grouped together, they are easy to browse (i.e. no hunting around for an author last name).  If you've got a dinosaur lover for example, the J 567 section will make you a hero.