I'm making a donation to the library of my daughter's school. The school is only four years old, and it's a wonderful place with talented teachers. It is very small, which I also like, but the size and age of the school mean fewer established resources.
My daughter is reading well above her grade level, which creates some challenges. Material written at an appropriate instructional level for her reading ability is often not conceptually appropriate for such a young child. Non-fiction may require background knowledge that she hasn't yet absorbed, and fiction can contain themes that are far too worldly.
I made a deal on Ebay for a hundred and forty leveled reading books designed for grades 2-4. Score! This is my donation to the library. I could tell from the seller's description that most of them were appropriate, sweet books about pets and childhood adventures. I knew I would still have to sift through them and get out the chaff.
Here's the chaff I removed: Spongebob Squarepants. Captain Underpants. Worst of all is anything to do with popularity and kids playing childhood headgames with one another. Children do enough of that already. They don't need to be reading about it and thinking about it when they could be reading something fun and inspiring.
I learned something new about books for children today. If the book has a title like "Sixth-Grade Rats" or "Seventh-Grade Weirdo," or, on another slant, "Mom, You're Ruining My Life," it's probably something I would consider unwholesome and/or a waste of time. That's not to say that these books are terrible or that the content is decadent. It's just that they reflect things in our society that aren't positive, instead of inspiring children to want something nobler and better.
There is a lot of fun, valuable children's literature out there. I plan to support the good stuff, and keep my child away from the empty, worldly time-wasters. (Any eighties kids out there remember Sweet Valley High?)
Helping your child choose good books is almost as important as encouraging her to pick good friends.
3 comments:
A great series of books for younger readers is the Woodland Frolic Series, which includes: Chippy Chipmunk's Vacation, Little Lost Bobo, and Downy Duck Grows Up. There are a handful of these books, but they are all innocent and fun. They were written in the 40's by Adda Mai Sharp. They are hard to find but well worth collecting.
Yay, Rosslyn! If only more parents of children (and teens) were aware of what a range of good vs. unhealthy literature is available for their kids.
My mom is a retired children's and church librarian. Over the years she showed me why it's so important to scan each book for appropriateness. She once told me about a Christian children's illustrated book that showed a boy's bikini-clad mother smoking a cigarette --not in a negative light.
Yep, I'm one of those 80s girls who grew up around Sweet Valley High. I have so much more intellectual fortitude because of it. =)
I'm sure this library will be much better because of your donation.
So here's a dilemna then....the 11 year old boy reading at college level, and actually understands concept well above his years...has already read "Beowulf", "Last of the Mohicans", and all the "Lord of the Rings" books (ok, so the "Rings" books are fun, but I gotta question the fun in the other two obligatory high school lit choices)....there's a challenge for you!!! That challenge is named Aidan. I'm thinking that next he'll be perusing the college book lists...heaven only knows what he'll find there...which means I have to start reading hard books again so I an keep tabs on what he's reading...which kind of stinks! I love reading, but feel like I have deserved "fluff" reading coming my way...not college stuff! So just wait, Rosslyn, when 'little bit' is in sixth grade and DOES understand the way-beyond-her-years stuff she can read....it gets even harder! Just wait!
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