A: Since your kids naturally gravitate toward TV and videos games, I think it is important that your encouragement of reading doesn’t sound like punishment or something they must do like eating vegetables. Reading is more active than media experiences contrary to what people may believe so it is more of an effort to read, comprehend and develop your own sense of the ‘worlds’ being portrayed in books. I think the key is to make a personal connection between the book and your child. Try not to force certain books just because they are classics or on the reading list. Find a characters, themes, and locations that connect with your particular child and their temperament and set of experiences. If they are more interested in nonfiction, try a biography or nonfiction book that reads as story (i.e. Jim Murphy’s “Blizzard” about the massive storm in NYC from 1888). There are also some extraordinary books that are in picture book format but contain themes more text or advanced subject matter. Goods examples are books by Eve Bunting (Gleam & Glow) and Patricia Polacco (Pink & Say). Another idea is to make reading a shared experience. There are phenomenal books on CD that you can listen to while in the car that work with children of different ages. You can also do ‘parallel reading’ if you have upper elementary or middle school children. They may not want to read aloud together but you can read a few chapters independently and then talk about them sporadically during the week. We have several parent-child book clubs at the library and the families often tell us that the discussion goes on long before and after the monthly meetings. It is worth your effort. Discussion of themes in books can open up conversations about issues in you and your child’s life that may not come up naturally. And also, allow them some fun, silly reading too! We all have lighthearted books that are sometimes exactly what we need in the midst of the challenging week. | (view all answers to this question)

A: My suggestion is to use English media to bring the language into the home: books, movies, television, etc. and to have English materials readily available for "family nights." Some libraries have books on tape called SmartReaders that are actually read a a slower rate; may patrons who are learning English use these and follow along with the book. I also suggest turning the closed captioning on with the television. The primary reason that Finland is the most literate country is because they watch and 'read' American programs. Even if the programs aren't outstanding, they are at least getting a sense of the language and how it is spoken. I hope this helps. | (view all answers to this question)

A: Great question. The real goal is for your daughter to make some meaningful connections to characters, time periods and authors. I think you can tell your child you can relate to the pleasure of returning to familiar territory--like Dr. Seuss--or reading something that is not diffult to get into. Maybe tell a story from your own experience when reading seemed like a chore. It's always smart to build on interests. If she's interested in historical fiction, you may start with some fantastic picture book biographies ("Rare Treasure" by Mary Anning; "Leonardo's Horse" by J. Fritz; "Blizzard by Jim Murphy) that are so unusual and inspiring that she'll become immersed. Then you can tie in some chapter books that connect. If she's interested in art, a fun idea is the nonfiction book "Art Fraud Detective" by Ana Nilson followed by Blue Baillett's "Chasing Vermeer" or "From the Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler" by Konigsburg. The connections will be flying! And also remember that there are some phenomenal magazines available that are rich in history, activities and strong writing like: Faces, Kids' Discover and Click. Another idea is to borrow a book like "The Kingfisher Book of Great Girl Stories: A Treasury of Classics from Children's Literature" where you can have her 'sample' excerpts from some of the great books going back to "The Secret Garden" right up to "Matilda." Sometimes knowing what doesn't sound interesting can help in defining what you are interested in. I hope this has been helpful. Best of luck! Roberta | (view all answers to this question)