There is no more important activity for preparing your child to succeed as a reader than reading aloud together. Fill your story times with a variety of books. Be consistent, be patient, and watch the magic work. It's no secret that activities at home are an important supplement to the classroom, but there's more to it than that. There are things that parents can give children at home that classrooms cannot.
Reading will help your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills faster. In older children, it sparks imagination and stimulate curiosity—a key component in creative writing and communicative skills later on. This also helps develop cognitive function, ability to focus, concentration, social and communication skills. A final note: before purchasing any of the books in the list below, take some time to determine if they're available in the catalogue of the National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore. The NLB provides a very impressive range of digital and physical resources which is a great benefit to library members. By scheduling a fortnightly visit to the library with your child, you can help develop a symbiotic relationship between the seeker and the selection, that makes education relevant, fun and personal.
From picture books to graphic novels, fantasy to family fun, these must-read books have the power to hook kids of any gender. Some are invaluable touchstones that belong in every kid's library. Others open kids' minds to cultures beyond their own. And some are releases that have the timeless quality of classics—the kind that get handed down to siblings and passed around in classrooms. Whether you have a reluctant reader or a budding bookworm, consider these surefire, kid-tested titles.
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Your kids won’t know that this book teaches them colors, counting, the days of the week, healthy eating and the process of metamorphosis. They’ll simply love the story—and poking their tiny fingers through the holes. All the more reason to admire one of the world's most perfect picture books. Ages 3 and under.
2. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
It might seem like just a silly witch tale, but Room on the Broom is a masterpiece of wordplay and story, a good-hearted adventure with enough plot twists to keep your little one riveted—and with one of the happiest endings in all of broomish literature. Room on the Broom is a book children will look forward to reading at bedtime. Ages 5 and under.
3. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
What wouldn’t this tree do for this little boy? Shel Silverstein masterfully weaves a tale of unselfish love and unending sacrifice as, starting with apples and shade, a tree gladly gives more and more to a boy over the years, eventually giving all of itself. Ages 4 to 8.
4. This Beach Is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill
What's more fun than a day at the beach! But there are too many people, and the sand is too itchy, and the seawater too sticky. It's all too much, but Dad knows just how to help his little one refocus and enjoy the excursion to the see. This Beach Is Loud is for kids with sensory-processing issues, but the book explores themes that are helpful for any child. Ages 4 to 6.
5. The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak
How can a picture book with no pictures be any fun? Easy. The rules of every children’s book is: The grownup has to read every word on the page–every word–no matter how ridiculous. In this book, the words get really ridiculous to the complete delight of your child. The Book with No Pictures brings new meaning to the world of reading. Ages 7 and under.
6. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Cute cottontails cannot resist the vegetables growing in Mr. McGregor’s garden, and they’ll stop at nothing for a bite. This Beatrix Potter classic, which has seen a few retellings in recent years, is nothing short of delightful. Just be grateful this naughty crew isn’t nibbling at your garden! Ages 3 to 6.
7. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
This book will turn bedtime into a sure thing: The rhythm and rhymes will lull your precious ones to sleep, while the silly scenes and will let them drift off with a smile. A contemporary classic, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? should be on every child’s bedside table. Ages 6 and under.
8. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
As far as he can hop and up to the moon—that’s how much Little Nutbrown Hare loves his Papa. But Big Nutbrown Hare loves his boy even more. Just how much? The ways to express their love for one another is infinite, and the two go back and forth, comparing their mutual adoration to the beautiful world around them. Ages 2 to 5.
9. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
The No. 1 sleepytime rhyme award goes to Margaret Wise Brown, who created the rare book that can be read a hundred times over without ever becoming tiresome. Amazingly, the quintessential bedtime story wasn't a hit in its day back, but the sheer levels of comfort it offers have made it a go-to book for generations of families. Ages 4 and under.
10. Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths
Peter is a sloth that likes everything just as it is: He wants to stay put and hang out. The goofball Ernesto is a sloth of a different stripe, and sets out on a joyful expedition that takes him to the far corners of the world. He misses his pal so much that he swallows his fear and sets off to find him—and discovers that the world is wild, kind and full of wonder. Ages 4 to 8.
11. Paddington by Michael Bond
A polite young bear, dressed in a stylish red hat, shows up in London’s bustling Paddington Station with no more than a suitcase full of marmalade. The Brown family takes him in, unprepared for the mischief that Paddington and their children, Jonathan and Judy, will get into together. Ages 4 to 10.
12. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
One of the all-time great read-alouds, the story of a man who loses his caps thanks to some light-fingered simians is sure to earn giggles from your listeners. Ages 4 and under.
13. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The streets of New York are turned into a wintery playland when red-snowsuited Peter explores the bright white world of a new snowfall. This delightful book has become a classic—and is the most-borrowed book in the 125-year history of the New York Public Library. Ages 5 and under.
14. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda needs no introduction. One of Roald Dahl’s most popular characters, the young girl reads stories well beyond her years, but sadly must endure gruelling educators and less-than-perfect parents. Of course, we can’t help but fall in love with her magical abilities—and her concentration when tackling a new book. It's a good companion to James and the Giant Peach, and other popular titles by Roald Dahl. Ages 8 to 12.
15. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Greg Heffley is your normal run-of-the-mill wimpy kid—who happens to keep a diary and document every ridiculous, hilarious, bonkerballs event in his life. The diary entries are played for laughs, but just below the joking around there are some important life lessons. This remarkable series is on its 14th installment and counting. Ages 8 to 12.
16. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
Young Emily finds an amulet in her great-grandfather’s library that she absently puts on. It’s only later, after she and her brother Navin travel to another world to save their mother with the help of a robot bunny named Miskit, that the power of the amulet is revealed and Emily becomes a Stonekeeper. And so it begins—this is a fantastical series that will feed young imaginations. Ages 8 and up.
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