The first week of March is one of my favorite weeks of the school year. It is not only Read Across America Week, but also Dr. Seuss’s birthday and World Book Day. I love reading! As a child I was probably called “book worm” hundreds of times, because my favorite activity was reading…and still is as an adult.

Reading has the power to transport you to new places, learn new ideas, and become a true citizen of the world. But, there are a number of other reasons why reading is so important.

Reading:

• Trains your body/mind to slow down, relax and focus on what you are reading
• Improves your memory
• Builds a bond between you and your child as you provide him/her with 1:1 positive attention
• Expands your child’s language and literacy skills

So how do we get our children excited about reading? This can be a special challenge if your child struggles with reading. I have found nonfiction books that allow the child to relate to real life people, places and events are the best course. Another thought: What are his/her high interest topics?

The “2020 What Kids are Reading” from Renaissance is a great resource. It aggregates national reading data by grade level and provides nonfiction and fiction books that children are reading by state. Check it out at https://www.renaissance.com/wkar-report/

As I look back, Ryan started reading words when he was 3 years old and quickly moved on to the short “Bob” books. As he continued in elementary school, I realized that although he was very fluent, his comprehension skills were very weak. This was a struggle throughout his educational career. He never developed my “love of reading,” but I am still not giving up!!!

As Dr. Seuss said, “The more you read, the more things you will know, the more you learn, the more places you will go.” I concur!