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"Sonny,
Lets read a book together..”
"Mom, please…can’t we read
tomorrow? I’m just playing this awesome
game I got yesterday…..”
A very familiar piece of conversation is
taking place in today’s homes, where
you have kids ranging from ages five upwards.
If its not “Need for Speed” adorning
the computer screen it’s either Harry
Potter or Ninja turtles on the TV Screen;
Or your kid is immersed neck deep in that
comic book with a dozen slang terms, half
of which you don’t even comprehend!!
Gone are the days when books were the only
available past time and the sole source of
joy for kids. The only reading kids are exposed
to today is perhaps in their English textbook
or in their abridged non-detailed book.
With the arrival of the T.V and the Internet,
parents often complain that it is next to
impossible to keep their children away from
the screen let alone get them to read.
All said and done parents need to realize
that abandoning the world of riches and dreams,
which books open to us, is surely not the
order of the day. You may ask, why give so
much importance to books?
Reading is one of the best pastimes that pay
back high returns. Exposing a child to books
at an early age brings in a lot more good
than just fanciful reading. It helps the child
develop his language, his reading skills and
more than anything it cultivates the power
to imagine the unthinkable and put them down
in words. Sir. Richard Steele an essayist
of the 18th century remarked,’ Reading
is to the mind what exercise is to the body’.
And this is where Sunrise publishers come
in. Started in April 2000, this five-year-old
company has done wonders to the children’s
book world. They have revolutionized the market
by bringing in usual as well as unusual books.
They have more than a 250 books in publication
and their exports reach far across the globe
to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines,
Brunei, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Maldives,
Vietnam, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Dubai and Fiji.
Sushil Gupta the Managing
Director of Sunrise is a hard working personality
who believes in bringing out the best material
possible for children. Thanks to the efforts
of Sunrise publications, the habit of reading
is back on track!
Here are some tips to get your kid hooked on
books!!
Start Early
Yes, even a baby can be made to enjoy books!
It can be just picture books but letting the
kid to touch and feel them and get familiar
with them will go a long way in laying the foundation
to good book reading. Babies and toddlers can
be given cloth books, which are indestructible,
and have pages made of canvas like fabric. |
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Sushil Gupta
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Board books, bath books, flap books and pop up books are
all helpers in aiding the little one to read.
Look for bold prints and bright illustrations
in the books you choose for the younger readers.
Pictures appeal a lot to kids from ages 4 –8.
So choose books where you have bright familiar
pictures and a line or two of the story on each
page.
Choose Age Appropriate Books
Giving a soppy bugs bunny story to a teenager
would probably look like an insult to him as teenagers
would not like to be caught reading "kids
stuff" by their friends. Generally children
like to read about an age-group a little older
than their own. So choose books, which cater to
that particular age group or probably do the book
shopping with your kids themselves. Check out
the book guide at the end for a wide range of
books you can choose from.
Get The Right Books
A book on bikes may turn off a little girl whereas
a yummy book on fairies may strike the right chord.
Get the right books for kids and this will help
them to read with interest. Keep comics and slang
books away as much as possible. They can be probably
read as a pastime but they are "no-no's"
for regular reading.
Show Enthusiasm Yourself
Read the book you are offering your child along
with him. Or at least check out the contents when
he is not around. This helps because once he is
done with the book, you can both enjoy discussing
the story. If you are more adventurous you can
even let your imagination run with your child
and help create a different ending for the book!!
Also, reviewing the contents helps you keep a
tag on what the child reads.
Set Aside Time Everyday
A book hour a day keeps mischief away!! Maintain
a time period almost everyday where the child
reads aloud or to himself. Bringing in such a
discipline will help the child in the long run
and he will never ever complain that he is "bored".
Starts A Library At Home
Buy books on every occasion possible. Encourage
your relatives to give books as gifts for your
child rather than the usually. You can also build
up your library by checking out the old bookshops
on the pavements. You will really get good stuff
for just a few rupees. Encourage book exchange
with your kids friends provided your child returns
the book on time and get his own book back intact.
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