I gotta admit I am crazy about shopping. And books are simply too irresitable. I guess its confesssion time that I started to build a Dr. Seuss collection even way before Megan was conceived ... but hey, reading the book itself really made Horton the elephant much more alive when you watch the animation :)As a teenager, I never really mind the creases on my paperbacks (many of my friends went crazy if they creased the spines on their fave titles - it still baffles me). I love reading and I will hold the book which every way I can just to get through the novel in the most comfortable fashion. My friends were all excellent contortionist. They could read a paperback twice, TWICE I say again, and it looks good as new ?! It is not to say I do not take care of my books. I have my pet peeves - I can't stand dog-ears on pages. Hasn't anyone discovered a bookmark? Or have a spare bus ticket to stand-in for one?
Anyway, I digress. Toddlers, babies must have books. Infact, we must allow them to explore this object in whichever fashion they deem fit. They do strange stuff with books, and its lovely to watch them flip the pages (which they will past 12mths, when they master their pinser grip). That is not to say that you can't start reading before age 1. Infact, you must ! But with a baby that is able to sit up, or even better, a tod who can sit on a chair, reading becomes a REAL pastime.
I give myself certain criteria when selecting books for my tod:
It must be toddler proof. And BOARD BOOKS do the trick just so well. Like mentioned earlier, babies do strange stuff to books: they drool, they chew, they flick it around. And guess what ? It's fine-let them do just that. Afterall, when you gave your tod a book, you had the most nobel intention of wanting him to love books!
Board books are easy to maintain/clean Just pick up some tissue, or in my case, I'm a cleaniness freak, I use alchohol wipes to clean the board books when Megan was little...
It must be the right size. Ok, I didn't read about the size of books for children anywhere. So this bit of advice, I figured it out along the way. If you really want a title that does not come as a board book, go ahead, add it to your home library.
We have many early readers which of cos, Megan doesnt not understand a word of, but the illustrations are interesting and the stories are such classics. I make sure that they are small enough for her little hands to handle. Something like the ladybird eary readers (the square ones) seems to be very popular with her. It isn't too big, or too small to make her feel that it is a 'toy', and not a 'real book' and it fits easily in my bag for trips :)
You want to see your child pick up a book and do stuff with it :) he may flip from page 1 to end, he may look at the cover and fiddle with the price tag. But whatever it is, take cue from him and follow his pace. Megan loves Goldilocks at one point last year. She will take the book from the bookshelf and say "Bear-bear, poor-le" (it means bear's chair is broken). Yes, I was very glad indeed.
It must be colourful. Need I say more? But the watercolour illustrations which are so lovely and beautiful does not attract the kids as much (the peter rabbit's colours does not seem to attract them as much, probably because the palette is much softer than the vivid colours). So when you purchase your children's books, you may like to take this into consideration, as those with watercolour illustrations also often cost a lot more (need to pay the illustrator/artist you know).
Remember, your darling is barely 2yo and asking them "don't do this" and "dont' do that" will not exactly help him associate pleasant thoughts with this 'reading/book thing' which we parents are so into :)
Commercial-break: the pic here shows a board book I've recently purchased. It is cut out to the shape of a puppy and the story is about the mommy & poppy dogs teaching 'Patch' the puppy some manners. Megan isn't into dogs but she loves the story about mommy asking 'Patch' to go play on her own cos mommy needs some sleep...heheh, I love that bit a lot. I stocked up 5 extras, pl email me if you like to buy one ($3).
Board books are easy to maintain/clean Just pick up some tissue, or in my case, I'm a cleaniness freak, I use alchohol wipes to clean the board books when Megan was little...
It must be the right size. Ok, I didn't read about the size of books for children anywhere. So this bit of advice, I figured it out along the way. If you really want a title that does not come as a board book, go ahead, add it to your home library.
We have many early readers which of cos, Megan doesnt not understand a word of, but the illustrations are interesting and the stories are such classics. I make sure that they are small enough for her little hands to handle. Something like the ladybird eary readers (the square ones) seems to be very popular with her. It isn't too big, or too small to make her feel that it is a 'toy', and not a 'real book' and it fits easily in my bag for trips :)
You want to see your child pick up a book and do stuff with it :) he may flip from page 1 to end, he may look at the cover and fiddle with the price tag. But whatever it is, take cue from him and follow his pace. Megan loves Goldilocks at one point last year. She will take the book from the bookshelf and say "Bear-bear, poor-le" (it means bear's chair is broken). Yes, I was very glad indeed.
It must be colourful. Need I say more? But the watercolour illustrations which are so lovely and beautiful does not attract the kids as much (the peter rabbit's colours does not seem to attract them as much, probably because the palette is much softer than the vivid colours). So when you purchase your children's books, you may like to take this into consideration, as those with watercolour illustrations also often cost a lot more (need to pay the illustrator/artist you know).
Remember, your darling is barely 2yo and asking them "don't do this" and "dont' do that" will not exactly help him associate pleasant thoughts with this 'reading/book thing' which we parents are so into :)
Commercial-break: the pic here shows a board book I've recently purchased. It is cut out to the shape of a puppy and the story is about the mommy & poppy dogs teaching 'Patch' the puppy some manners. Megan isn't into dogs but she loves the story about mommy asking 'Patch' to go play on her own cos mommy needs some sleep...heheh, I love that bit a lot. I stocked up 5 extras, pl email me if you like to buy one ($3).
Hold on! Don't buy too many now. I know how you feel and I spent a lot on books too.
ReplyDeleteIf you know anyone whose children are already in Kindy which has a Scholastic Book club membership, ask them for the brochures which I think comes quarterly. Great books! and way cheaper than in the bookshops even during sales!
Oh yes, I got a fren who helped me buy from Scholastic too... and there is this fab store which sells really cheap books for under SGD10 ! See my 'Brand New Children's Books' picassa album :)
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