May 4, 2005

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COLLEGE STATION – What do knights, siblings, dragons, sports, teachers, friends, school and far-off lands have in common? All can be found in the pages of children's books.

Children's literature has become a hot topic in recent years, thanks in large part to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

That wildly popular series of books also caused some controversy and confusion among parents, said Dr. Stephen Green, Extension child development specialist. Many parents weren't entirely comfortable with their children reading about a young wizard and the school he attends. Others had no problem with the books' theme.

But whatever the personal opinion of the series is, there's no denying that Harry Potter made many adults aware of the wide variety in children's literature.

For adults who want to be better informed about children's reading choices, Green offered some suggestions:

First, he said, visit the local library.

"Librarians are an outstanding resource for researching children's literature," he said. These experts are knowledgeable about content, theme and authors of various children's books and can explain the different types of literature available to young people.

Second, "search for book lists generated by reputable literary organizations," Green said. He recommended the American Library Association ( http://www.ala.org/ ), the International Reading Association ( http://www.reading.org/ ) and Reading is Fundamental (http://www.rif.org/ ).

Some of these book lists are from the American Library Association, he said, including:

- Caldecott Award winners: given to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book;

- Newbery Award winners: given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to children's literature; and

- Notable Children's Books.

In 1999 the National Education Association listed its Top 100 Children's Books, Green said. That list can be found at the Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) Web site: http://fcs.tamu.edu/families/parenting/fathering/fred/index.php . Click on the link to "Recommended Reading."

Since the list is a few years old, newer publications aren't represented, he said. But the books that are on the list might be considered the classics of children's literature.

And that includes books for children of all ages. For example, the Dr. Seuss books "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat" for children ages 4-8 are listed at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle, for children up to pre-school age, is listed at No. 8. The science fiction/fantasy classic, "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, for ages 9-12, is No. 22 on the list, and J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," for young adults, is No. 41.

"The No. 1 children's book (according to the list) is ‘Charlotte's Web,'" Green said.

In addition to book lists and librarians, talk to friends, relatives and teachers, Green said. Find out what books these trusted individuals like and dislike and what they would recommend, he suggested.

Pre-screening books is also a possibility, he said. Reading children's books before the children do not only gives parents an idea of what the books are about, it also gives them a topic of conversation with their children.

Get the children involved too, Green said.

"Parents shouldn't dictate what their child reads," he said. "Let them (the children) be involved in the process. Visit the local library with your child, talk to the librarian."

With your child, explore the different genres and both fiction and non-fiction. Let the child discover his or her own interests, Green said.

And above all, he said, "Don't force the child to read something he doesn't like," especially young children.

But do read aloud to your child. "If you're going to do one thing (to encourage your child's reading habits), read aloud to them," he said. "Start early, read aloud to kids and read a lot."

And be prepared to read the same books over and over, Green said.

"Children, especially young children, like and benefit from repetition," he said.

Don't be surprised if, after two or three readings, they are able to quote whole sentences back to you, he added.

Challenge young readers to grow beyond their age level by reading works that are a little beyond their skills but not overwhelming to them, Green said.

And parents should be readers themselves. Nothing encourages a child to become a life-long reader more than having a parent who reads, Green said.