Kids' books carry important messages
Children think about everything, have many questions and are eager to have answers. This is how a child grows and can gain some control over his or her world. If there isn't an adult to help answer questions, children will do their best to make up their own answers and solutions. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't.
Books can play an important role in this process. In some cases, answers to questions can be found in a book. In other cases, a book can be thought provoking and encourage the child to look at things in a different way to find what they are seeking, and sometimes, discover something new they hadn't thought of. In all cases, a good book allows the child to expand and grow.
Read together with children every day, and be the one they come to for answers and guidance. If that is what you experienced growing up, you know how important that is. If you didn't have an adult you could count on, you know the frustration, loneliness and consequences of being left to your own devices. All children are deserving of a caring adult. Make the commitment to be that person.
The following book is available at many public libraries.<B>"The Three Questions"</B> written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth, Scholastic Press, 32 pages; read aloud: age 6 to 7 and older; read yourself: age 8 and older.There once was a boy named Nikolai. He wanted to be a good person, but didn't always know the right way to go about that. Nikolai felt if he could find answers to his three questions, then he would always know what to do.Nikolai's friends tried to help him answer his questions, giving their best advice, but Nikolai wasn't satisfied. Finally, he decided to ask Leo, a wise old turtle. "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?" Nikolai asked. Rather than answering Nikolai directly, Leo patiently waited for the answers to reveal themselves to the boy, and they did.Based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy, "The Three Questions" is Jon J. Muth's adaptation for a younger audience, providing a powerful and important message about compassion, seeking the truth and having faith in yourself.
<B>Library:</B> North Trails Public Library, 1553 West Sunbury Road, West Sunbury<B>Library Director:</B> Kathy KlineChoices this week: <B>"Good-Night, Owl!"</B> by Pat Hutchins; <B>"The Kissing Hand"</B> by Audrey Penn; <B>"Bud, Not Buddy"</B> by Christopher Paul Curtis
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>"What If Everybody Did That?"</B> by Ellen Javernick, illustrated by Colleen M. Madden, Marshall Cavendish, 2010, 32 pages, $12.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 3 to 4 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8.What if everybody raced their grocery carts through the store, or threw their soda cans out the window of the car, or talked during story time? Sometimes kids don't think their one action is a big deal. But if everybody did the same, life could be chaotic, and this book encourages children to think about that and to follow the rules.A clever book about actions and consequences, "What If Everybody Did That?" is well executed and a great teaching tool for kids.<B>"The Pirate of Kindergarten"</B> by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Lynne Avril, Atheneum, 2010, 40 pages, $16.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8.Ginny loved Reading Circle at school. But reading was hard for Ginny. When Ginny looked at a letter, she saw two letters. When she looked at a word, she saw the same word twice. Everything Ginny looked at was doubled, but Ginny thought everyone saw things the way she did until Vision Screening Day at school. That was when Ginny learned she had a problem with her eyesight — one that could be fixed with a cool pirate eye patch!"The Pirate of Kindergarten" helps readers understand about vision problems in an upbeat, intelligent, fun way.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail at kendal@sunlink.net.
