Reading to children daily from a variety of good quality fiction and nonfiction books can support a lifetime love of books and reading. This is especially the case when the teachers choose books well and show their own interest in and enjoyment of the stories, ideas, or use of language in the book being read.

Strategies and Activities

Reading for Enjoyment

Choosing Fiction Books for Reading Aloud17 What qualities make a book appealing to young children and useful to teachers of emerging literacy learners? This question cannot be answered definitively nor solely on an individual book basis. This is because it is the qualities of the collection of books that children are exposed to over the course of a school term that is important. You will want to provide children with: variety in terms of books reflecting different genres, topics, and language patterns a balance of books focused on familiar experiences and those that extend children's knowledge and vocabularies a collection that is inclusive not only of gender, abilities/disabilities, and the cultural and income diversity in your classroom but also of the diversity of the larger community and global society. In order to ensure that children's initial school experiences of being read to are successful ones that build their confidence and abilities to participate fully, fiction books for emerging literacy learners should reflect many of the following qualities: simple themes and familiar concepts repetitive patterns and/or cumulative patterns rhythmic language simple story line predictable elements good match between text and illustrations. Additionally, books selected for daily story time need to reflect many of the following qualities if they are to serve their main purpose which is that of enjoyment: brevity humour, nonsense, or surprise elements fresh, well-paced plot well-delineated characters unique individuals authentic outcomes richness of language and imagery thought-provoking ideas--ones that involve the listener in predicting, imagining, generating alternatives, evaluating choices emotional appeal and the engagement of feelings creation of concern for the welfare of others (characters "invite" children to join forces with them).