Taking a big step toward literacy

Advice and strategies to help your children read

The single most important thing you can do for a child is to read to him.

By reading aloud with your child, you provide the sounds of written language and develop his awareness so that print and pictures make sense.

This is an extremely important step in beginning literacy. Research shows that children who are read to by caregivers are more likely to read successfully on their own.

TIPS

* Begin by letting your child choose the books that appeal to him.

* Include a variety of books -- storybooks, nonfiction, traditional folk tales and fairy tales, abstract-concept books (color, time, size) and poetry -- and don't forget to include Mother Goose rhymes and verses.

* Select a book that is age appropriate and that matches your child's listening comprehension levels as much as possible.

* Be prepared to read favorites often.

* Practice reading the book aloud several times before reading to your child so that you can present the story fluently.

* Set aside a quiet, uninterrupted time to read to your child.

* Ask, "Why did you select this book?" Before reading, ask questions about the title and cover of the book, like "What do you think this story will be about?" or "Where do you think it takes place?" or "Who do you think will be in the story?"

* Read with a lot of expression. You may want to take on the role of one of the characters in the book and adjust your voice accordingly.

* Play games with the story. Omit an important word and let your child fill it in. This technique works especially well with repetitive texts.

* Make reading a regular part of your family activities. Be sure to take books along on family visits and vacations. Read to your child every chance you get.

-- Susan Rapp

Village Reading Center

Games to help the miles go by

As vacation mode kicks into high gear, what to do with squirming children in the car or on the plane becomes foremost in the minds of many parents. "The Little Giant Book of Travel Fun" by Sheila Anne Barry offers frazzled families some relief. Here are some of her many ideas:

* "My Grandmother's Trunk" is a memory game. It's funny what people travel with, and the author's nana was no exception, carrying all sorts of odd items, like fruit, feathers, fake jewelry. What do all those things have in common? They all start with the letter "F." Each player must add another object to the mix and repeat what came before, in order. The first one to recite the list out of order loses.

* "Geography" incorporates your child's previous knowledge of the world around him with the new information he's taking in from his travels with you. The game commences with one person saying the name of a city, state, country, body of water or mountain. The next person has to come up with another locale beginning with the last letter of the previous answer. The book gives kids hints to help them get unstuck if they're caught in an alphabet rut.

-- Athima Chansanchai

New York Times Children's

Paperback Book Best Sellers

Editor's Note: The children's best-seller list has three categories -- picture books, chapter books, and paperbacks -- which are published in rotation, one category per week.

1. "Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl" by Barbara Park (weeks on list: 5)

2. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling (83)

3. "Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling (40)

4. "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find them" by Newt Scamander (13)

5. "Quidditch Through the Ages" by Kennilworthy Whisp (13)

6. "Holes" by Louis Sachar (40)

7. "Shore Thing" by Judy Katschke (2)

8. "The Captain Underpants Extra-Crunchy Book O' Fun" by Dav Pilkey (15)

9. "The Case of the Logical I Ranch" by Pauline Preiss (3)

10. "When Zachary Beaver Came To Town" by Kimberly Willis Holt (1)

Contact us

The Sun invites readers to send in tips about encouraging children to read, and we will print them on this page or on sunspot.net, our place on the Internet. Please include your name, town and daytime phone number. Send suggestions by fax to 410-783-2519; by e-mail to [e-mail]; or by mail to Reading by 9 Parent Tips, The Sun, Features Department, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278.