A good read…an academic talks up the value of reading to children.

What ways are there to encourage people to read more with their children?

As a teacher in Kent, one thing I did was to make it as easy as possible for families to engage more with reading with their children… I brought the local library into the school for them.

Here in Northamptonshire, I’m a member of the county’s Children’s Book Group which is part of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. The children can come along and select a book and take it away and that’s their book. That’s something schools can and should get involved with.

They also have the standard, age-appropriate books to take away – they may not be as exciting as the library books, but they’re still good to read with your child and have those conversations!

Of course, charity shops can have good deals and give unwanted books a new home, as well as helping a good cause at the same time.

Sharing books is something I’m keen on, passing them on when my son has grown out of them. It’s nice to know a book that holds special memories for you and your child is going to someone else. This can create a cultural legacy and a sharing of the love of books, so keep an eye out for ‘book sharing shelves’ in shops and libraries.

Do you have any top tips for parents and carers who are having trouble getting their children to sit still long enough for books?

Firstly, find out what they are interested in reading! Even if it’s Pokémon, go for that.

There are lots of different types of books out there. One of my son’s friends is really into dinosaurs, so he’ll pick up factual books about them, and that’s perfectly acceptable. You can still have discussions about things like the content of the book.

If your child is struggling with ‘wordy’ books, graphic novels might be the key. I know my son loves these and is reading one now.

Interactive books are especially good for babies and toddlers. I read The Tickle Book which featured a Tickle Monster, so we’d tickle my son when we read that story to him. Another good one is Tickle My Ears. (It looks there’s a lot of tickling here – there are lots of other options!)

For more, tune into Jo’s podcast.

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Jo Barrow, Senior Lecturer in Education (Childhood, Youth and Families)

Jo specialises in supporting the wider education community, supporting and developing others through mentoring and coaching strategies, teacher education, online learning and English education, particularly reading, drama, taking English outdoors and children’s literature.