Personalized Children’s Books Instill A Love Of Reading October 1, 2006 08:25

If you’re a parent of a young child, you know how difficult it can be to get your kids to read. With so many distractions in today’s society, many kids would rather do just about anything other than read a story. That’s why personalized children’s books can be an important tool in this effort, as they encourage reading and learning in pre-schoolers and young students.

Personalized children’s books take entertaining and educational stories and make the child a main character in the storyline. This helps to develop an interest in reading, as the child sees their own name printed on the pages of the book, along with their age, hometown, and names of several of their friends. It draws them into the story in a way that ordinary children’s books can’t, and these personalized books are often read over and over by their young owners.

These books also promote a healty self-image and high self-esteem in children. Kids who read at an early age tend to have a positive attitude toward school and learning, and go on to perform at a higher level as they progress through kindergarten and elementary school. Studies have shown that a child’s self-concept tends to decline as they advance through their school years. So it’s important to begin building their self-esteem, social skills, and self-concept at an early age.

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Goals For Early Readers October 2, 2006 09:04

 
Goals For Early Readers
October 2, 2006 09:04

Here are some goals for early readers. Like many things in life, reading is a skill that's developed over time, and in stages. It's unrealistic to expect pre-schoolers to go from learning the letters of the alphabet to reading and understanding sentences and paragraphse in children's books in one step.

Here are some goals for early readers:

-- The child knows that words on a page are related to pictures and that pictures will help explain words.

-- The youngster knows that printed words tell a story.

-- The child knows that English text reads from left to right and top to bottom.

-- The child knows that children's books have titles.

-- The youngster knows that people called authors write books and that people called illustrators draw pictures.

-- The child can correctly identify number of words on a page, and does not confuse individual letters with words.

-- The child looks through illustrations in a book and makes reasonable guesses about what might happen in the story.

-- The young student uses illustrations to help figure out words.

-- The child can recognize repetitive patterns in text and uses those patterns to help predict words.

-- The young student stops and questions when words read don’t make sense.

-- The child pauses at the end of a sentence, in response to a discussion about periods.

If your child or grandchild is showing signs of developing many of the above skills, then they're on the right track, and it won't be long before they're reading children's books on their own. If they haven't shown signs of these early reading skills, don't panic. Children learn at their own rate, and you just have to keep reading and working with them, and in time they'll begin to show signs of reading proficiency.

 
 

Personalized Children's Books Make Reading A Fun Adventure! October 4, 2006 07:31

 
Personalized Children's Books Make Reading A Fun Adventure!
October 4, 2006 07:31

by Kent Johnson

Personalized children's books make reading fun and exciting for kids. Unlike generic books that feature characters and storylines that children might not be able to identify with, personalized books have the child's name printed right alongside their favorite super-heros and fairy tale characters.

The inclusion of the child's name in a personalized children's book draws the young reader into the story. And when that story is written about one of their favorite comic or super-hero characters like Batman or Spider-man or Scooby-Doo, the book becomes an exciting adventure that the child will read over and over again.

These books often become treasured keepsakes that children save and then look back on fondly as they age into adulthood. The parent's, grandparent's, or book giver's name is also printed on the first and last page of the book, along with the child's age, hometown, and names of several friends or family members. These further enhance the personal nature of the books, and trigger important memories in later years. Many adults claim they can remember the time in their young lives when someone gave them a personalized book, and how it changed their reading habits and gave them a new appreciation of stories and the written word.

At Books To Order, our personalized books are constructed with sturdy washable hard covers, rugged bindings and paper, and laser-printed pages that will never smear. Printed to order and shipped from our facility within 3 working days, these books make great birthday or Christmas gifts, or the idea present for the young reader in your life.

Click here to view our list of personalized book titles.

TM & ©Marvel Characters TM &©DC Comics ©Hanna-Barbera

 
 

Reading Of Literature In Decline Across The U.S. October 5, 2006 06:52

 
Reading Of Literature In Decline Across The U.S.
October 5, 2006 06:52

According to a recent study by the National Endowment For The Arts titled "Reading At Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America," the reading of literature for pleasure by adults in the US is in rapid decline.

The report can be summarized in a single sentence: literary reading in America is not only declining rapidly among
all groups, but the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young.

To quote from the report's preface by Dana Gioia, chairman, National Endowment For The Arts : "Although the news in the report is dire, I doubt that any careful observer of contemporary American society will be greatly surprised - except perhaps by the sheer magnitude of decline. Reading at Risk merely documents and quantifies a huge cultural transformation that most Americans have already noted -- our society’s massive shift toward electronic media for entertainment and information.

Reading a book requires a degree of active attention and engagement. Indeed, reading itself is a progressive
skill that depends on years of education and practice. By contrast, most electronic media such as television,
recordings, and radio make fewer demands on their audiences, and indeed often require no more than passive
participation. Even interactive electronic media, such as video games and the Internet, foster shorter attention
spans and accelerated gratification.

Reading is not a timeless, universal capability. Advanced literacy is a specific intellectual skill and social habit that depends on a great many educational, cultural, and economic factors. As more Americans lose this capability, our nation becomes less informed, active, and independent-minded. These are not qualities that a free, innovative, or productive society can afford to lose.

Some of the findings of the report:

-- Less than half of the adult American population now reads literature.

-- The 10 percentage point decline in literary reading represents a loss of 20 million potential readers.

-- Only the strong growth in overall U.S. population of nearly 40 million adults from 1982 to 2002 allowed the actual number of readers to remain flat at 96 million.

-- The decline in literary reading parallels a decline in total book reading.

-- Total book reading is declining significantly, although not at the rate of literary reading.

-- The percentage of the U.S. adult population reading any books has declined by -7 percent over the past decade.

-- The ten-year rate of decline has accelerated from -5 percent to -14 percent since 1992.

-- Women read more literature than men do, but literary reading by both groups is declining at significant rates.

-- Only slightly more than one-third of adult American males now read literature.

-- Reading among women is also declining significantly, but at a slower rate then men.

-- Literary reading is declining among whites, African Americans, and Hispanics.

-- The steepest decline in literary reading is in the youngest age groups.

-- Literary reading strongly correlates to other forms of active civic participation.

-- Literary readers are more likely than non-literary readers to perform volunteer and charity work, visit art museums,
attend performing arts events, and attend sporting events.

-- The decline in reading correlates with increased participation in a variety of electronic media, including the Internet, video games, and portable digital devices.

-- Literature now competes with an enormous array of electronic media. While no single activity is responsible for the decline of reading, the cumulative presence and availability of these alternatives have increasingly drawn Americans
away from reading.

-- Non-readers watch more television than do readers.

-- In 1990, book buying constituted 5.7 percent of total recreation spending, while spending on audio, video, omputers, and software was 6 percent. By 2002, electronic spending had soared to 24 percent, while spending on books declined slightly to 5.6 percent.

-- A 1999 study showed that the average American child lives in a household with 2.9 televisions, 1.8 VCRs, 3.1 radios, 2.1 CD players, 1.4 video game players, and 1 computer.

The report comes to this conclusion: "The accelerating declines in literary reading among all demographic groups of
American adults indicate an imminent cultural crisis. The trends among younger adults warrant special concern, suggesting that unless some effective solution is found, literary culture, and literacy in general, will continue to worsen. Indeed, at the current rate of loss, literary reading as a leisure activity will virtually disappear in half a century."

Not a rosy picture for anyone concerned with literacy in this country, and yet another reason to encourage reading in young people whenever possible.

 
 

New Personalized Book Titles Added October 7, 2006 06:07

 
New Personalized Book Titles Added
October 7, 2006 06:07

At Books-to-order.com, we've added almost a dozen titles to our line of personalized children's books. We're proud to carry the Best Products line of personalized books, which include licensed super-hero and comic book titles that you won't find anywhere else.

We're also excited to be adding a line of African-American books to our list. It's a well-documented fact that African Americans have made many important contributions throughout US history, and we feel these contributions need to be recognized by children of all ages. That’s why three of our personalized books were written to honor African Americans in all walks of life.

And these African American children’s books are different in that your child or grandchild is the star of the story, their name printed right into the storyline. In our "African American Heros" book, your child is taken on a journey through time, and exposed to such important African Americans as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington Carver, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Thurgood Marshall.

We also sell a personalized African-American Santa book, and personalized Christmas letter. Which brings us to our Holiday Book collection. In our Santa book, it's a trip to the North Pole and a wonderful holiday wish-come-true as Santa gets ready for Christmas, and your child is included in the action.

We've also added several sports-related children's books to our list of titles. In the "Football Star" book, the crowd at the stadium goes wild as your child leads their favorite team to a stunning victory. Just in time for the ongoing NFL and college football season. And in our "G-O-O-OAL!" book, your child's favorite soccer team needs them to make the winning goal in an exciting championship game.

We're excited about these new titles, and hope they will provide more choice and value to our customers. To view our entire list of personalized children's books, click here.

 
 

Take Steps To Help Your Child Become A Better Reader October 10, 2006 07:36

 
Take Steps To Help Your Child Become A Better Reader
October 10, 2006 07:36

A recent study found that 12th grade students who had higher than average reading achievement reported coming from homes where there was a variety of literacy materials available; they read for fun on their own time; they discussed their studies; and they watched less than the average amount of television. Furthermore, these students read each day in school, were asked by their teachers to explain or support their understanding of what they were reading, and were asked to explain their interpretations of what they had read.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INITIAL READING INSTRUCTION

There is now increased interest in preventing reading problems before they develop, and in engaging young children in activities that will enable them to meet success as readers at the early grade levels. According to a report of the National Research Council, the type of instruction children receive in the classroom is very important in the
prevention of reading difficulties. It would seem that effective instruction is a key component of successful acquisition of reading competency and in helping to prevent underachievement in reading. The Council makes several recommendations designed to foster instruction that will prevent reading difficulties before they start and that will allow all children to succeed.

The report suggests that initial instruction:

* Focus on using reading to gain meaning from print
* Develop an understanding of the structure of spoken words
* Help children understand the nature of the orthographic system
* Provide practice of regular spelling-sound relationships
* Provide many opportunities for reading and writing

To further ensure success in reading beyond the initial level, children need many opportunities to develop an understanding of how sounds are represented in print, to develop fluency through practice reading texts, to develop concepts and vocabulary, and to develop strategies for monitoring their comprehension.

 
 

Christmas Book Titles Added To Books To Order October 12, 2006 07:21

 
Christmas Book Titles Added To Books To Order
October 12, 2006 07:21

Just in time for the holidays, we've added a series of personalized Christmas books to our list of titles. Just imagine the look on your child's face as they open a Santa book or personalized Christmas letter and see their own name printed on the page! Many adults still have personalized Christmas books that were given to them as children, and they can still remember that special time in their lives every time they open that book.

In our Santa book, your child's the star of the story as they are transported to the North Pole to help Santa and his reindeer get ready for Christmas Eve. Your child helps Santa by making a special Christmas wish for all the boys and girls of the world, and is then returned home to await the excitement of spending a special holiday with his or her family. We also offer an African-American version of the same book.

And these aren't cheaply-made sticker books. These are high quality, 6" x 9" personalized holiday books with beautiful illustrations and washable hard covers.

We're also offering a limited edition personalized Christmas letter. Christmas is a special time for everyone, especially children. Your child is the star of this personalized letter from Santa. The letter is personalized with your child's name, hometown, state, gender, and the names of up to four friends, siblings, relatives or pets. We offer an African-American version of this as well.

Order now and beat the big holiday rush. Click here to visit the Holiday Book page.

 
 

Worldless Children's Books -- An Art Form October 24, 2006 07:57

 
Worldless Children's Books -- An Art Form
October 24, 2006 07:57

So what is a "wordless book?" A wordless book is a children’s book that’s almost entirely pictures and illustrations. The reader then supplies the language to accompany these all-picture books. Wordless children’s books are also sometimes referred to as "stories without words," and they convey their meaning through their illustrations. This makes them ideal for young children who cannot read, but who can understand visual symbols and meanings.

As you might imagine, these wordless books can be a real challenge for the illustrator. Like a mime who has to convey all their meaning through facial expressions and gestures, a wordless book illustrator has to tell his or her story through illustrations, rather than words. And they also need to provide illustrations that are engaging and stimulating to the book’s young "readers."

In a wordless children’s book, the story is told--wordlessly-- through a series of interconnected pictures or illustrations. Some of these books do use letter or numbers for learning purposes, or occasional short words or phrases. For example, "Animal Alphabet" by Bert Kitchen, is a large-format alphabet book that has roman letters adorned with exotic animals on each of its pages.

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Literacy Among US Kindergartners and Pre-Schoolers October 25, 2006 06:30

 
Literacy Among US Kindergartners and Pre-Schoolers
October 25, 2006 06:30

According to a recent US government study, there's a direct relationship with reading aloud to your children and childhood literacy rates. Reading children's books and other materials to your children is not only a great educational head start for pre-school, but also a wonderful social activity, and a chance to spend quallity time with your kids.

Reading to children is shown to have a positive effect on children’s literacy outcomes, the government report concludes. Through experience with books, children gain important exposure to written language. They begin making connections between the spoken word and the printed word. Policymakers contend that it is important to read to your child.

America’s Kindergartners provided important information about the frequency with which the average parent reads to his/her young child. About 45 percent of parents report reading to their children every day, whereas 80 percent of parents report reading to their children at least three times a week. Do children who are read to at least three times a week perform better in kindergarten and first grade than children who are read to less than three times a week?

Literacy is an important construct that relates to kindergartners’ and first-graders’ early experiences with school. Literacy not only refers to children’s familiarity with language and the printed word but also to their awareness of numbers, logic, and mathematical operations. For example, one of the earliest steps to reading is the ability to understand that print has meaning.

This often refers to children’s knowledge and awareness of the alphabet as represented in print. Most preschoolers are beginning to recognize some printed letters and words. Frequently, children are most familiar with the letters in their own names. Children who can recognize some of the letters of the
alphabet as they enter kindergarten are at an advantage. We know from America’s Kindergartners that about two-thirds of children can recognize their letters as they enter kindergarten.

Source: "Children's Reading and Mathematics Achievement in Kindergarten and First Grade" by Kristin Denton, and Jerry West.

 
 

Children's Picture Books - Not Just Pretty Pictures October 29, 2006 13:44

 
Children's Picture Books - Not Just Pretty Pictures
October 29, 2006 13:44

So what’s a children’s picture book, exactly? Well pictures, of course, along with words to go along with those pictures. While these are the two main components of a picture book, how the two are presented goes a long way toward determining what kind of book we’re referring to. The majority of picture books are written for pre-school children, but there are others that are intended for older children, teenagers, or even adults.
Most children’s picture books have simple texts so that young pre-school children can follow the story line. Some picture books can be grasped at a glance, while others have more depth, and adept children can discover detail and nuances in these books over many readings. In a well-designed picture book, the text and images work in harmony together, so that when viewed as a whole, these books become a work of art.
This interplay between text and illustration can be clearly seen in such classic picture books as "Blueberries For Sal," "Curious George," "Goodnight Moon," and "The Tale Of Peter Rabbit."
There are several major types of children’s picture books. In an illustrated book, the art and text are in equal balance. The artwork is used to compliment or emphasize an aspect of the story, not overpower it, although the illustrations are sometimes more memorable than the text. In the prize-winning picture book "One Gorilla: A Counting Book" by Atsuko Morozumi, for example, a large gorilla with a sweet, expressive face teaches children about counting, while immersing them in a series of lush, masterful illustrations.

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Childhood Reading--And Learning--Begins At Home October 31, 2006 07:18

 
Childhood Reading--And Learning--Begins At Home
October 31, 2006 07:18

If you want your pre-school kids to be better students when they get into school, you need to get involved and set up the proper home environment. A child’s literacy development begins at home, and by having children’s books around the house and reading aloud to your child, you’ll give their learning development a jump start that should carry them well into their school years and beyond.

Now spending this kid of education time with your children can be a challenge, especially if you’re a single parent. In today’s busy world, there are financial responsibilities, obligations to your spouse or partner, and the stress of running a household and keeping things together. And many kids would rather watch television or play a video game than read a children’s book. But you need to find the time to sit down with your children and go over reading fundamentals on an ongoing basis.

Many parents realize this, of course. And some have even gone to the extreme of hiring tutors for their pre-school children. I’m not necessarily in favor of this tactic - kids need time to play and be kids, and there will be enough pressure on them to perform once they get in school.

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