Kids also love books that are funny or silly or can get them laughing.  That fun factor helps make books like Fly Guy and the Mercy Watson series good bets for early readers.    

 

It’s not all about fiction, either.  You can build on a child’s interest in the world with nonfiction early readers.  If there’s a particular topic the child is excited about, you could look for a relevant National Geographic Kids book or use NoveList to find relevant books (you likely have access to NoveList through your library). 

 

Don’t be afraid to follow the child’s lead.  Kids know their own interests, and letting them browse at a bookstore or library may lead in unexpected directions.  As observed in a 2003 paper, exercising choice in reading “helps children become both independent and responsible.”  Allowing children to choose their own books also helps lay the foundation for them to grow into lifelong readers, as the teacher and author Donalyn Miller recently wrote in the School Library Journal.

 

Remember that finding great early readers, just like finding any other books, can involve a little trial-and-error.  If a book isn’t working for the child, don’t sweat it. Just keep experimenting.

 

The second thing to consider is the reading level of the story.  This includes the text itself, of course. You want to be look at the number of words on the page as well as the difficulty level of the text.  While you want the child to be challenged, you want to avoid unnecessary frustration. As a rule of thumb, I usually recommend that if there are five challenge words on a page, you might want to choose something else (this is sometimes called the Five Finger Test). 

 

You may also want to consider the level of the narrative and illustrations.  As books increase in reading level, the stories can become more intense. Even if your child is ready to take on the text, make sure the story and illustrations still feel appropriate. 

 

Happy reading!