Books a great bet for holiday gifts, expert says

"Books are toys to children. They are pleasure trips," said Jill P. May, a professor of literacy and language in Purdue's College of Education. "Kids do like books, and they do like to be read to."

May said offering books as gifts from birth through young adulthood fosters a love of language and reading that will stay with youngsters all their lives.

"Children who are readers can analyze what they read better, they can analyze movies better and they can appreciate life better," she said.

To be sure the child you are buying for will love your selection, May offers the following tips for picking winning selections for all ages:

Babies and toddlers

• Don't go overboard. The very young love bright pictures of simple objects.

• Think practically. Pop-ups and sticker books are fine for older kids, but young children will get more use out of board books and cloth books that allow them to chew and touch.

• Read it aloud first. These children love to listen, so simple, rhythmic language makes an impression.

Preschool

• Stay with the rhythm and look for word repetition, which allows children to begin following along more easily.

• Pop-up books, lift-the-flap, and moving-parts books are a hit at this age as children begin to want to take control of their activities.

• Good bets include books that have won the Caldecott Award or the Coretta Scott King Award. Librarians have lists of these books and often stock them in libraries so you can see the book before you order it.

Grade school

• Pick books with familiar texts that children use in everyday life. This will give new readers confidence while encouraging those who haven't learned to try on their own.

• Pick books that employ some challenging words, as well as international or ethnic themes. Both are great ways to challenge children to learn more about the world around them.

Older children

• Consider the child's interests. Do they like science fiction films? Do they enjoy nature, fashion or sports? Offer a book that fits their tastes. Ask a librarian to recommend titles or look online.

• Choose chapter books that allow youngsters to read some each day and easily come back to the subject. If possible, choose books you might want to read aloud as a family.

• If a child likes a book by a certain author, choose another book by that author. Often children in upper elementary school already know about writers they enjoy and are loyal to them.

Budget tips

• If your budget demands that you choose only one or two gifts per child this year, use the season as an excuse to start family outings to your local library.

"Children should know that books are one of the better commodities they can spend money on, but libraries are wonderful ways to try many different books free of charge," May said. "It's like getting Christmas every day. They can take titles home, enjoy them and then get new ones."

Writer: Tanya Brown, (765) 496-9711, tanyabrown@purdue.edu

Source: Jill P. May, (765) 494-2355, jillmay@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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