About This Book

Years ago I stumbled across some wonderful facts about reading to children and decided (finally) to gang them together as part of writing kid-friendly, realistic stories — stories fun to read and fun to listen to — and  that’s how this series came about.

As I’ve mentioned before, you – as Mom or Dad – can begin reading to your little ones as early as while they’re still in the womb — in utero.

Here are some facts:

• Reading to your child(children) at a young age helps the brain to develop.
• Reading aloud to your little ones brings a nurturing aspect to the household atmosphere.
• They have better vocabularies.
• They have better comprehension.
• They will do much better in academic studies.
• They will be better prepared for life after formal education.

So, what’s the flip side?     

• Growth of brain and brain function is less where there isn’t oral reading early. [smaller brains? YES]
• Fewer than 40% of children enter school with any reading skills.
• Reading skills are very often in direct correlation to reading materials found in the home.
• Without this positive environmental, nurturing impact, reading become a chore.
• Where a parent doesn’t read to a young child, his reading skillls fall far below national school average.
• Without reading proficiency, several things become statistically clear:

1. Criminal record? Almost 50% have poor or no literacy skills.
2. Substance abuse? Very similar. Nearly 50%  are without lifetime reading skills
3. What about poverty level? With low literacy skills 45% of adults are at or below poverty levels, as compared to 4% of folks with strong literacy expertise

Conclusion:

• Reading orally to your little ones is key to success as they enter school and beyond. One of the biggest mistakes we, as parents make, is neglecting that all-important, one-on-one evening tradition: the bed-time story.
• Reading nurtures the relationship, nurtures bonding, and, magically, nurtures your child’s brain.