When Children choose literature - how to get your children reading

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

Choice is vital to successful reading. When children choose books they are interested in reading, they will read them. Choosing their own books encourages them to assume ownership of their decisions and take responsibility for their own learning. Children should choose a book because they are interested in it, rather than because the level of difficulty seems exactly right.

Parents and teachers should note that offering choices give a certain amount of ownership to the children. That small investment of giving choice keeps them interested in the subject at hand, and keeps students motivated on the topic. Required or forced reading can be very boring. It is a challenge to keep students moving forward in a book they show no interest in, even if the book is required reading

When students have the opportunity to read for pleasure, offering a wide selection of books is critical. Children today have dozens of options for how they can spend their time. Choosing the books they want to read puts that activity to the top of the list. Spending time reading for pleasure, on a topic they enjoy, encourages them to read more. More frequent reading offers a wide variety of benefits, including building a more extensive vocabulary. While having a library in the home is ideal, introducing students to the school library and the public library will help with that diversity of options.

When students read, they want the experience to be more than a required activity they have to perform. The material they are reading should be something they enjoy, not a checkmark in a box. The issue of whether a book is too easy or too difficult is secondary to a personal decision made out of interest. The art of making a wise book choice isnt innate. It may mean learning strategies that will improve the childs ability to choose books that will challenge his or her reading abilities.

When working with children on their book choices, brainstorm with them, the type of books they would enjoy reading. Discuss with them the many different types of genres available such as poetry, mystery , adventure , non fiction, humor etc. Discussing the different kinds of available literature also

guides a parent or teacher or caregiver to what children are interested in. 

Also an important thing to note is that peer influence is a powerful force in the child's world of reading

as it is in the adult's world. 

Freedom of choice is a privilege at any age. Along with privilege comes responsibility . Choosing
literature out of personal preference and desire encourages children to become aware of the importance of their choices in their daily lives. They are choosing different people, places , and things to read about. These choices allow children to step in and out of wonderful worlds filled with unique people and situations never before experienced in their own lives. Choice is important because the power of story plays such a significant role in a child's life. What children learn about the world so often come chiefly from the books they choose to become acquinted with. So choice is vitally important. 

The librarian @inspire community library