Philly families are looking for these types of children’s books
When it comes to choosing books for families, nobody knows what they want better than them. To help our partners select stories children and grownups will want to read again and again, we asked local caregivers what they look for in a book.
Here’s what they said.
Diverse Books
Every child deserves to see themselves in the pages of a book. Titles with diverse main characters, particularly those written by multi-cultural authors, excite families who often didn’t have such stories growing up. Diverse books celebrate, affirm, and can build empathy and understanding across cultures.
Multi-lingual Books
Reading with children in their native language is essential to building strong readers. In a city as rich in diversity as Philly, bilingual books are a matter of accessibility. We need children’s books parents and caregivers are confident reading.
Books about topics to get ready for school.
Colors, letters, counting, and more. Families know that reading together not only builds literacy skills but is a great way to teach concepts to get their little ones ready for school.
Books with familiar characters from tv and movies.
For many us, screen time is a big part of our lives. Families shared that having books about favorite characters they’ve watched together gets children excited and makes it easier to talk about the story.
Fewer words, bolder images.
Quick reads with fewer words per page, beautiful eye-catching illustrations, and accessible language were listed as must-haves for capturing children’s attention.
Comics and other reading material.
Comics, magazines, cookbooks, LEGO instruction manuals, you name it! While we love a good book, families are open to reading it all!
This post was adapted from Dr. Susan B. Neuman’s research in Philadelphia, Parents’ Perspectives on Reading with their Child (2018).
