George Jacobs Ph.D. and Wan Loh Inn Ed.D.

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them. - Mark Twain   Books are not the only thing that can be read aloud. The world today is flooded with print, from newspapers and magazines to restaurant menus to computer and TV screens, from signs on buildings to advertisements on buses to information on boxes, bottles or cans of … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Reading Material Other than Books

Often, children will want to read the same book many times. That is excellent! The repeated reading may be boring to an adult, but children enjoy the familiarity and security of an old friend. Plus, each additional reading may bring new understanding and new interpretations.   Similarly, some children, like Jason, may only want to read one type of book, such as … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Introducing Variety (slowly)

Emotions Will the book …? Inspire children to dream and to live out their dreams Take children outside themselves to experience something new Keep children on the edge of their chairs Stir children to feel emotions Encourage children to relate to the characters Fun Does the book have …? Funny parts that will make children laugh Rhythm and rhyme For example, the … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Choosing Appropriate Chapter Books, Part 2

Books with chapters, such as Kayla & the Magical Tree, will probably be too long to read aloud in one session, but be sure to include them for older children. Reading one chapter a day is a great way to hook kids on books, just like the TV soap opera serials hook adults on TV.   Here is a checklist to use when choosing books. Of course, which checklist items to use … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Choosing Appropriate Chapter Books, Part 1

Some dads believe that non-fiction books are boring. Wrong! Children are fascinated by the world around them. Non-fiction books unlock some of this world’s secrets and set children thinking about other secrets. Remember, most of the reading that children need for their education is non-fiction, such as school textbooks. Reading aloud from non-fiction helps them read their … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Non-Fiction is as great as Fiction!