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Did you know that children’s reading levels are at an alarming low level?
According to the Nation’s Report Card (.gov), children’s reading scores have reached new lows, with the greatest declines occurring among struggling students. The average reading score for both 4th and 8th graders fell two points, continuing a trend that predates the pandemic. The percentage of 8th graders with “below basic” reading skills is at its highest level in the history of the NAEP exam, at 33%, and 40% of 4th graders are also at “below basic”.
Those are shocking statistics. It’s hard for me to wrap my brain around that, however, I’m not surprised. Kids these days would rather pick up a smartphone or tablet to play games and text friends than pick up a book. I can’t relate to that at all. I understand that is the “sign of the times,” but as a kid, I couldn’t get enough books. I read all the time. I loved to read.
If things continue at this rate, what will become of our children? You need to be able to read to function in the real world. You need to read forms, applications, signs, news and more, not to mention school and college text books.
Sigh…
Learning to enjoy reading starts at a young age. Just reading to your child can create a memorable experience. Not only does it encourage a child to enjoy reading, but it also helps with spending quality time together.
Other ways to encourage reading include providing a variety of reading materials, encouraging independent reading, creating a comfortable reading environment and read books yourself so that your child can model your behavior.
You should also consider reducing their screen time, or have your child earn screen time by reading. For example, if your child reads for 30 minutes they earn 10 minutes of screen time. Since many kids are practically “addicted” to being on their smartphones, tablets and computers, they will do what they can to earn that “valuable” time.
When my kids were little, my daughter loved to read. She was like me. My son on the other hand hated reading. To encourage him to read I would purchase books (or borrow them from the library) about subjects he was most interested in. I found that if it was something he enjoyed, he was more likely to want to read up about it. For example, he was always curious about weather, so I would provide him weather books. When I knew he was fascinated by New York City, I found books on that subject too.
Here are some new books that might help pique some interest in your child and make them excited to read.
Phonics Makes Readers: Learn to Read Box 1
By Laurin Brainard.
Ages 3 to 6.
*On Sale May 20, 2025.
There are 15 easy reading books in this boxed set the help a child build their reading skills for kindergarten and beyond. Help your child set up for reading success with this first collection of decodable stories that introduce early reading skills with the most effective method there is: Phonics!
Phonics books, such as these, are a great way to introduce your child to reading. The words are simple to sound out and read. They also utilize a lot of like-sounding words, making it easier for a child to grasp reading. For example, “pet” and “vet.” They are like-sounding words, which makes it easier to sound out.
Each book is only a few pages long, which is an ideal length for a beginning reader (you don’t want to overwhelm them).
My son has books similar to this when he was first learning to read and they were a huge help. Also, because they were easy to read, he was able to read them on his own in due time.
Each book features adorable illustrations too.
Next up, two “seek-and-peek” lift the flap books by the same author and illustrator. They are perfect for the little dinosaur lover in your life, or a child who loves engaging in interactive books.
Digging for Dinosaurs
Written by June Smalls and illustrated by Grace Habib.
Ages 0 – 4.
Search for dinosaur bones and peek under flaps in this adorable board book.
Digging for Dinosaurs: At the Beach
Written by June Smalls and illustrated by Grace Habib.
Ages 0 – 4.
Seek for dinosaur bones at the beach and peek under flaps in this interactive board book.
Both books feature bright, colorful illustrations. There are plenty of flaps to lift up and see what is underneath.
Digging for Dinosaurs is non-area specific whereas the at the beach one is specifically for hunting for dinosaurs at the beach.
They books are easy to read, in a way. A child will need help with a word like “Plesiosaurus.” I think some adults might need some help with that word too (ha ha).
I also noticed a little “Easter egg.” Take the image above. Notice the book that says “Mary Anning” on it? Mary Anning was an English fossil collector, dealer, and paleontologist. See… even adults can learn a thing or two from children’s books.
Wait ‘Til You’re Older
Written by Marian Marianayagam and illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich.
Ages 4 to 8.
*On Sale June 3, 2025.
Reha is tired of hearing “wait ‘til you’re older,” so she builds a time machine! But things aren’t going quite as she planned…
“Infused with science, a quirky tale that will delight children and caregivers alike.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A good reminder that the present is the most important thing we have.” — School Library Journal
I think we can all relate to the main character in this book, Reha. She was tired of hearing “wait until you are older” in order to do something (in this case play with her brother’s toy).
Reha has the brilliant idea of traveling into the future so that she’d be older, only to learn that everyone else would be older, but she would still be little. Then she decided to time travel back in time to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, but learned that wasn’t a good idea either.
This is a delightful book about a little girl trying to solve a problem, and how with the help of her brother, they both discovered something more fun instead.
There are some additional pages in the back that talk about time travel. Some might a wee bit hard for young ones to understand (like Time Travel Paradozes and “wormholes”), but it’s interesting information none the less.
I Send You a Hug
Written by Anne Booth and illustrated by Åsa Gilland.
Ages 3 to 6.
*On Sale June 3, 2025.
When Big Bear and Little Bear have to say goodbye, Big Bear tells Little Bear about all the ways she’ll send a hug from afar.
This is such a joyful book .
Little Bear is really going to miss Big Bear, but Big Bear let’s Little Bear know that she’s sending love and hugs to him in many ways, such as the warm rays of the sunshine on his face, a gentle breeze, the smell of the ocean, dancing butterflies and more.
Not only is this book about sending love from afar, but also to enjoy and appreciate the little things in life.
I enjoy the illustrations in this book too. They have a retro feel to them (or perhaps that is just how I see them). I really like them. They are so charming.
Who doesn’t love a good joke?
The following books are written by the same author and each features some silly and humorous jokes that kids will enjoy sharing with their family and friends.
One one side of the page is the joke, told by either a robot or shark (depending on the book) and the other side features the “answer” also featuring a shark or a robot.
Some of these jokes are really funny too. Most are silly, but the kids I work with thought they were hysterical.
How to Make a Robot Laugh
Written by Chris Cate.
Ages 4 to 8.
*On Sale June 10, 2025.
What do robots eat for snacks? Micro chips! You might think mechanical robots don’t have a sense of humor—but you just need to tell them the right jokes! Get ready to giggle with this book of hilarious, robot-themed jokes for kids. It’s full of cool illustrations, silly computer puns, and easy-to-read words that make it a blast for early readers and joke-lovers of all ages.
How to Make a Shark Laugh
Written by Chris Cate.
Ages 4 to 8.
*On Sale June 10, 2025.
Why don’t sharks like clownfish? They taste funny! Sharks aren’t so scary if you catch them in a good mood. And the best way to get them in a good mood is with jokes! Get ready to giggle with this book of hilarious, shark-themed jokes for kids. It’s full of silly illustrations, fishy puns, and easy-to-read words that make it a blast for early readers, and joke-lovers of all ages.
Social Skills to Be a Great Friend: A Kid’s Guide to Creating Healthy Friendships
Written by JoAnn Crohn and illustrated by Louie Chin.
Ages 8 to 12.
*On Sale June 10, 2025.
This workbook teaches kids all about them through fun activities and advice created especially for ages 8 to 12.
I work with children (ages 5-12). Even though many of my kids are younger than this book’s target audience, I think I can still utilize the information and exercises found inside this book.
Social skills are very important, not just for adults, but children as well. In a day and age where many kids have their noses buried into their tablets, computers and smartphones, engaging with others face-to-face is a rapidly dying skill.
I deal with so much drama on a day to day basis with the kids at work. There are a few kids in my program that I truly believe don’t grasp what it means to be a good friend, and that saddens me.
We all need friends, especially growing up. Plus the skill we acquire when we are younger can help us as adults.
This is a handy book and I think it’s great reading for upper elementary children. It’s a must read before the dreaded teenager years too.
These books are brought to you by Source Books. You can learn more about these and other wonderful titles at SourceBooks.com. You can also follow them on social media to keep up-to-date on new books releases.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
