When choosing a story for children, there’s often a misconception that a narrative must involve a significant conflict or a dangerous villain to catch the interest of young readers.
Yet, children’s books that don’t resort to violence can not only offer engaging stories, but help build resilience and better social skills in young readers. Arguably, they are more critical to a child’s development with their emphasis on relatable and realistic scenarios that enable children to understand their feelings and the feelings of others.
The book Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña is an inspiring story of a boy and his grandmother, who helps him appreciate life amid hardship and adversity, and helps him focus on what he does have, not on what he doesn’t have.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is the story of a little girl who wants to create a magnificent thing, but is disappointed in one creation after another. With the help of her dog, she doesn’t give up and develops her problem-solving skills.
A Dr. Seuss’ classic — Oh, the Places You’ll Go! — tells of the choices we make that take us to places where life is perfect…until it’s not. Then, if we don’t give up and keep going, we can meet life’s challenges.
The stories we share with children can have a significant impact on their development, fostering attributes far more valuable than any superpower – empathy, creativity, problem-solving, and thinking outside the box.
In choosing books for children you may want to consider:
1 Looking for Real-Life Challenges: Books that deal with such issues as friendship problems or personal obstacles that your children can relate to. These narratives provide springboards for rewarding discussions between parents and children.
2 Choosing Age-Appropriate Topics: The most effective books tend to be ones that meet children where they are. For younger children, this might mean choosing books that tackle issues like sharing or handling frustration, while books for older children might address topics like acceptance or dealing with change.
3 Finding Diverse Voices: Exposing children to a wide range of perspectives can help build empathy and understanding.