• After Grade 3, the relationship flips, and volume drives reading achievement ; children who can access and read large quantities of a variety of books become more skilled readers. No matter the child’s age, however, the research is irrefutable—the more access to high-quality books outside of school, the better the reader (Mol & Bus, 2011). A home library, like its classroom counterparts, should include illustrated chapter books, graphic novels, fiction, nonfiction, myths, fairy tales, fantasy, poetry, or books that are wildly successful in current popular culture (Zepp, 2022). BOOKS SELECTED BY STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS In addition to wide reading—accessing texts with varied content and skill level— students should be encouraged to read deeply. Deep reading is the hallmark of the avid reader; it happens when readers fall in love with a genre, consume the backlist of a favorite author, and get excited when they discover a new book on a topic they love. This is where reading becomes fun and young readers become lifelong readers (Cleaver, 2020). Home libraries should be special. They should include books that are selected to engage and excite individual students, honoring their unique skills and interests. Teachers and administrators are well poised to help families build and create libraries for their students, naturally understanding which texts best allow kids to explore and learn. In partnership, students and educators work together to build a curated library of books that inspire, educate, and entertain (Gabriel et al., 2012; Fisher & Frey, 2018). Content selected with individual students in mind will interest and motivate even the most struggling readers, resulting in stronger reading skills (Baye et al., 2019; Koskinen et al., 1994). Students who play a role in selecting their own reading materials are more motivated to read, expend more effort to read, and gain a better understanding of texts (Gambrell, 1996; Guthrie, 2008; Schiefele, 1991). Book fairs, book clubs, and summer book packs curated by teachers for their students all facilitate this kind of home library collection. As home libraries increase confidence in reading and encourage readers to read more and think of themselves as better readers, the most effective home libraries must include books with different difficulty levels , encouraging students to feel comfortable reading at their own reading level while offering the opportunity to expand and explore beyond their abilities (Zucker et al., 2022).
HOME LIBRARIES TOPIC PAPER 12
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