Worlds Within Pages
Books to Engage the Whole Family
FOR THE ELEMENTARY READER: ‘SONG OF THE WILD: A FIRST BOOK OF ANIMALS’ “Song of the Wild” makes a great read- aloud book for beginner readers because they can get lost in the beautiful artwork while you read the text. Written in prose and rhyming poems, this book showcases sprawling landscapes — savannahs, jungles, and oceans — and features the wildlife living there. It’s worth a read simply to appreciate the colorful depictions of each animal. This book was written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Petr Horácek. FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLER: ‘THE NIGHT DIARY’ 12-year-old Nisha navigates her world after the partition of India creates the new country of Pakistan and her family is forced to leave their home. Her mother may be gone, but Nisha finds solace in writing
nightly letters to her in her diary as she discovers what the future holds. Based on author Veera Hiranandani’s memories of her own family, this moving tale lets readers experience life through someone else’s eyes. FOR TEENS: ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS’ Preparing for an adventure is as easy as settling down and turning the pages of J. R. R. Tolkien’s most well-known and loved novels. “The Lord of the Rings” is an epic trilogy that tells one of the most remarkable tales of good vs. evil. Frodo Baggins and his companions travel through the world of Middle-Earth to reach the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor to destroy the One Ring and put an end to the rising Dark Lord Sauron. Join the Fellowship of the Ring as they fight against all odds, opposing the Two Towers to bring peace to the land, and witness the Return of the King, the rightful ruler of Middle-Earth.
Learning to read opens up a world of possibilities. When your child walks through the back of the wardrobe into Narnia with Lucy Pevensie or rides with Harry Potter on the train to Hogwarts, they connect to something beyond their own experiences. In the U.S., April 23 is World Book Day, and the date commemorates the deaths of legendary authors Cervantes, Shakespeare, and Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as the birth of author Vladimir Nabokov. World Book Day is the perfect time to sit down with your family and let yourself be transported to new worlds. So, here are three great stories to help you take young readers on brand- new adventures.
Whether you were the star player or the kid who picked flowers in the middle of the field all game, almost everyone has memories of being on a sports team when they were young. Some lose interest over time and pursue other activities, while others find they really enjoy their sport, maybe have a real talent for it, and continue playing until they are young adults. Whatever the case, parents should take a couple of factors into consideration when determining if their child is ready for sports. If they begin playing too early, it might turn them off to the sport before they really understand it. It could also result in premature wear on muscles and bones that prevents them from playing their sport later on. Most experts believe that the proper age for introducing your child to sports is somewhere between 6 and 9 years old. When they are younger than 6, it is important for them to be active, but their motor skills are not yet developed enough to play most competitive sports. Trying to get them to understand this fact at that age might only make them frustrated with the sport and make them dislike it before they can even give it a try. Even when children are between the ages of 6 and 9, they might not be ready for sports that require higher forms of coordination, like football or hockey. Instead, try sports ACTIVE SEARCHING FOR ACTIVE PASTIMES Finding the Right Time to Get Your Children Into Sports
like T-ball, soccer, or karate. They won’t be ready for more intensive sports until they are 10–12 years old. If your child does not seem to enjoy team sports, you might see if they may like more individual sports, like running or swimming. Their personality can be just as significant as their age when it comes to choosing the right sport. Some children might not show interest in organized sports at all. If your child does not seem interested in any sports, even though they are old enough to understand the rules and are coordinated enough to play, you might want to consider other activities, like art or music classes. Still, it is essential that they are active for at least an hour every day, no matter their interests. Sometimes kids will get frustrated with the sports they play (even if they like playing them), and they might want to quit. If your
child doesn’t seem to like the sport you signed them up for, encourage them to at least finish out the season. They might just need a little more time to warm up to it. However, if they still aren’t
enjoying it at the end of the season, help them find other activities that they might like better. Ultimately, when a child is ready to play sports, it is important
to stay in tune with what brings them joy and what keeps them mentally and physically healthy.
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