How to Choose Good Kids Books: 3 Questions to Ask When Choosing Children's Literature
I'm not a child psychologist or expert in children's education. But I am a parent. And as a parent, I can testify to the joy I see in my children when we sit down as a family to read a book together.Like so many modern American parents, I often turn to Netflix or Disney+ to "babysit" my kids for an hour or two. And while I don't believe that TV is bad, I am convinced that television is certainly passive entertainment. It requires nothing of you – and also gives nothing back. My kids walk away from an hour of TV with nothing more than a fresh dose of pop culture.
Reading, on the other hand, is active entertainment. It requires a bit of effort, but the return in your investment is significant. When I carve an hour out of my evening to sit with my children and read a book, they bubble over with excitement. Their young minds cling to the crafted prose, their eyes feast on the beautiful illustrations each page offers, and their imaginations leap to populate the new worlds the story creates. We all leave the experience feeling satisfied and refreshed.In addition to offering active entertainment, family reading time creates a sacred space – a moment in our day where we pause from the busyness, snuggle up on the couch, and enjoy beauty together. This ritual of rest, touch, and appreciation are critical components to our unity as a family, and to our humanness as individuals. I believe they bring us closer to the Creator's intent when he formed mankind.
So, by choosing to take a moment and share a book together, we are doing much more than simply reading a story; we are making a statement: though daily life has its demands, we will not allow our schedule to dictate our values. In this way, I believe that reading together can be sacramental – a simple act that points to a grander, sacred reality.While it is important to intentionally make time to read together, we should be equally intentional about the content we share with our children. Children's books are a multi-sensory experience, and as such have the ability to shape young minds in powerful ways. For this reason, parents should be especially choosy about the books they bring to family reading time.Here are a few questions that my wife and I ask ourselves when choosing books to read to our kids…
Does the message fit with a biblical worldview? Does the content of this story – characters, setting, morals and themes – compliment the truth revealed in Scripture? Christian kids books are wonderful! Generally, Christian children's literature checks all of these boxes. However, by no means, does this imply that we should only choose books written by Christian authors, or with only on explicitly Christian content. The Bible tells us that eternity is set in the hearts of men (Ecc. 3:11), and that God's attributes can be clearly seen by all men (Rom. 1:19-20). Through God's natural revelation, secular authors have the ability to access biblical truths, and to communicate these truths in beautiful and astounding ways. So, while we do seek out content that is true, we don't limit ourselves to exclusively Christian content.
Is it excellent? Paul instructs us in Phil. 4:8 to feast our minds on things that are "lovely," "commendable," "excellent," and "worthy of praise." Bearing this in mind, it's important that we not merely read literature that communicates truth, but that we choose literature that does so with excellence. Is the storyline well-crafted? Are the characters believable? Is the prose artfully written? Are the illustrations compelling? Children dwell on these elements long after the book is closed, framing their imagination and their view of the world, so it is crucial that we fill their minds with content worth meditating on.
Does it prompt discussion? A great book opens opportunity for further conversation. By dealing with grand themes in simple terms, excellent children's literature provides a springboard to talk about deeper truths. Take the moments following story time to discuss these items, and refer back to them throughout the week.
My wife and I have found these questions helpful in finding literature to set the stage for beautiful moments with our children. These moments, when joined together, create a sacred rhythm – a way of living that draws the beauty, wonder, and excitement out of other parts of our family life.
So, while I'm not an expert in neurodevelopment, my experience as a parent has taught me that reading to my kids cultivates the fertile ground of their imaginations, allowing fresh blooms to spring up into a glorious tapestry of life! And for my part – reading with my children serves to peel the scales from my own eyes, allowing me to see and enjoy the beautiful work of our Creator's hands afresh.
Christian Rafetto
All photos in this article are from The King's Way of Life by Bill Johnson and Branden Walden, illustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell.