Beyond the Bedtime Story: Finding Books that Educate Our Children

There is no denying it, you find yourself standing in the kids’ section looking at rows and rows of books and you just want to find that book that will not only entertain your child but also teach him or her something along the way. The fact of the matter is that while we all claim to love educational material, the majority of that material is as exciting as watching paint dry. The goal is not finding an educational book. The goal is finding a book that manages to combine education with entertainment.

In case you were unaware, children have a very good radar system when it comes to preaching and lecturing. If a book smells like homework, then it will be quickly sent straight to the bottom of the bed. In other words, our children need us to help them hide their vegetables in the chocolate cake. You may want them learning about the water cycle but they would rather learn from a story about a frog that hates the rain but ends up discovering why the rain is important. That is our goal.

The "Sneaky Vegetable"

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First, let us discuss the heavyweight titles. If you intend to educate your students in science, you must use Cat in the Hat's Learning Library. Dr. Seuss Enterprises is onto something here. In this set of books, the rhythm of their classic children stories is transferred onto scientific issues, such as photosynthesis or dinosaurs. The trick works great since the rhythm helps to go through the sophisticated vocabulary, and the child does not even understand that he or she is reading big words. It is an amazing trick.

And finally, there is the king of history – Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne. The author sold hundreds of millions copies of these books for some reason. This is a set of chapter books, and thus, it bridges that gap between picture books. Jack and Annie travel through history, and all the historical information is rigorously researched. It is not just some silly tales but a real history. My niece had a phase when she was interested only in mummies, and these books satisfied her interests without nightmares.

But that’s when I get a little opinionated. In my mind, we depend too much on fiction as the learning tool. There have been fantastic non-fiction books for kids made very recently. The books you need to focus on here are DK Eyewitness or National Geographic Kids. They are absolutely gorgeous. High-impact photographs coupled with bite-size pieces of text. The kid who gets easily lost in the walls of text would appreciate this type of formatting greatly. This is something that takes into consideration how kids actually consume information these days.

Math Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

Mathematics is a real big scary monster for many parents out there. But because we transfer all our fears to our kids, numbers can seem to be extremely dangerous. But there are books that can turn mathematics into a fun little game. The Grapes of Math written by Greg Tang is just that kind of book. It’s a puzzle book where a child has to group and estimate the numbers. And it changes the way your kid looks at mathematics in general.

For the younger set, nothing beats Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck. She started a movement of solving one math problem per night. It helps to normalize the subject matter. It brings arithmetic to the same level as brushing their teeth and wearing pajamas. It turns into a ritual instead of an ordeal. I saw parents turn this into a competition around the dinner table. That was funny and effective. We just want to remove the fear.

Increible, Social Emotional Learning is the New Black

At last, we are doing well at helping children learn how to feel. For many years, children's literature was about adventures in the outside world. But now there is an enormous effort to incorporate Social Emotional Learning, or SEL. Here is where The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig stands out. It deals with the silent child, the invisible one. It teaches empathy by hitting you in the gut. And if you want your child to know inclusion, then here it is.

There are also the classics that deal with heavy emotions with finesse. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is still one of the best books to teach kids to be resilient. Sometimes, life really does suck and all you can do is go to bed and hope that tomorrow will be better. That is a valuable lesson to learn. We don't have to put a happy ending on everything. Children know when life is hard. It is insulting to their intelligence to think otherwise.

We shouldn't overlook Giraffes Can't Dance. This story tells the tale of finding your rhythm even if everyone else seems to dance differently. Sounds sappy? I know. But for the kid who feels ungainly and clumsy, seeing Gerald overcome is incredibly inspirational. It teaches kids that failure isn't the end but simply the fact that you haven't discovered your song yet. It's a lesson that carries through to adulthood.

And also,.. he Graphic Novel Revolution

However, some parents still look down upon graphic novels. It is not "serious" reading. And let me tell you – that is bullsh*t. Graphic novels are a gateway drug for those who dislike reading. The visual context clues make them understand the narrative better. Take Dog Man by Dav Pilkey. It is pretty dumb but it makes kids interested. Once they start loving the format, you can gently introduce them Science Comics.

Science Comics is a fantastic series. Every volume focuses on a particular subject, whether bats, volcanoes, or coral reefs. The illustrations are vivid while the information presented is accurate. It does not dumb down anything, it just shows it in a different way. It works well with visual learners and helps them absorb the information better. We need to stop being gatekeepers about what constitutes a book. They are reading – and that is what matters.

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The study of history is often a boring experience. Most textbooks dehumanize all the people involved in it. What is needed are books which can make those characters more real. Series such as Who Was...? do just that. They have all the people ranging from Frida Kahlo to Abraham Lincoln. The format is always the same: short chapters, lots of pictures, and emphasis on all the idiosyncrasies of those people. Did you know that Einstein loved sailing but couldn't do it?

A good book which teaches history in an interesting manner would be I Survived by Lauren Tarshis. It tells stories of fictional children who were right in the middle of some of the most dangerous situations in history. Sounds like something terrifying, but the truth is that children love it because it allows them to experience something that is a big part of our history without being in any danger themselves.

The "How-To" Books We Forget About

In all our fixation on school subjects, we sometimes forget about life skills. There are wonderful books that can teach children how to do things. My family loves the Cooking Class by Deanna F. Cook. It has real recipes that a child can use. It talks about kitchen safety and measurements. It lets children feel ownership over their food. A kid will most definitely enjoy eating pizza when he/she knows how to make the dough.

There are also such books as The Dangerous Book for Boys (there is a similar book for girls as well). These are the manuals of childhood. These books teach how to build a tree house, how to read clouds, how to create a secret code. These books allow a person to feel a tactile connection with the world around. This is an era of the screen, and these books rebel against it. They say, "Get out and break something." We should learn this lesson very much.

Wrapping It Up

Searching for the right book is something of a treasure hunt. You have to know your child's preferences. If they are fond of art, then go with the graphic novels. If they want to explore

Do not be hesitant to let them read what is deemed "junk" as well. There might come a time when all your child needs to read is a ridiculous story on a zombified hamster. It helps keep the practice alive. It helps to keep the pages turning. And one day, they'll end up browsing for something that requires them to work hard. That is the plan. That is how to bring up a reader.