• November 12, 2020
• 10 comments

1. Present parents - many children’s books are based on independent children with absent parents. I look for strong parents and families, (or someone filling the parental role like Grandfather in "The Boxcar Children"). Books like “The Four Story Mistake” by Elizabeth Enright and “Ginger Pye” by Eleanor Estes share this quality. I avoid modern books with step-parents or single parents who are dating, as at the very least those books often flip the parent-child dynamic, (strong child, weak parent). 2. Vocabulary and sentence structure - the first step in learning and processing the world around us is to have the vocabulary with which to do so. I want my children to read books that will expose them to well constructed sentences and enlarge their vocabulary. Compare the writing in the classic “The Little Engine That Could” with recently published picture books and you may be shocked. I also read aloud to my kids a lot and it is more fun for me to read well-written books than not! 3. Emotional health - Most plots involve struggles and conflicts, (internal and external). I look for books where the protagonist emerges healthy and with at least hope for a solution. Some newer books for teens dwell on “angst” without redemption. Books like “Miracles on Maple Hill Farm” and “Navigating Early” don’t shy away from difficult emotions, but they leave the reader with a sense of hope and healing. Books give us all a chance to relate to and empathize with people who are different from us. I want my children to be exposed to challenges in writing that they may not yet have encountered in life, but I want it to be a healthy, positive experience that helps them grow as compassionate and understanding people. 4. Upholds my values - I am most interested in books that portray good middos. If there is negative language, pejorative thinking, self-centeredness, or other bad middos on display, it is not for us. When the characters have poor characters (!), those middos are on display throughout the book and they subtly influence the reader. In general, I avoid books with subtleties that don’t fit my worldview more than I censor books with overt differences (such as religious holidays). 5. Stimulates the mind and imagination - a good book leaves us thinking about it and discussing it long after we finish reading. 6. Provides useful information or exposure - do I want my children to be exposed to this information or perspective? I don’t believe that any reading is good reading, (though I know that’s an unpopular opinion!), so I usually don't hesitate to say no if it's not bad, but simply not good. Sometimes I find a book that fits my criteria and I believe it is valuable for a child to read, with the major exception of bad language or a discrete page dealing with a topic I don’t like, I take a Sharpie and black-out words or lines, and sometimes even tear out a page here and there. (I’ve done this repeatedly with military memoirs and biographies.) I have found in recent years that it is difficult for me to find (enough) good books in my local public library. Many books we like are out of print, but easy to find for a few dollars online. I would rather buy great literature than be stuck with what we can borrow. There are many great book lists available for those of you searching and don’t forget audio books! I know there is much more to discuss on this topic. Please chime in with your ideas!