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When I get time, I listen to music, or read books. If any is left, I blog!

Saturday 31 December 2011

Legacies of The Genius

'Harry Potter' is not the end of a great legacy; neither is he the beginning! Surveys continue to reiterate that the world of books is indeed a treasure trove of eponymous characters, lighting up young minds.
To many, this may be kid's stuff! But, as a parent, if you haven't heard of those titles which have excited and enticed growing generations, shame on you! If you don't feel it, here are five reasons why you should:
  • Reading Arouses Curiosity
  • Reading Stimulates Thinking
  • Reading Encourages Learning
  • Reading Improves Communication
  • Reading Builds Character
Essential are these factors to support your child's mental, emotional and intellectual growth! Introduce your child to reading. It is never too late to do that.

7 Easy Steps
Take that first step. And keep going, until your child finds joy in the company of books.
  • Read books yourself.  Let your child see it.
  • Narrate to him/her, what you read in simple language.
  • Demonstrate the use of a dictionary.
  • Take the child to a library, bookshop, or book exhibition.
  • Teach your child to handle books with love and care.
  • Gift books for a child's birthday, not dresses or sweets.
  • Encourage the child to spend pocket money on books.
To help you, here is an author-specific list. It is only a starter kit, and hence maybe far from being comprehensive. But, as you go along, the list also will grow, making it an excellent reference for your child.
  1. A A Milne- Winnie the Pooh
  2. Alf Proysen- Mrs Pepperpot series
  3. Arthur W Ryder- Panchatantra
  4. Beatrix Potter- The Tale of Peter Rabbit
  5. Charles Dickens- A Christmas Carol

  1. Rajagopalachari- Ramayana; Mahabharata
  2. Dr Suess- Cat in the Hat; Green Eggs & Ham
  3. E B White- Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little
  4. E Nesbit- Railway Children; Enchanted Castle
  5. Enid Blyton- Famous Five; Secret Seven

  1. Eric Carle- Hungry Caterpillar, Grouchy Ladybug
  2. Francis Thomas- The Jataka Tales
  3. Hans Anderson- Emperor's New Clothes; Mermaid
  4. J K Rowling- Harry Potter series
  5. J M Barrie- Peter Pan series

  1. Jerry Pinkney- Jean De La Fontaine Aesop’s Fables
  2. John Masefield- Midnight Folk;Box of Delights
  3. Jonathan Swift- Gulliver's Travels
  4. L Frank Baum- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  5. Lewis Carroll- Alice in Wonderland

  1. L M Montgomery- Anne of Green Gables
  2. Mark Twain- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
  3. Narayana & Haksar- The Hitopadesha
  4. Pamela Travers- Mary Poppins
  5. R L Stevenson- Treasure Island

  1. R L Stine- Fear Street, Goosebumps...
  2. Roald Dahl- BFG, Charlie & Chocolate Factory
  3. Rudyard Kipling- The Jungle Book
  4. V Goyal- Fix Your Problems - Tenali Raman Way
  5. W E Johns- Biggles series
As Katherine Paterson said: "It is not enough to simply teach your children to read. Give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imagination. Something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own."
I leave you with a memorable quote by Ruth Crowley who used to write advice columns under the pseudonym Ann Landers:
"In the end, it is not what you do for your children,
but what you have taught them to do for themselves
that will make them successful human beings."
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6 comments:

  1. vinay2:12 pm

    Good post.
    I am grateful to my parents and friends for putting up this habit in me.
    What seemed as 'zabardasti' in starting ended up as a life long happiness for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. rajuda2:55 pm

    Wasn't it about children that Goethe once said: "Treat them as if they were what they ought to be, and help them become what they are capable of becoming."

    Thanks Vinay

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sudha Shyam9:10 pm

    Excellent post.

    I haven't seen an international list that includes Panchatantra, Hitopadesha and Jataka tales - three great books no child or parent, no matter which part of the world they belong, can afford to miss.

    I am also glad to state that my re-discovery of the books for my children starts here and now.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chaitu Garg9:05 am

    That is a great post, Rajuda.

    I was searching for a list of books for my children. Somehow the lists that I came across were not convincing. The list posted by you I felt was well-researched, well-balanced and well-presented. However let me add that I was a bit mystified to find Guy de Maupassant missing from the list.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. rema.singh8:14 am

    A real good one. Please write another post about books that any adult ought to read. I mean for people like me who started reading rather late in life. That would be greatly helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Priyanka Kantak12:28 am

    Thanks for taking the time to refer good books for children. Personally Books are my best friend, they open up an entire world for me! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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