Deciding on appropriate books for children is a highly individualized process. A fourth grader might read a book like Where the Red Fern Grows and not be disturbed by the death of the dogs at the end. On the other hand, a seventh grader might read the same book and be deeply troubled by its ending. Knowing how to choose appropriate books for children is really about knowing your child.
Often it is not enough to simply read reviews of what are considered appropriate books for children as they don’t give enough information to decide their fitness. Ideally, the best way to determine appropriate books for children is to read them first. This way, one knows exactly what the book contains and whether one deems the subject matter as appropriate.
One can also get some hints on appropriate books for children by paying attention to recommendations from other parents who have similar parenting ideals to one’s own. One won’t get the best advice from a person who lets their kids watch R rated movies, for example, if your household is strictly PG rated. If you know another family well, however, and their children share similar sensibilities to your own, they may suggest appropriate books for children you have not already discovered.
If one comes from a particularly religious background, it can also help to read publications like magazines and newspapers that address and review children’s literature. This can help one decide on appropriate books for children based on one’s moral convictions. Favorably reviewed books are often quite excellent.
Alternately, if your parenting style is a little looser in regard to content, choosing appropriate books for children can be as easy as looking up books with a high number of awards. For example Caldecott and Newbery Medal nominated or winning books are often excellent works of literature.
As a child’s reading level advances, they can suddenly read a lot of books that one might not wish them to. One thing that many parents find helpful is to steer children toward classics instead of modern novels, which may not be appropriate books for children. For example, an avid reader can easily gobble down classics like Little Women, The Three Musketeers or Great Expectations. These books are free from the profanity and graphic sex or violence that may plague modern books, but are still highly entertaining and excellent examples of literature.
Another way of evaluating appropriate books for children is to examine not the content but the reading level. A first grader might be desperate to read a Harry Potter book for example but may simply lack the reading skills to do so. In this case, you could either read the book with your child, or find similar material that is more appropriate to an early reading level.
Most Harry Potter books fall between 4th and 7th grade reading level, but other books dealing in similar topics may be geared toward a younger child. It is important that a child’s early reading experiences meet with success, as this will improve their reading skills. Successfully reading a book can also encourage children to view reading as pleasurable and make reading a lifelong habit. Soon enough, they’ll be ready for Harry Potter, and anything else you find appropriate in more challenging reading levels.
