CHAPTER BOOKS

by Kim Billington

 

Many young children are introduced to cardboard books in their first year of life, and enjoy the time parents spend looking at picture books with them. Children will imitate this ‘reading’ of the pictures, and later even memorize entire books through their innate powers of imitation. At around four years of age, many are ready for their first ‘chapter’ books.

Chapter books have far fewer pictures than ‘picture books’, and thus leave the children free to create and enliven their own imaginations as they listen. Listening is a vital and active part of language, literacy and later spelling, whereas large doses of picture-books, TV and videos are sources of passive, visual entertainment.

Many of the best chapter books for the young were written before the advent of TV. After the 1960s, parents increasingly chose the electric babysitter to do their storytelling. Before the 1800s most stories were committed to memory and retold down the generations. Videos have almost replaced longer stories, read by a ‘present’ adult to a listening child. Picture books have increased in number to meet the needs of children who now depend on visual attention.

Over the years, as a mother of three children (Ages 20, 19 and 8 yrs) and as a teacher, I have read, and can recommend all the books listed. Those with a ‘series’ are indicated with 3 dots after the title of the first book. (ie: … ) Also, where known, the dates of ‘first publication’ are listed in brackets, though most have been reprinted since. If you are lucky enough to be close to a good secondhand bookshop, you may be able to pick up many of the early editions, which were illustrated with great beauty and simplicity. (More recent editions often have incredibly ugly illustrations, especially in Enid Blyton’s.)

Enid Blyton’s highly imaginative stories are brilliant and engaging, yet every now and then, there are small episodes which need to be possibly edited, at the parents’ discretion. For example, in The Wishing Chair, the children at Mr Grim’s school get a slap for bad behaviour, or in Mr Galliano’s Circus, Jimmy’s mother thinks circus folk aren’t as clean as herself and repeats this! Such values may be of historic interest, but may be better avoided at this early age.

I have found that delayed gratification is needed when reading to children. Their "Just one more story!" requests can spoil the whole atmosphere, and I recommend parents set boundaries early on. One chapter per day is a good guide, as the child is not presented with too many images and events at a time. As in most things, more is not better!

Each family will have their own routine and needs. Perhaps the chapter can be read in bed when the early-bird wakes up, and there’s time for a cuddle before kindergarten or school. If a child is a slow eater, the parent may read whilst the child is finishing their evening meal. (I have found it best to leave bedtimes for a lullaby and a quiet ‘thankyou-for-the-day’ style of prayer, and not to over-excite the imagination with a story, or leave a half-finished story in the child’s soul as they drift off to sleep.)

Some books are full of humour, others adventure, and some simply tell a story. At this age there is much fantasy: animals may speak to one another for example, in the tradition of fables of Greek times. Our modern ears and scientific minds need not attempt to apply ‘logic’ to the stories for children. We simply need to open our heart in wonder to the story. Each child will have preferences, and to discover and broaden their interests is part of our journey together.

Children love repetition, so they may well want the book read to them again later. This is important, and shows they have found a treasure. When they are 7 or 8 they may well pick up such a ‘favourite’ as one of their first books to read to themselves, which is when a good bedside lamp is essential!

If the child is full of "What will happen next?" sort of questions, brief replies are best: "I wonder," or "We shall soon find out!" Also, there is a certain joy in the ceremony and ritual of opening at the special book-mark, and always taking a breath before reading the chapter number and it’s title, followed by a pause of anticipation…

To have a few good poetry books in these early years is a treasure. The rhythm and rhyme of a good poem are a tonic, like music, to nourish young and old alike. To learn even one by heart is a delight and becomes a true and profound gift to your child.

Poetry Books

A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young (1924)
Ireson, The Young Puffin Book of Verse (1970)
S. Hughes, Rhymes for Annie Rose (1997)
C.J. Dennis, Merry – Go – Round
Bell & Hyman (Publishers) The Book of 1000 Poems (1983)

By Enid Blyton