Children will now begin the formal business of learning to read. Most likely, no skill will be more important to a child’s future than reading. However, the process of sounding out words can remove the enjoyment of a story. This is where listening to good books can take on a new dimension.

Stories with clean, precise words in flowing sentences are important. They will provide a contrast to the repetitious words that are found in school texts. There is still a need for numerous illustrations to keep a child’s attention and interest.

Good stories can take children outside of themselves and into another world. They now are ready for greater flights of fantasy. When they have a firmer grasp of real and make-believe, their adventures into this world should still be a safe-scare experience. Even with a firm understanding of fantasy and reality, they still love humor. It is satisfying when a young hero outsmarts the older, wiser, or stronger character. It is always important to hear stories of good triumphing over evil.

Even though children are finding some measure of independence, home and family should provide a solid anchor for them. Books should now provide a delicate balance between separation and attachment. Continue reading aloud, especially books that are too difficult for children to read independently. Be sure to include children in selecting books from the library, keeping in mind their interests.

There are two categories of classics: early classics like the fairy tales of Andersen, Grimm, and Perault; and modern classics like Charlotte’s Web and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Both were written by people who never lost their love of childhood. Classics should make a major contribution to a child’s education, merriment, and appreciation of literature. Many good stories provide clear standards of right and wrong, show the ethics of human behavior, and evoke natural and wholesome laughter. Classics contain those unique qualities that surpass time and appeal to listeners and readers of every generation.

A classic is the rare book that has a special element, which enables it to endure the test of time and appeal to children from every generation. It stands out because it has the ability to touch the heart and cross the boundaries of culture, nationality, religion, race, gender, and status.

Classics should make a major contribution to a child’s education, merriment, and appreciation of literature. Classics should provide clear standards of right and wrong, show the ethics of human behavior, and evoke wholesome laughter.

A sense of honor and value surround great literature. Laughter, pain, hunger, satisfaction, love, and joy are found in classics. When our children become familiar with this kind of writing, they have a foundation for making comparisons. Not everything they read will be excellent, but they will know a story’s possibilities.

Read stories in their original versions, not the watered-down ones without any drama of life. They may retell the classic stories, but the basic elements that make the stories classics are omitted.

With the influx of new books for children flooding the market each year, old favorites are in danger of being crowded out. Generations of children are missing the opportunity of listening to classical children’s literature. This is unfortunate because classics are the cornerstone to building a life-long relationship with literature.