Or perhaps you’re just looking for great books for babies, books for boys or books for young children.
I'm a mum of three, an avid reader and writer and am studying literacy and language development as part of a teaching degree at Macquarie University here in Sydney.
Getting kids excited about reading is my passion so I started this site to share everything I know about the things parents can do to give their children the best possible start in literacy.
Reading is incredibly important because it's the foundation for everything your child will learn at school. If a child can read well, he has the skills to enable him to make the most of the material that's taught to him. Being a good reader is also a huge confidence boost and, of course, it's also an important life skill.
I've always loved reading so I started reading to them when they were only a few days old and went on to read to them just about every day as they were growing up.
Over the years, we found some wonderful books and had great fun reading together.
My daughter came along in 1998 and I continued to seek out the best books for kids and to take notes about which ones became favourites - and which ones didn't.
The Importance of Reading Do you wonder about the importance of reading for kids today? Most parents know reading is important but many of us aren’t really sure why.
|
Reading to Children and Babies. Why Is It So Important? Reading to children when they're young gives them a head-start in life. Many parents know this but why exactly is it so important? How should you do it, when should you start and which books are best?
|
Raise A Reader. 7 Tips For Getting Kids Into Reading Wondering how to raise a reader? Getting your children interested in books and reading is not rocket science. It’s not difficult or expensive and it’s something that every parent can do.
|
Reading Quotes. Inspirational And Fun Quotes About Reading I love reading and over the years I've collected some great reading quotes.The quotes about reading on this page are my favourites, collected over the past sixteen years of reading to my kids.
|
Children's Authors. A List Of Popular Authors Who Write For Kids On this page you'll find a list of some of the best children's authors to help you find great books for your kids.
|
Book Gifts. Give The Gift Of Reading I love book gifts - both receiving them and giving them!
|
A Book Gift Basket For A Child. How To Make Your Own A book gift basket makes a unique gift for a child of any age. They're easy to make and you can tailor them to your budget, the occasion and to the age and interests of the child.
|
Ideas For A Baby Shower. A 'Baby's First Library' Baby Shower If you're looking for ideas for a baby shower, what about a "Baby's First Library" theme?
|
Poetry For Children. Why It's Important And What To Read There's some great poetry for children available but it can be hard to know which poems are good to share with children and where to find them.
|
Poems For Kids. Why They're Important And Which Ones To Read Nursery rhymes and poems for kids are great fun but did you know they play a crucial part of developing the skills needed to learn to read?
|
Nursery Rhyme List. Free Nursery Rhymes To Share This page contains a nursery rhyme list with links to the best-known and most popular nursery rhymes for children.
|
Banjo Paterson. Author Of Australian Poems Banjo Paterson is one of our most famous Australians and one of Australia's best-known and most loved poets. His poems about the Australian bush and its people are part of the Australian culture.
|
Waltzing Matilda. The Famous Bush Ballad By A B "Banjo" Paterson Waltzing Matilda is Australia's unofficial national anthem. Most Australians know the words and who wrote it but do you know how it came to be written?
|
The Man From Snowy River. A Poem By A B "Banjo" Paterson The Man from Snowy River is one of the most famous Australian poems but how did it come to be written? Is it based on a true story? Find out all about it here.
|
Edward Lear. Writer Of Nonsense Poems And Limericks Edward Lear is best-known for his nonsense poems for children, especially his limericks and his poem, The Owl and the Pussycat. Nonsense poems help kids develop important pre-reading skills.
|
Ogden Nash. American Author Of Nonsense Poems For Kids Ogden Nash was an American writer who is mostly remembered for his nonsense poems for children. His poems are great fun to share with children and help build an awareness of language.
|
Robert Louis Stevenson. About The Author & His Poems For Kids Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish writer and poet who, as well as writing some great adventure stories, also wrote wonderful poems for children.
|
Teach Your Child To Read. It's Easy, It's Fun And It's Free! You can teach your child to read without the need for expensive programs or classes. It's as easy as reading aloud to your child every single day.
|
Phonological Awareness. An Important Skill For Learning To Read Phonological awareness is an important and reliable predictor of later reading ability. So how do you ensure your child develops phonological awareness skills?
|
Struggling Readers. How Parents Can Help Struggling Readers Struggling readers need help and encouragement to get the hang of reading.
|
Books For Babies Choosing the best books for babies can be confusing, especially if you're a new parent. There are many hundreds of books for babies in print but how do you know which are the best ones?
|
Toddler Books. The Best Books For Toddlers Aged 1-3 Years If you have a toddler books are probably a big part of your life. Children aged between 1 and 3 love books but how do you choose the best ones?
|
Books For Young Children. How Do You Choose The Best Ones? Wondering how to choose great books for young children? Looking for books you'll actually enjoy reading to your child? It's a task that sounds easy but can actually be quite hard to get right.
|
Teen Book Reviews. The Best Books For Teens And Young Adults It can be hard to find good fiction for teenagers. These teen book reviews will help you choose books they'll love.
|
World War Two Books For Kids. Great Novels For Kids And Teens This page contains my reviews of some truly brilliant World War Two books for kids and young teens.
|
The Magic Tree House Series. Brilliant Books For 7-9 Year Olds The Magic Tree House Series is a brilliant series of books aimed at 7-9 year old boys and girls.
|
Dr Seuss Books. Why They Matter And Which Ones To Read Kids love Dr Seuss books. The silly rhymes and quirky illustrations appeal to children of all ages. Introducing Dr Seuss books to your kids is one of the fun parts of being a parent.
|
Enid Blyton. All About The Author And Her Books For Children Enid Blyton was one of my favourite authors when I was a kid.
|
Mem Fox. Children's Author And Literacy Consultant Mem Fox is an Australian author of gorgeous picture books for children. She is also passionate about reading aloud and travels the world to talk about the magic of reading aloud to babies.
|
Roald Dahl. Author Of Quirky Stories And Poems For Kids Roald Dahl was an English writer who is probably best known for the books, short stories and quirky rhymes he wrote for children. Some of his books have been made into films but the books are better!
|
Rudyard Kipling. English Author And Poet Rudyard Kipling was an English poet and writer of short stories and novels, many of them for children. His stories are filled with fantastic language and imagery and are perfect for reading aloud!
|
Green Eggs And Ham. One Of The Most Famous Dr Seuss books Green Eggs and Ham was one of my kids’ absolute favourite books when they were small. We read it over and over again and laughed over the silliness of it. But do you know how it came to be written?
|
Hairy MacLary From Donaldson's Dairy The Hairy MacLary books are gorgeous books to share with your child, from babyhood right up until school age. The fun, mischievous illustrations and bouncy rhymes were huge favourites in our house.
|
Classic Fairy Tales. Origins And History Of The Classic Fairy Tales The classic fairy tales we know today have their origins in a tradition of oral storytelling which is as old as human civilisation.
|
The Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale. Print A Free Copy To Share The Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale is one of the best-known and loved fairy tales in the English language. It is thought to have been first published in 1697 in a French book written by Charles Perrault.
|
Little Red Riding Hood Little Red Riding Hood was originally a French fairy tale which was first published in 1697 in a book written by Charles Perrault. The story's original French title was 'Le Petit Chaperon Rouge'.
|
Blue Beard. A Fairy Tale By Charles Perrault Blue Beard was originally a French fairy tale which was first published in 1697 in a book written by Charles Perrault. The story's original French title was 'La Barbe Bleue.'
|
Puss In Boots. The Story Of The Fairy Tale By Charles Perrault Puss in Boots was originally a French fairy tale, first published in 1697 in a book written by Charles Perrault. The story's original French title was 'Le Maistre Chat, ou le Chat Botté.
|
The Fairies. A Fairy Tale By Charles Perrault The Fairies is a classic fairy tale first published in 1697 in a book written by Charles Perrault. The story's original French title was 'Les Fées.'
|
Cinderella. The Original Fairy Tale By Charles Perrault Cinderella is one of the best-known and most-loved fairy tales in the English language.
|
The Book Depository. My Favourite Place To Buy Books! The Book Depository is a fantastic online book store and the place I buy almost all my books these days. Why? The main reasons are the free postage and the great prices but there are more advantages.
|
Visiting The Library. Why It's Important For Kids It's a great idea to start visiting the library with your baby early on in his or her life. If you do this, the library will quickly become a familiar and enjoyable place to be.
|
Australian Book Shops. A Guide To Book Shops For Children There are some great independent Australian book shops and they're a fantastic resource for parents keen to get their kids reading. Check out my list of the best Australian book stores.
|
Christian Book Stores In Australia Christian book stores stock a range of Christian childrens books
|
Parenting Books. The Best Parenting Books For All Ages And Stages Finding parenting today challenging? Keen to develop good parenting skills? Here are the best parenting books to help you face the challenges of parenting today.
|
Best Books For Kids Links The Best Books for Kids links page features links to interesting articles and sites about children's books and reading.
|
About Best Books For Kids A bit about Best Books for Kids, how the website came into being and a little bit about me, the owner and author of www.best-books-for-kids,com.
|
Children And TV Recent studies into the relationship between children and TV have revealed important information for parents about the effects of TV on children.
|
Christmas Books For Kids. Start A Tradition For Your Children A collection of Christmas books can become a lovely part of your family's preparations for Christmas, creating happy memories of a special family Christmas tradition.
|
Christmas Stories To Share With Your Children Sharing Christmas stories with your children in the lead-up to Christmas is a wonderful way to teach them about the traditions and history surrounding this time of year.
|
Twas The Night Before Christmas: A Visit From St Nicholas 'Twas The Night Before Christmas: A Visit From St Nicholas. All about the famous poem and its origins plus a free copy to share with your children!
|
How The Grinch Stole Christmas! A Fantastic Dr Seuss Book How The Grinch Stole Christmas is one of Dr Seuss's best-loved and most famous books. It's a classic Christmas book and a great one to share with kids of all ages, especially at Christmas time.
|
The Amazon Kindle For Kids. Why It Encourages Reading If you're keen to encourage your kids to read, you may like to consider buying them an Amazon Kindle e-reader.
|
Reluctant Readers. How To Turn Them Into Enthusiastic Readers If your child's a reluctant reader, there are things you can do to help him become a capable, confident and enthusiastic reader.
|
Best Bedtime Stories And Books For Young Children Bedtime stories with a "going to bed" theme are great to incorporate into your child's bedtime routine.
|
The Harry Potter Series Of Books. What Age Are They Suitable For? The Harry Potter series is brilliant to read aloud to your child but when's the best age to start?
|
Audio Books For Children. They're Fun And Great For Literacy Skills Audio books for children are a brilliant way of entertaining kids on long trips.
|