FUN BOOK THEMES TO SPARK A LOVE OF READING-yOUR ULTIMATE MONTHLY GUIDE

Looking for a creative way to spark your child’s interest in reading? You may want to try monthly themes.

I love reading and have always had a desire to share that love with my kids and beyond. My youngest son; however, does not possess my desired starry eyed look when a book is presented to him. Keeping him interested in reading takes a lot of creativity and intention. One of the most routine and exciting ways that I have found to increase engagement in reading is by offering books by theme.

Themes make reading fun by sparking a little storytime magic. Themes also provide an opportunity for routine, which kids thrive on. With each month bringing a new focus, there comes a new level of curiosity and excitiment over the next “adventure”. Themes work well for parents too, as it’s a great way to slide in lessons on empathy, kindness, diversity, and life skills. In addition, reading together can be a great time to bond.

I know that my son is not the only child who needs a little “out of the box” approach to reading encouragement. I also know that I am not the only parent who looks for ways to make reading fun and interesting. Therefore, I have researched and put together a year long, monthly themed book list to share with those who need this extra tool in their parent tool box.

January: Stories about resolution, growth, and snow fun

• Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller
• Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Brave Irene by William Steig

February: Stories about love & friendship

• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool by Kimberly and James Dean
• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
• The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

March: Celebrating Diversity

• Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
• The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
• This is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe
• All the Colors We Are by Katie Kissinger

April: Earth Month

• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
• I Can Save the Earth! by Alison Inches
• Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter
• Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals

May: Animal Adventures

• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
• The Mitten by Jan Brett
• If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss
• Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

June: Summer Fun

• And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner
• Froggy Learns to Swim by Jonathan London
• Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sís
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell! by Lucille Colandro

July: Adventures in Nature

• Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
• The Hike by Alison Farrell
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Camp Tiger by Susan Choi

August: Kindness Counts

• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
• The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
• Kindness is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego

September: Back to School

• The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
• School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

October: Not “Spooky” Stories

• Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
• Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
• Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell

November: Gratitude & Giving

• Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
• The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
• A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
• In November by Cynthia Rylant

December: Holidays Around the World

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
• Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah by Maida Silverman
• Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington
• Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

Reading with your kids can feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to. Approaching the subject in a fun and engaging way is key. We’re dealing with kids, therefore we have to constantly think creatively and leave room for fun twists and turns.

Using themes is a creative way to increase reading engagement. It can become a great tradition that provides opportunity to spark curiosity, build vocabulary, and develop a life long love of reading.

In addition to themes, implementing small things such as a weekly reading log and/or certificate of completion, can be fun engagement builders as well. My son really looks forward to completing his weekly sticker chart. Seeing his name on a “reading certificate” at the end of the month, creates buy-in and makes daily reading worth it.

Click here to access our “Storytime Made Fun”, a guide on 10 ways to make reading fun. Included are a weekly reading chart and reading certificate. Create your own rules with these. Perhaps you reward your reader at the end of the week, once they’ve read (or sat to listen to) a certain number of books. Maybe you reward nightly. Use these however, you wish. Just be sure to remain consistent. Stick to the system you create.

Have you found any other creative ways to spark a love of reading in your child? If so, please share with the community. We would love to hear from you.

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