I'm not sure where we got the idea we should be reading books "for our age group."
Wait. Yes, I do.
School. Teachers. Parents... I suppose even peer pressure from people who make you feel like a dummy for reading a book technically written for children.
Books of all kinds bring me pleasure, and I would hate for people to miss great titles because they think they're "beneath" them.
A good children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest. - C.S. Lewis
The author of the beloved Chronicles of Narnia had it right. If you've read those books, you know how much richer they are when read at different stages in your life. These "children's" books have practically become Christian classics.
These are the kinds of books I'm looking for to put into the hands of my students.
I usually ask myself:
What exactly is the message here?
Will this story still be relevant 10 years from now?
We must know what kinds of stories are being advertised to our sons and daughters, and eventually, our grandchildren.
I want to know what is available for the children in my life and reading from this genre helps me know how to guide them when they need a book for themselves.
Let's be honest-these books are FUN!
Some of the most pleasurable books I've ever experienced have been written by Kate DiCamillo, a prolific children's author.
Your Turn: What children's books still move you today?
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