Good to Read

Detail from the forthcoming, It’s Bedtime, Charlie! by Tim Warnes (DMind 2020) | Image © 2020 by Tim Warnes

“I feel strongly that by reading with your child, by the simple act of holding them close while you read to them, you let them know that you care for them, have time for them and love them.”

— Eric Carle

Over the Christmas break, I found an unsolicited email in my spam folder. 

The company, describing itself as ‘prestigious’, wanted me to join its awards programme. In exchange, I would receive their ‘seal of excellence [which] is recognized and respected by consumers in more than 57 countries.’

It continued:

Our Honorees consistently report increased sales and a boost in positive media exposure which is why many PR and marketing pros choose to partner with us as part of their overall marketing / publicity strategy.

In fact, more than 99% of our clients have rated their experience with our program as “Great or Good.”

But here’s the thing.

The invitation came with a caveat.

I was expected to pay for the honour.

Really? For a ‘seal of excellence that is trusted by consumers globally’?

The discovery didn’t sit well with me.

Sure, the payment goes towards a plethora of services provided by the programme. (These include lifetime rights to use their seal of excellence, a dedicated ‘winners’ page in their shop, exposure on social media etc.)

But for me, the knowledge that those seals of approval have to be bought discredits the entire programme. Where’s the honour in that? How can consumers possibly trust it?

(Interestingly, the archaic form of the word prestigious means ‘of, relating to, or marked by illusion, conjuring or trickery.’)

 

Detail from The Big Book Adventure by Emily Ford, ill. by Tim Warnes (Silver Dolphin 2018) | Image © 2018 by Tim Warnes

 That’s as good a reason as any for me to continue writing these blog articles. Because all the books I recommend as Good to Read come with no strings attached. 

I endorse them because I believe in them. I believe they will bring joy and will enhance storytime for you and your children. I believe they will inspire, inform and entertain.

They are worthy of your attention. Which makes them Good to Read.

I’ve explained why I don’t trust that awards programme (who shall remain nameless). And by the way, I don’t feel like this about all awards programmes. Just those that can be bought. (Give me a Greenaway Medal any day!) So it’s only fair to turn the tables on myself and ask:

 

Why should you trust my recommendations?

I have spent the last 25 years working full-time in the children’s book industry as a professional writer-illustrator.

I have more than 85 original titles bearing my name.

My books are published and enjoyed globally, in far-flung places like Japan, Indonesia, Poland, China, Slovakia and Russia (to name just a few).

My guidance will save you time by helping you make informed choices, giving you confidence that your kids have a great start to their reading journey.  

I am not paid to review any of the books (but do, potentially, earn affiliate links here and there). I don’t even get sent (or request) review copies. These are all books that I own or have borrowed from the public library. This blog is a labour of love. 

 

Why do I care so much?

I have experienced first hand the bonds created between the reader and the young listener - first as a child, then as a father reading to my own children. Study after study shows how far-reaching the positive effects of reading to children from infancy can be.

Such benefits include helping infants to:

learn to speak

interact with others

understand the world around them

become empathetic citizens of the world

And of course - storytime helps children learn to read!

 

That list, of course, is not definitive. Perhaps the most magical and priceless benefit is that, through the simple act of reading together, lasting memories and deep connections are made.

As Eric Carle once said,

 

“Sharing a book becomes more than pages with words and pictures.” 

 

The carer-to-child relationship is strengthened. Everyone wins! 

Who doesn’t want a piece of that?

 Please continue to join me each week throughout 2020. Spread the word - and let me know how you get on!SOURCESIt’s Time for Bed, Charlie! by Tim Warnes (DMind 2020) The Very Hungry Caterpillar author Eric Carle reveals how his dad reading to him as a young boy helped forge his writing career (The Scottish Sun, 28 Oct 2018)THE BIG BOOK ADVENTURE BY EMILY FORD, ILL. BY TIM WARNES (SILVER DOLPHIN 2018) Why it’s important to read aloud with your kids, and how to make it count by Amy Joyce (The Washington Post Feb. 16, 2017)Why Do Toddlers Love Books? Experts Explain Your Mini Bookworm by Ashley Jones (Romper.com, Nov 12, 2019)