BOOKSTORE IN AMERICA

Children's Literature

Value of children's books for language and literacy.

Children's books have various positive effects on upbringing and education of children. They have primarily an entertaining value, but also cultural, artistic, educational and pedagogical value. This value of children's books strengthen each other. However, first and foremost the children's book is an independent realm governed by its own laws.

 

Children's books play a very important role for the development of literacy and language. Writing is much more comprehensive, formal and more varied than the language that we talk on a daily basis with each other, not least the language we use when talking to children.
Parents of children who learn to read early have always read a lot for them and taken time to talk to them and answer their questions about the content of the books. They have also showed interest in the written language their children use.

 

As children grow older, they may enjoy more diverse literature that improves further their vocabulary and most children and young people both benefit and relish the fun of reading.

 

Vocabulary is more varied in the written language than in the spoken language in daily use and words occur in a context that facilitates understanding of them. Vocabulary of children´s and youth books is also more detailed than the vocabulary that appears in television programs for children and young people.Children who are read to and children who read a lot acquire more vocabulary than children who read seldom. Frequent reading contributes to better language understanding and not least greater reading comprehension, which is very important for literacy.