BY SHANNON MAUGHAN AND THE EDITORS OF www.kidsreads.com and www.teenreads.com

In 1998, millions of children in this country, as well as the world over, became besotted with a new fictional character. Enthusiastic discussions on playgrounds and in schoolyards and living rooms were, and still are, dotted with references to “Muggles” and “Quidditch” and wizardry. Who is this object of admiration? He’s Harry Potter, the young wizard-in-training who stars in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and its three sequels, all by British author J.K. Rowling. These volumes have taken the book world by storm, appealing to both boys and girls,as well as adults, and receiving kind praise from booksellers, librarians and critics. So far the four Harry titles (there are three more planned) have spent many months atop the New York Times bestseller list and have generated sales of more than 49 million copies in the U.S. and more than 100 million copies worldwide. It follows that a big-time feature film has already been completed and will be released on November 16, 2001.

All this hoopla is historic in itself, but Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling have stirred up something far more important. They’ve gotten kids—some of whom have never finished a book before—excited about reading.Sure, a phenomenon like Harry Potter is one in a million. But there are thousands of wonderful books waiting to open up a whole new world for the young readers in your life. How can you get—and keep—your kids interested in reading?We’ve got some great suggestions.

As editors of www.kidsreads.com (also found on America Online at Keyword: Bookworm) for kids 6-12) and www.teenreads.com (also found on America Online at Keyword: The Book Bag) for teens 12-17, we have access to a virtual treasure chest of feedback from kids, teens, parents and teachers. They tell us about the books and authors they love, and share comments about the titles they don’t like so much, too. We think the combination of our own expertise and the valuable information from readers makes these sites powerful barometers of what is happening in the world of reading for children and teens. Based on what we know and have learned from our readers, here are some tips for encouraging a lifelong love of reading in your child.

Be a Role Model
One of the best things you can do to promote a love of reading in your child is to show them how much you love reading. Let them see you reading. To that end, keep reading materials at the ready all around your home—and keep age-appropriate materials within your child's reach. Books,magazines, newspapers (for older kids), even comic books are all terrific choices. Getting your child to enjoy the act of picking something up and reading it—even something that’s not great literature—is key.

Read Aloud
From infancy, read to your child whenever possible. Just 20minutes a day is a great start. Don’t feel self-conscious; your child does not care if the reading’s not perfect. Use funny voices; ask/answer questions along the way.  And don’t stop this read-aloud practice when your children are old enough to read independently.  The comforting feeling of being read to never goes away. Sharing a book is a lovely way for families to spend time together.

Indulge a Child’s Interests
Don’t be too concerned if your child will only read comic books, TV tie-in books, sports stories, celebrity biographies or other popular fare. Kids go through phases when it comes to reading and,eventually, they will want to move on to more complex and satisfying titles.For most children, the strongest endorsement for a book is a friend’s recommendation. Don’t be surprised if your child wants to read what everyone else is reading.

Series Books
Kids love book series. The combination of popular topics and fast-paced writing often found in series is hard to resist. Readers enjoy tracking their progress as they move through the various titles by an author and they also like the anticipation of new offerings every month or few months.

Explore Your Community
Regularly bring your child to the local library. Introduce him/her to all the resources there—even the ones other than books, like videos,audiobooks, magazines, etc. Become familiar with your local bookstores. Ask about storytime, author visits and other local children’s events the store or library may be sponsoring.

Enlist Experts
If your child’s school is lucky enough to have a dedicated school librarian, encourage your child to ask her for reading suggestions. Do the same at your local bookstore. Find an enthusiastic children’s bookseller,and you’ll have enough book suggestions to keep even the most voracious reader satisfied for a long time.

Listen to a Book
Rent, buy or check out from the library some audiobooks,books that are recorded on tape or CD. Play them in the car or at home instead of watching television. There are tons of great unabridged (recorded word-for-word from the original text) children's recordings available,including many award-winners. Studies have shown that listening skills are important for developing reading skills. Your child may even want to look at the printed book while following along with the tape.

Read Award Winners
Libraries (and most bookstores) have lists of the children’s books that have won the prestigious awards from the American Library Association, the Newbery Medal (given annually for excellence in children’s literature) and the Caldecott Medal (given annually for excellence in children’s book illustration). Books that have won these awards are easily recognized: they have a prominent seal/sticker on the cover.

Don’t Forget the Classics
There’s a reason books like Little Women, Peter Pan and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are still popular (and are sometimes required reading in junior high and high school). They are examples of vivid, timeless stories that have an endless capacity to entertain. Perfect for family read-aloud time.

Stroll Down Memory Lane
Think back to the stories you loved when you were a child.Chances are they are still available (or similar titles have come along to take their place). The Tales of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter was published in 1903 and is still going strong. Sharing your childhood favorites with your children (or other young friends) is a wonderful bonding experience.

Wrap It Up
Books make great gifts. Inscribe them with a personal note(for children you know very well) or include a fun bookmark. Or present a child with a gift certificate to a local bookstore.


BOOK IDEAS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
Now that we’ve given you some ideas on how to help your kids discover and celebrate the joys of reading,we also want to share our ideas about what your children might like to read. Below you’ll find recommendations for all the young readers in your life, from infants to teenagers. We’ve included classic titles as well as some newer favorites and you can find most of these books, as well as many others, listed on our sties. 

Books for Babies and Toddlers (Ages 1-3)

Here are some titles that are perfect for baby's first library. For these readers, we recommend choosing from the array of sturdy board books now available. A board book’s thick pages are just the right size for little hands--and they resist chewing, drooling and tearing, too. But whether you choose board books or standard picture books, the fun-sounding language, reassuring themes and bold, eye-catching art in these titles will capture your little one's heart. (Pop-ups and lift the flaps are best for ages2 1/2 and older.)

• Goodnight Moon (boardbook) by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar (board book) by Eric Carle
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr., illus. by Eric Carle
• Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
• Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom, illus. by Bruce Degen
• Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illus. by Jane Dyer
• My Very First Mother Goose selected by Iona Opie, illus. by Rosemary Wells
• Maisy Goes to Bed by Lucy Cousins
• Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings by Matthew Van Fleet
• Tom and Pippo Read a Story by Helen Oxenbury
• Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, illus. by Margot Apple
• Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton
• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illus. by Anita Jeram
• In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

PICTURE BOOKS (ages 3 - 8)

Story and art are equal partners in the world of picture books. Words and pictures work together to lead children—and adults—on a whirlwind tour of the imagination. Some books have a few (or no) words on each page, while others have several paragraphs; art ranges from cartoonish to abstract to painterly. There's something for everyone in this category that covers the silly as well as the sublime.

• The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
• Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
• Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse, illus. by Barbara Lavallee
• Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon
• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illus. by Lane Smith
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, illus. by Caroline Binch
• Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
• Lottie’s New Beach Towel by Petra Mathers
• The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, illus. by Felicia Bond
• The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein

Books for Beginning Readers (ages 5-8)

Beginning readers are just starting to read independently.They still enjoy picture books, but want to move on to more grown-up fare.Simple sentences, lively illustrations and chapter breaks help ease kids in to the reading process. This category contains chapter books and short novels to cover a broad range of reading skills.

• Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger
• George and Martha by James Marshall
• Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses by Joy Cowley, illus. by Jennifer Plecas
• Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
• Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parrish
• by Syd Hoff
• The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron
• In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz, illus. by Dirk Zimmer
• Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
• Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik

Series:
The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne
Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park
Nate the Great books by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Mr. Putter and Tabby books by Cynthia Rylant
Arthur Chapter Books by Marc Brown
Little Bill series by Bill Cosby
Adventures of the Bailey Street Kids by Debbie Dadey and Marcia T. Jones


Books for Intermediate Readers (ages 8-10)

The books in this category are for children who are reading independently with confidence. You'll find some longer chapter books here, but mostly novels. Themes such as friendship, loyalty, separation, and good vs.evil begin to emerge in these books—many of which make great family read-alouds. From adventure to fantasy to humor, there's something here for a range of interests and abilities.

• Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
• Bunnicula by James Howe
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (and sequels) by J.K. Rowling
• The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
• Mean Margaret by Tor Seidler
• Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen
• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
• Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Series:
The Wolfbay Wings
The Time-Warp Trio by Jon Sciezka
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien by Bruce Coville
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Warner


Books for Advanced Readers (ages 10-12)

The titles in this category are suggested for readers with advanced skills. Many of these books are coming-of-age stories that deal with family difficulties, responsibility, character and the onset of adolescence.Not all of them are serious tomes, however—there’s plenty of fun and great storytelling to be found.

• The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
• Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Sun & Spoon by Kevin Henkes
• Redwall by Brian Jacques
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
• Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
• Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
• Belle Prater’s Boy by Ruth White

Series:
Animorphs by K. A. Applegate
Nancy Drew
Dear America; My Name Is America
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket


Books for Teens (13-up)

These books, sometimes called Young Adult titles, deal with a variety of adolescent issues and can contain mature themes. But they serve as an important stepping stone between the worlds of children’s books and adult fare.

• Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block
• Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
• The Buffalo Tree by Adam Rapp
• The Chocolate War (and others) by Robert Cormier
• Eva by Peter Dickinson
• Dancing on the Edge by Han Nolan
• Ironman (and others) by Chris Crutcher
• Skellig by David Almond
• Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Monster by Walter Dean Myers
• Whirligig by Paul Fleischman