Get your Spring started on the right foot with some of our most recent favorite reads. Whether you’re a “book family” or not, these reads for the month will provide your kids with a selection of books that will motivate them to read and also teach some valuable life lessons.
Having a scheduled reading hour every day is an excellent way to foster a love for reading within your littles. We typically reserve this time for bedtime, but also like to sneak it in on quiet weekends when the whole family reads together. I keep a running list of books that I think will interest my kiddos and then I either borrow them from the local library, buy kids’ books online, or borrow from friends. Having a variety of books in the home will help encourage recreational reading.
How do I motivate my child to read?
Many parents wonder how they can motivate their children to read. Reading opens the door to advanced literacy skills and a more creative mind. When you make reading an essential part of your family schedule, your kids will soon be inspired to read every single day.
Aside from scheduling a reading session every day, I also have created a children’s bookshelf in the girl’s room, where they can grab a book whenever they’re bored. We make frequent trips to the local library, and I allow the girls to have freedom in their choices of books. The only limit that I give them is a number limit because they will attempt to check-out the entire library if you let them…. they are their mother’s children haha.
Because Roo is starting to read, I also set aside one-on-one time for her to read out loud to me. She can choose beginning reader books from the library that interest her, and then we work through them together. Reading has been a bit of a struggle for Roo, but we have been working with a system called Kickstart Reading! For just 2 minutes a day, she can watch interactive videos that really break down the fundamentals of reading. My favorite part about the program is that it is perfect for Roo’s attention span. Roo struggles with ADHD and a host of other challenges, which make learning frustrating at times. When we started Kickstart Reading, we were able to start from the beginning to help build her confidence, and she wasn’t overwhelmed at all! If you want to learn more about Kickstart Reading, head over to their website, they have demo videos and everything!
Without further adieu, here are our 5 Favorite Children’s Books this Month:
Each book has a description for you to determine if the book will fit in with your kids’ interests. The key to success with inspiring kids to read more is to find books that feature topics that your kids are interested in.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running! Thank you for your support.
What I Tell Myself First by Michael Brown
This children’s book was written by a Military Veteran. These daily affirmations for children will help your child overcome bullying, low self-esteem, and other troubling mental health problems facing today’s youth.
This book places focus on inspiring kids to be their best possible selves. Recommended for children ages 3 months to 12 years.
This book has become a daily staple in our home. With rampant bullying on the rise, I take my role as “builder” for my kids very seriously. I don’t mean building as in making them who they are, I mean building them up from the inside. I want my littles to know that they are loved and honored and that they matter. This book gives them the tools and affirmations to help cement that. I cannot recommend this book enough!
Rox’s Secret Code by Mara Lecocq and Nathan Archambault
Inspire the next generation of female STEM leaders with Rox’s Secret Code. This children’s book follows the adventures of a brilliant inventor and her robot. The coding adventures continue as you learn more about Rox’s inventions.
Rox enjoys spending her free time creating new things using her laptop and coding skills. This fiction book is recommended for children ages 4-6 years.
Roo loved this book because it has an interactive coding component for her tablet that ties into the book. I love the fact that it features a brown girl in the STEM field and also has action, which is typically reserved for books marketed to boys. I am a huge supporter of STEM and we include it in our worldschooling curriculum, so this is a great book for recreational reading and worldschool or homeschool curriculum.
Sunshine by Jesse Bennett
This inspirational children’s book focuses on shining all day long. Mama Owl wakes her little owlets up each morning with an inspirational message to shine like the sun, think happy thoughts, and always spared their cheerful personality to others.
A children’s book that promotes self-love and confidence, Sunshine by Jesse Bennet, is recommended for children ages 4-8 years.
This is another book to help your littles to start or end their day on a positive note. This book is so sweet, and the girls really liked the illustrations.
The Bad Seed by Jory John
We all know a bad seed in our life; it happens to the best of us. Life can throw us for a loop, and we forget that we can overcome those troubles. Well, The Bad Seed by Jory John features a seed that has a bad temper, a bad attitude, and is simply way too negative.
Enjoy this story of a bad seed finding his way when he learns that adjusting his thoughts can change his whole personality and outlook. Recommended for children ages 4-8 years.
Now this book is Lightning Bug’s absolute favorite. She loves when the seed declares that he is a “Baaaaaadddd Seed!”, and she recites it with me. The best part about this book is that it has a great message within a very silly delivery. The girls love reading all of the shenanigans that the seed gets into before turning his life around.
In my Heart by Jo Witek
This inspirational book features all of the emotions a heart feels. From happiness to sadness and anger, our hearts feel so many different things. Your children will learn more about feelings, and why they may think the way they do in this easy reader children’s book.
Have fun talking about emotions with your children when you dive into this book that’s recommended for children ages 2-4 years.
I love books that explore a wide range of emotions that humans possess. This book dives into the feelings that we all feel and can open the door for you to talk about how your children’s day was and give them the language to articulate their emotions and feeling more clearly.
These are just our top 5 favorite reads this month that will inspire your children to be more confident, happier, and learn how to cope with emotions. These are beautiful books that help foster that love for reading while also helping to build confidence in your child. Each book was handpicked from our favorite reading time this month so that you can purchase the books for your family to enjoy.
