By Fernie Ruano Jr.
If you’re in your kitchen every weekday at 6:30 am tussling with milk and cereal, in between scribbling your signature on homework worksheets, you probably race out of your front door at 7 am with no makeup on your face and half a bagel sliding out of your mouth.
And you have children in elementary school, and therefore might want to encourage them to read independently, which boasts a kid’s vocabulary, reading comprehension, verbal skills and achievement-test scores. In fact, if your son/daughter is in the second or third grade he/she should be reading on their own by now, if not already graduated to more descriptive, longer books.
Christmas is also around the corner. And you’ve probably been losing sleep over not being able to find the new Xbox wireless controller and Kindle Fire Kids’ Tablet. But there’s no better time of year to slide a book – yes, a book – in your little one’s Christmas bag - You’re going to be glad you did it.
Here now are some awesome children’s books… And Merry Christmas, hot stuff!
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN: It’s short and has recognizable drawings, so your kid will be smiling at bedtime reading about the jolly happy soul with the corncob pipe, coal eyes and button nose. Frosty is a fairytale (rumor has it), but your munchkin will be in heaven.
THE CAT IN THE HAT: The story centers around a tall and anthropomorphic cat who wears a red and white-striped hat. But beware ‘cause by the end of the book your kid might be thinking it’s alright to let weirdos in your house as long as he/she doesn’t tell you.
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD: Colorful and illustrated, this is the children’s bible on the values of optimism and hard work. So much so, your child might want to jump out of the window of his second floor bedroom because he’s pretty confident he will land on his feet. And if by chance he breaks his leg, he has nobody else to blame but himself.
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: The setting has a somber tune, but it just might instill a little bit of hunger and determination in your child’s belly. It’s also a classic story of bonding and sharing. And family values.
THE POLAR EXPRESS: A classic Christmas tale which tells the story of a young boy’s adventurous ride to the North Pole on a train filled with candy. Moral of story: Some trips can be heartbreaking, but at the end of the day some dreams do come true.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
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