In our country, not many children have the reading habit. Educators and parents, librarians and policy makers often complain that children do not read anything beyond prescribed text books.
The reason behind this is not difficult to understand. Visit any bookstore and you will find numerous ABC and 123 books, and books with names of animals, vegetables, etc., after which you have books about Akbar Birbal, or Panchatantra Tales, and similar books where there is more text matter.
What is missing is the IN BETWEEN step: Picture Books. If a child is exposed to picture books at an early age, either by reading aloud from the books or showing the pictures and narrating the story, more often than not, the child will try to read by himself.
Unit Books has brought out three picture books for kids.
Super-Duper Monty
Monty lives in a pond with his family and friends. He loves to hop, leap, and jump. Everyone calls him Leapfrog. One day, Monty takes a long leap and lands on the road.
He sings, “This is super-duper fun!
I can hop, leap, and run!”
However, the fun does not last for long and Monty gets into trouble. Does he find his way back home?
This is a lovely story that have several lessons. It teaches children not to wander away by themselves, as well as showing ‘there’s no place like home.’ The story also gives a lesson about the importance of natural habitat for animals.
Kids of all ages will love the book. Children as young as two will want to look at the vibrant illustrations of the frog while older children will understand the story line and want to keep reading. The vocabulary is easy and the sentences are simple, to encourage children to begin reading on their own.
Bala-Gala the Brave and Dangerous
These days Bala-Gala is a tiger. Before that he was a deer. He was a very big deer with a golden skin and huge antlers.
This opening sentence with hook the child. As he progresses, words like Gamba-Bamba and Brammy-Gommy will tickle his sense of fun, and he may want to say them again and again.
Bala-Gala the Brave and Dangerous is the story about a child’s imagination. It is very relevant in today’s high-tech world because children have forgotten how to play make-believe games. The illustrations are bright and keep the story moving. The text is simple, lucid, and easy to read.
The Ant Thief
Noira the Ant wears a diamond ring and tells everyone a king gifted it to her for bravery. She becomes famous as the Great Traveler Ant. But the truth is something else. Noira is a thief. The diamond ring is stolen. Will the other ants learn the truth? What will Noira do if they find out?
After the story has been enjoyed and the illustrations admired, parents can talk about Noira’s behavior. Children are never too young to learn about actions and consequences, and this book serves as a starting point for such discussions.
Like the other two picture books, The Ant Thief also has expressive illustrations and text easy enough for a five year-old to follow.
Why parents should buy these books:
- They are attractive to look at, with high quality printing on glossy paper. Books for young children should have visual appeal so that they pick them up.
- They provide children with a visual experience, as the story is supported by rich illustrations.
- They are a wonderful tool to generate excitement about books and reading.
- They provide opportunities for discussions about the story and the illustrations.
- They are an important step towards building vocabulary because the pictures provide clues to unfamiliar words.
- They introduce children to the concept of reading, even if they have not started reading independently.
- Listening to the stories teaches them to pay attention and it improves their comprehension levels.
- The books introduce children to art, and strengthen visual thinking skills.
You can watch the book trailer Super-Duper Monty, Bala-Gala the Brave andDangerous
Where You Can Buy These Books
You can buy these books from the links provided below:
Super-Duper Monty, Bala-Gala the Brave and Dangerous, The AntThief.
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