Book and Literacy Links

Staff Recommendations

Read-to-Me tips, plus great books for toddlers and preschoolers here.

More Staff Picks here.

Fingerplays, Rhymes & Songs

Fingerplays and More
An extensive collection of fingerplays, rhymes and songs for any day and every day! Includes demonstration videos by KCLS library staff on You Tube.

Books & Stories

Boys Do Read
"We want teen boys to read just like everyone else, and we are willing to give them whatever it takes." Picks selected by Richmond Public Library staff.

Guys Read
Founded by children's author and all-round funny-guy Jon Scieszka, this web site includes book recommendations for boys that boys will want to read.

KidsReads.com
Keep pace with the latest news about kids' favourite books, series, and authors.

ReadKiddoRead.com
Author James Patterson's website is a great place to browse for suggestions about what to read next.

TeenReads.com
Book news and reviews about books teens are clamoring to read.

TumbleBooks and More
Your child can sit back and listen or read along to these entertaining and amusing animated picture books. Early chapter books and novels, too.

Reading

SkratchTrack
Online reading incentive program: keep a log of books you've read, write mini reviews, and collect online awards along the way. Perfect for home or the classroom.

Starfall
Online learn-to-read activities for kids, and literacy information for their parents and teachers.

Literacy 

Grow Up Reading!
A fabulous resource for parents to learn more about their kids' emergent literacy, from birth to kindergarten-age. Includes activities, reading tips, information on brain development, and age-appropriate book suggestions. From the librarians at West Bloomfield Township Public Library, Michigan.

Jim Trelease on Reading
Read-aloud advocate Jim Trelease has a wealth of information on his web site for parents and teachers. Why, how and what to read aloud, how to control kids' TV consumption, reading and spelling research, censorship issues--it's all here. He also includes essays from the 6th edition of his classic resource, The Read-Aloud Handbook.

Literacy Tips for Parents
Excellent tips to help you help your child to read. From the Parents & Teachers section of PBS' Between the Lions site.

Mem Fox's Ten Read-Aloud Commandments
Read aloud to your child, every day; and here's how. Then listen to the inimitable Mem read some of her own stories for kids, including Koala Lou.

PBS Parents: Reading & Language
Advice, tips and activities related to children's literacy and creating a “literate home,” as well as book recommendations from the American Library Association.

Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers
Strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn to read, and assist parents and teachers who work with struggling readers; also, monthly book recommendations and interviews with children's authors, as well as hundreds of current articles about reading. Reading Rockets' sister site, LD OnLine, provides comprehensive information on learning disabilities for parents, teachers, and other professionals. Both sites are produced by WETA (PBS Washington, DC).

Resources

The Canadian Children's Book Centre
An excellent resource for information about Canadian authors, illustrators, and publishers, and Canadian children's literature awards; home of Canadian Children's Book Week.

CM Magazine: Canadian Review of Materials
Book reviews, media reviews, news, and author profiles of interest to teachers, librarians, parents and kids.

CWILL BC: Children's Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia
CWILL is an organization of Canadian professional children's writers and illustrators, who live in British Columbia; includes information on members' availability for readings and workshops.

The READ Society
The READ Society is a non-profit literacy organization in Victoria that provides individualized programs created by professional teachers in reading, writing and mathematics for young children, youth and adults. As a non-profit, READ offers tuition assistance for children and youth from low-income households whose academic skills are below grade level.

Victoria Children's Literature Roundtable
The VCLR is one of many Roundtables across Canada whose mandate is to support and promote children's literature.