What kind of books do your kids read? Adventure books? Maybe non-fiction books about their favorite topic? That’s great! But what about fantasy books? Have your kids read Harry Potter? The Wizard of Oz? Alice in Wonderland? A Rogue’s Tale? If you’re still not sure whether fantasy books are good for your kids, here are 5 reasons why fantasy books make great reads for kids:
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Fantasy books bolster the imagination!
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Fantasy books often promote good character traits like courage, standing up for the ones who can’t stand up for themselves, or tolerance towards others.
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Most fantasy books show kids that there is also evil in the world, but in a way that they can cope with. It’s surreal enough to be detached from their real world.
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Many protagonists in fantasy books make great role models for kids. Take Hermione, who is smart and eager to learn, or Govin and Tayla, who are willing to do the right thing even though it’s not the easy way.
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An early love for fantasy books might turn your kids into loyal fantasy fans and lovers for life. That’s not the worst thing considering the amazing community of fantasy fans out there (okay, I’m a bit biased here—still, there are certainly worse things to love, or communities to be a part of).
Of course, any kind of reading is great. Even if your kid is an avid reader of comic books but doesn’t touch any other books, be proud of him or her. There are already so many kids who don’t read at all that you should encourage them wherever you can. Let them pick their own books, be a role model for them and let them see you read for fun, and read them bedtime stories when they’re still young enough. Happy reading!
Saoirse O’Mara is a children’s and YA writer and home mostly in the fantasy and mystery genres. Check out her website http://saoirseomara.wordpress.com for more information on her and her books, or become a fan of her two series Miro the Dragon (http://facebook.com/MiroDrakonia) and A Rogue’s Tale (http://facebook.com/ARoguesTale) on Facebook.
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