This article will provide you information on selecting reading material for you child. I will explain some methods used to choose a book that will capture their interest. It is critical that children ages 4 8 have a solid foundation to build on as they mature into everyday avid readers.

The task of choosing children's books can be very overwhelming at times. There are so many books out there and many people wonder where to start.

Let me first begin by saying that there are hundreds or even thousands of good quality kids books out there for you to choose from. The number one thing that you want to look for as a parent is will the book keep my childs attention. If the book is not keeping your kids attention, you may as well be reading your favorite novel instead.

Now let us take a look at what should be avoided in our selection process. Avoid at all cost big, bright and shiny pictures. This will lead to total distraction for your child and your reading will have no effect on its purpose which is development. Try to refrain from always picking your child's favorite characters. While it may keep their attention momentarily, it will ultimately end with continuous interruptions.

Know your child's attention span! If his/her attention is going to hold for 10 minutes, get a book that takes 10 minutes to read. Starting to read in the middle of a book after taking a break will only lead to a confused child. Once this happens all development will cease and in some cases may cause a child to regress. Look for short stories to begin. When your child can stay focused on you throughout the book and not on the pictures, then it is time to start with longer books. Try as best as possible to only increase by a couple of pages at a time. Remember the main objective here is the development of a child, not how long of a book you can read to your child. This phrase most certainly applies here "quality not quantity."

There are certainly other methods that can be used to choose children's books to fit your child. However, I have found that what is covered in this article is the most effective way to get the most out of your child's development. Remember to read every day to your child, even if it is a short book that only takes a couple of minutes to read. The key here is consistency.