San Mateo County Library
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CHOOSING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

A love of books and the habit of reading are gifts that every parent can afford. It's never too early to encourage a child's love of reading, language and words - values that will pass on for generations.
The library has a number of resources to help you promote both the skill and the pleasure of reading. Our best resources are our trained experts, librarians who specialize in serving children, parents and teachers. If you don't know your local Children's Librarian, please stop by, she will be happy to talk with you. She can tell you all about the library and the services we provide to families, schools, and the community at large.
If you'd like to learn more please let us know, in person or online by email.
Click here for a copy of "Choosing a Child's Book".
Below are a few of the book resources you will find at the library.

 
The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children by Eden Ross Lipson
This annotated bibliography lists titles in six categories: wordless books, picture books, story books, early reading books, middle reading books and young adult books. Both fiction and non-fiction titles are included. The author is the children's book editor for the New York Times. (J028 L 2000)
  Books to Build On: A Grade-by-Grade Resource Guide for Parents and Teachers edited by John Holdren and E.D. Hirsch
This 1996 bibliography is divided into seven areas: language arts, world history and geography, American history and geography, visual arts, music, science and math. Then each of these areas is divided by grade level (K-6). (J028 H available at the San Carlos Library)
 

Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide by Betsy Hearne and Deborah Stevenson
This guide surveys everything from picture books, pop-up books, classics, and books for beginning readers to young adult titles, poetry, folktales, and factual books, with an annotated list of recommended titles accompanying each chapter. (J028 H 1999)

  Connecting Cultures: A Guide to Multicultural Literature for Children by Rebecca L. Thomas
This guide to children's multicultural literature provides information on 1,637 recent fiction, folktale, poetry and song books suitable for use with preschoolers through sixth grade. (J028 T)
 
Magic Bookshelf: A Parents' Guide to Showing Growing Minds the Path to the Best Children's Literature by Janie and Richard Jarvis
A comprehensive parents' guide to helping children learn to make the right reading choices while creating a more literary environment in their homes. Includes extensive annotated books lists as well as how-to information.
(372.4 J)
  Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
A standards refereces that offers tips on how to choose books and how to read aloud. It includes a list of more than 1,200 books, from picture books to novels. (J372.2 T 2001)


 

Library events for children, inlcuding story times

 
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