Children's Book Week: Kid Lit Giveaway Hop 2014

Books, books and morrrreeee books.
Prizes, prizes and morrrrreee prizes.
Giveaways, giveaways and morrrrrrreeeee giveaways.
It is Children's Book Week and from May 12th to the 18th it can by your Christmas in May if you love children's books, prizes, giveaways or cash.

I am a new book blogger and do not have a giveaway this year but I'm excited for the week anyways.  So many great bloggers, authors, and publicists celebrating Children's Book Week with fabulous giveaways.  I will be making my way through them over the course of the week to hopefully get some new additions to my kids library. 

How do you foster a love for books and reading in your children?  When I was young reading books was not a priority in my house not because my parents didn't think it was important but because both we non native English speakers and as my mom always said she struggled reading to us.  She figured school would make up for what they were not doing.  No surprise then that I was behind in school.  Being behind in reading meant I was behind in everything.  I began to see a reading specialist in grade two and then improvements started.  In grade three I read my first book by myself.  As it turned out I did eventually make up the gap that I had from early elementary and went on to university and got two degrees.  One was in education.

I knew I would make reading a priority in my house.  How did I do that?

Make Books Available: 

• Place books in easy to reach locations in the house.  Little baskets, bottom shelf of the bookcase and in the most frequently used rooms of the house.    
• We get books from a variety of different places.  Library trips, gifts, Good Will, book orders etc..

Make Time for Books:

• This was a bit easier when they were smaller because I was at home all the time.  We would read in the morning, afternoon and of course my favourite and theirs too is bedtime stories.  
• Now that my 2 sons are of school age we read less frequently together but I try to still make sure to read at bedtime.
• This also means Mama's time for reading for herself.  If your kids don't see or hear you reading for fun they won't believe that as adults we also read for fun.

Make reading fun:

• It should never feel like a chore.  If it does-take a break.  Try grabbing a new book.  Try reading in a new spot.  I know this is becoming an obstacle in our house as my boys are learning to read and for one it is not an easy task.  
• Try reading a variety of different texts.  I love to read poetry to my children.  My boys right now love non-fiction learning books.  Books that answer Why?  Reading Advertising boards, grocery lists, instructions for games, even at the gas station pumps my kids get such a kick out of telling me what I'm not allowed to do based on reading the sign.

Is it easy or hard in your house to make reading/or books a priority?  What strategies do you use?  I would love to hear about them.  Please leave me a comment letting me know.

This Kid Lit Giveaway Blog Hop is hosted by Mother Daughter Book Reviews and  Youth Literature Reviews

Just go here to check out the bookabulous list of giveaways of children's/teen books, gift cards, cash and other prizes.

If you want more information on Children's Book Week go here

I would love for you to join me on Pinterest and check out all of my Book Inspiration for Kids board.

Follow Bonnie's board Book Inspiration For Kids on Pinterest.

Enjoy Children's Book Week,
Bonnie