Here are a few ideas for great books to read with your daughter or son this month. Check with your local librarian for even more suggestions.

Nonfiction

My Name is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream, story by Jennifer Fosberry,

pictures by Mike Litwin. Ages 5 to 8.

Focuses on some of the strongest females in history, like Sally Ride and Rosa Parks, as seen through the eyes of a little girl who looks up to them. Brief biographies in the back of the book offer more information and can lead to further exploration.

Rebel in a Dress: Cowgirls and Rebel in a Dress: Adventurers, story by Sylvia Branzei, illustrations by Melissa Sweet. Ages 8 to 12.

Showcases women who pushed the boundaries of their times to achieve what they wanted. Includes quotes from the women featured and those who knew them, as well as notes about other events going on in the world during the times in which they lived. Girls now are mostly told they can do and be anything they want, and these books show just how far society has come for that to happen.

Herstory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook Up the World, written by Katherine Halligan, illustrated by Sarah Walsh. Ages 8 to 12.

This large-format book details the achievements of women who made significant changes to how the world works. Working in a variety of fields, they brought innovations that were often difficult for women to accomplish during the times they lived.

In Disguise! Undercover with Real Women Spies, by Ryan Ann Hunter. Ages 9 to 12.

Highlights the stories of women who acted as spies during the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and other conflicts. Readers will also learn about some of the techniques used in spying over the years and learn how to try a few of them out.

Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts, by Leah Tinari. Ages 10 and up.

An oversized format book that features compelling portraits of notable women artists, musicians, politicians, activists, and more. Short bio information and quotes capture the spirit of each trailblazer. Author Tinari was inspired to create the portraits to show her son that women can be role models.

The Heroine’s Bookshelf: Life Lessons from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder, by Erin Blakemore. Ages 13 and up.

Pairs favorite heroines in literary history with their female authors and analyzes both the similarities and differences in their lives. In the past, women faced multiple barriers in bringing their stories to print, and many of them, even those we think of as successful, struggled with poverty their entire lives.

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World, by Pénélope Bagieu. Ages 13 and up.

A graphic novel that profiles the lives of feisty women throughout history. Some are well known, like the reporter Nellie Bly and performer Josephine Baker. Others are lesser known but made advances in medicine, sports, volcanology, and more.

Fiction

Promise the Night, by Michaela MacColl. Ages 9 to 12.

Introduces young readers to Beryl Markham, an Englishwoman who grew up in the wilds of Africa and became an aviatrix and the first woman to fly solo from Europe to North America.

Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink. Ages 9 to 12.

Depiction of American pioneer life and the role women were expected to play in it. Caddie has no interest in being a “lady,” preferring to run in the woods with her brothers. Based on the real-life stories of the author’s grandmother.

Cindy Hudson writes about reading, books, and family literacy. Find out more at MotherDaughterBookClub.com.

The post Ten Books to Read With Your Kids During Women’s History Month appeared first on SWFL Family.

1. Look beyond books. Kids can read all kinds of things to learn new words including labels on items in the grocery store, ingredients in their favorite cereal, magazines written just for their age group or rules for how to play games. 

2. Let them listen. When kids listen to an audio book or tune in to their favorite songs or go to story time at the library, they are tied in to a story of some kind, which actively engages them in learning and may pique their interest in reading on their own.

3. Use technology. Have you ever read a book you liked so much you wanted to know more about the author? Kids can be like this too. If you find a book your child likes, see if the author has a website. Many children’s authors include fun facts about their books online or offer discussion guides and insights into how they write.

4. Start her on a series. Get your child started with the first book in a series, then sit back and let her devour the sequels one by one. Series popular with reluctant early readers include Horrid Henry, by Francesca Simon, The Diary of A Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney, and Dork Diaries, by Rachel Rene Russell. Middle readers may appreciate books by Rick Riordan, who wrote his Percy Jackson series to appeal to his dyslexic son.

5. Try nonfiction. Does he love dogs and horses? Does he want to know more about sharks and snakes? Some kids love learning about facts, and they’ll turn page after page to find out more about animals or machines or how children in other parts of the world live.

6. Find the right kind of fiction. Just like you may enjoy certain types of books more than others, it’s likely that your child does too. Children’s authors write in all kinds of genres that may appeal to your reluctant reader. Try out different types to find what your child likes.

6. Make them laugh. Funny poems for kids, which are usually short and end with a punch line, are especially good at keeping the pages turning. Often kids are laughing so hard they don’t even think about the fact that they are reading. Find a collection by an author like Jack Prelutsky or Kenn Nesbitt and leave it lying in a spot where your child can easily pick it up. Better yet, sit with your child and read a few poems out loud to get the ball rolling.

7. Go short. Thick books can intimidate children who don’t think of themselves as good readers. Hook them by looking for books with less than 200 pages or large type that makes it easy for them to feel they are making progress each time they turn a page.

8. Look for graphics. You may be inclined to dismiss graphic novels, which use pictures and words to tell a story, as less than a “real book.” But with their vivid images, unconventional typefaces, and word bubbles, graphic novels are often the ideal books to draw in reluctant readers.

9. Play word games. Include a few word games in your line-up for family game night. Some of these, like Boggle Jr. and Scrabble Jr., are geared to kids as young as five. You can also find good word-game apps by checking with a trusted source such as commonsensemedia.org.

10. Partner with the library. Children’s librarians are great at finding just the right book to put into the hands of all kinds of readers. Another plus? You can go to the library and come back with a stack of books without paying a penny. If nothing appeals to your child, you can try again with more books the next time you visit.

Cindy Hudson writes about books and reading at MotherDaughterBookClub.com.

The post 10 Tips to Hook Reluctant Readers appeared first on SWFL Family.