Helping children see themselves in the books they read

If you’re a parent wondering how to help your child get interested in what they are reading, look no further than the mirror.

“I see books as mirrors and books as windows,” Jenny Dean with the Fort Worth Public Library said. “Books are mirrors in that a child can open a book and see themselves in it. Books are also windows. I think this part is really important because not only do books build literacy, but they also build empathy for the world around you. A book can help a child transport themselves into another community.”

For years, Dean has worked in the library system, finding innovative ways to get kids and their families excited about reading.

“When a child can see themselves in a book, or someone who looks like them, it shows them the importance of identity, culture, and language. It’s an instant connection. Maybe it’s not a child they identify with, but the hobby that they like or the sport that they play. In ways, it makes a child feel seen and heard. It’s a way for them to see that they matter,” Dean said.

The biggest help, she said, people can offer for kids, especially younger kids, is knowing what they love. When you can pinpoint that, the next move is finding books that help them learn more about that. Dean said kids are more inclined to pick up a book when they can learn about something they like.

The Fort Worth Public Library offers free library cards for residents and teachers. They offer library cards for a nominal fee to people who don’t live there.