The Badger and the Magic Fan

Friday, February 5, 2010

The Badger and the Magic Fan

Author: Tony Johnston

First line: Tengu are the goblins of Japan.

Why you should read this book: A wonderful example of the “trickster tricked” subgenre, this old Japanese story comes to life through Johnston’s retelling and the lovely illustrations of Tomie dePaola. Badger steals a magic fan from the tengu children and, with the power to make people’s noses grow and shrink, he uses it to create mischief and derive personal gain. The tengu have the last laugh, though, as will young readers who enjoy nonsense, cabbage-throwing, and cosmic justice.

Why you shouldn’t read this book: You are a great thinker, and you never have silly thoughts.

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Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

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You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

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Dragon's Library

Friday, February 5, 2010