Library Book Rules?

[CrunchyGirl]

We are getting back into a routine of regular library visits and I'm a tad horrified by the kids' choices. LegoMan chose a chapter book for the Wreck It Ralph Disney movie. ArtsyGirl wants to grab every TV themed picture book she can find. I promise they don't want much TV (although I'm considering taking it away altogether). We read good books in the evening and during school.

 

Do you have rules for what sorts of books your kids check out? Any way to keep the useless stuff (twaddle?) out of our house without squelching their choices? Will they naturally gravitate to better books over time if we keep reading good books to them?

[MinivanMom]

If bad choices are becoming a habit, then I will put a bunch of good literature on hold - anything that I think might catch their interest.  When we get to the library I have them look through the books on hold first.  Even if they only choose a few of them, it reduces the amount of twaddle they choose.  I also find that it has helped them to discover new authors and new genres that they might not have discovered by perusing the library shelves on their own.  The library is a big place and I don't think it's a bad thing to provide a little bit of guidance.

[Farrar]

I don't believe in twaddle.  They can check out what they like.  :D

 

But there are books I don't like and I won't read them aloud.  Also, I check books out for the kids even when they're resistant, though sometimes it's things others would term as "twaddle" as well as things others would term as "literature."  It's just stuff I think they might like if they would try it and not be such picky book readers.

[Stellalarella]

Jim Trelease's take on it (The guy who wrote The Read Aloud Handbook) is that it's fine to let them read books that are accessible like that.  He even has a section on how comic books can be good.  

 

We read high quality books to them for read alouds.  I assign good lit for school.  I have them target certain sections of the library when they go to personally choose books, and for my kids, that includes comic books and inane Geronimo Stilton books.  They really need to read and so Garfield and LIttle Lulu it is.  

 

 

[mathmarm]

What is twaddle?

 

Seems like a type of 'censorship' that is based mostly on someones idea of literary superiority. If the kids are still reading what they have to for school, and their choices aren't unacceptable on grounds of sex/drugs/poor role modeling/language, in other words, something typically found unacceptable for children of their ages, then why can't they read something simply for enjoyment?

 

You could take a unit/genre/theme approach and require a few things that are based on criteria you choose.

Pick X books from one of these genres....

Pick Y books from one of these authors....

Pick Z books with these themes....

No more than K books about TV characters....

 

 

I have discovered recently that there are dozens and dozens (possibly hundreds) of book lists for various ages, grades, genres, topics etc so it shouldn't be too hard for you to splice something workable together.

[matrips]

I let them get one fiction and one non- fiction. If they get the same type of book out each week,like a series, I ask them to try something else. Meanwhile, I scour the shelves for dozens for books I'd like for them. I try to find books pertinent to our read alouds. It's been working well for the past year or two.

[kristi26]

I let my kids get out whatever they choose to get out (so long as it isn't inappropriate in content of course).  Typically my boys choose books on learning to do something new like drawing, juggling, magic, etc.  They've actually learned from the books too! I am happy that they are excited about books, no matter what they might be.  I also get out lots of other books that we'll use as read-alouds or as extra reading for one or more of them.  I encourage them to try new series or new authors as well.

 

ETA: I just looked back at the ages of the kids in question.  They are really young! With my kids THAT age, I help them make good choices at the library.  I suggest different books by showing them the books.  For instance, YDS is really into trains so I'll suggest some nonfiction on trains and some fiction picture books that include trains.  DD is getting into some shorter chapter books so I scan the shelves for things that I think would work for her and suggest some of those.

 

As your kids get older, they will get better at choosing good books. My older boys are 10 and 13 and now choose great books, for the most part.

[kirstenhill]

I generally let my kids choose what they want as long as it is reasonably age appropriate.  I do find that as my daughter gets older she does tend more and more toward quality books!  But, I also make sure to pick out lots of good books (and I often choose those to read during our read-aloud time).  And I do often limit them from checking out too many with the same character/theme/TV show at any one time (I usually say no more than three of the same kind of book)...Ostensibly so that there are always Pokemon/Star Wars/Whatever books left for other kids to check out, but also so DH and I don't go crazy with two dozen star wars books in the house at once... :lol:

[MerryAtHope]

My kids get great literature for school reading and read-alouds, so if they chose something more twaddle-oriented from the library, I didn't worry about it. That was just free-time reading, and the pictures or themes caught their eye. Sometimes it's hard to find good stuff at the library because they do tend to prominently display books like that.

 

Eventually we had a large enough library at home that the kids just started picking stuff off of our shelves!

 

Merry  :-)

[Julie of KY]

I generally let my kids check out what they want, but I also tend to like their choices. I make sure they are not only reading junk. If they are trending toward things I don't care for, I say there is a limit of how many of the "junk" books they can check out and they have to also get some others. If I don't think a book is appropriate I exert my parental veto power.

[MrsBasil]

I read this post about book choices by a homeschooler and a librarian and it really resonated with me and helped me see past my desire to not allow DS to pick out certain books. 

 

http://sandboxtosocrates.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/in-defense-of-twaddle/

 

 

[justasque]

I'm rather a fan of "quality twaddle" - things like Calvin and Hobbes, Magic Tree House, and the like, for reasons similar to those expressed in the excellent blog post Mrs. Basil mentioned:

In Defense of Twaddle

I let my kids check out whatever they like, and as many as they can carry, as "their library books".  (Quantity is not an issue for me.  My library has a limit of 99 books per card, and between us we have five cards.  The most we've ever borrowed at once has required two cards.  I use Library Elf to keep track of due dates.)  Also, I reserve the right to not read aloud books I hate.  :-)

 

While we're at the library, I also choose books, with the kids in mind. I pick things that relate to upcoming topics, upcoming field trips, things we've recently studied or done, fiction and non-fiction, at a variety of reading levels.  I also pick quality fiction that I feel would be of interest to particular kids, based on their interests, things they've read recently, etc.  These (along with anything I choose specifically for me) are "my library books".  I don't try to talk the kids into counting these books as "their books".

 

Once at home, everyone's books go into our oversized book basket, which creates a kind of mini-library from which we can all choose books to read throughout the week.  Some get read, some do not, and that's fine.  I often read children's books on topics we are studying as they can be an excellent source of info to give me a more substantial background on a topic, and the book basket system works great for this.  When we go back to the library, we choose some from the basket to return, and borrow new ones to add to the mix.  This system gives us a rich assortment of materials related to the topics we are studying, so we can choose whatever we need each day, rather than having to figure it out at the library.

[lillysmom216]

I enjoyed that article. Thanks for posting. I really got a laugh out of  "So I say bring on the Rainbow Fairies, insipid and saccharine little nothings that they are."  :)

 

[sunnyday]

I don't believe in twaddle.  They can check out what they like.   :D

 

But there are books I don't like and I won't read them aloud.  Also, I check books out for the kids even when they're resistant, though sometimes it's things others would term as "twaddle" as well as things others would term as "literature."  It's just stuff I think they might like if they would try it and not be such picky book readers.

 

I do believe in twaddle, but I don't believe in censorship, so the bolded is how I handle it. ;) I also like this blog post about shamelessly letting your children know your opinion of the relative value of books. Some are just not good literature. It doesn't mean they aren't fun, that reading isn't fun. But there is such a thing as relative value and how else are kids going to puzzle it out if you don't offer guidance?

 

We come home from the library with piles of ~20 books. After the first day, I put them on our "library shelf", but bring out 3-4 of them to place prominently or offer to read aloud -- these are usually the only ones that actually get attention. The others get quietly returned within a few days. Team Umizoomi Level 2 reader (when both my kids are reading at a 2nd-4th grade level and we don't even get Nickelodeon) does not make the cut. ;) And I have to be in a REALLY good mood to read Ninjago graphic novels. (However, I feel that this has the effect of building his motivation to actually puzzle it out himself!)

[sunnyday]

These (along with anything I choose specifically for me) are "my library books".  I don't try to talk the kids into counting these books as "their books".

 

Ha, I thought I was the only one! "I didn't choose that one. I don't want it." "Oh, don't worry about it. That's mine, I'm checking it out on my card." (These are often the books they truly latch on to once they are home!)

[Farrar]

And I have to be in a REALLY good mood to read Ninjago graphic novels. (However, I feel that this has the effect of building his motivation to actually puzzle it out himself!)

 

Why oh why must all the media around a product as excellently designed as Lego be such complete dreck?  Like, even one of my kids will be literally watching Chima or Ninjago and be like, yeah, this is complete ****.  Sigh.  But he watches anyway.

 

Yeah, I let my opinion be known sometimes too.

 

I think it's important to remember that literary value is relative and that studies have shown time and again that reading is reading when it comes to improving reading skills, so the junk is as good as the good stuff.  Which is why I say I don't believe in "twaddle."

[Stars]

I'm so jealous of the poster who has a 99-book limit on each of her five cards!  My local library only allows five books per card (we have three), and the other one we frequent allows ten for me but only five for a minor.  I keep asking how I can petition to have the limits raised, but so far the answer is "Not gonna happen." 

 

My solution to the quality vs. twaddle issue is to tell my kids, "You can each pick out three/four/five books" (depends on what I need for school that week).  Then I choose all the rest.  I occasionally veto one of their choices, but not for being twaddle. 

 

We actually read Rainbow Fairies this week.  Dd3 thought it was brilliant.  I endured it and followed it up with The Secret-Keeper. 

[justasque]

 But there is such a thing as relative value and how else are kids going to puzzle it out if you don't offer guidance?

 

I think in the long run, if they are exposed to quality literature, even if books of lesser quality are part of the mix, they will learn to discern the difference.  Over time, they will develop their own tastes.  

 

I do think there are book selection techniques that can/should be taught - looking at the dust cover blurb, choosing things by authors they've read before and liked, asking the librarian for advice, figuring out the Dewey Decimal system (or whatever) to find books on a particular topic, using the "card catalog" on the library's computer to search for things of interest, and so forth.  Otherwise, it *is* easier to just pick the book with the licensed character on the front.

 

 

Ha, I thought I was the only one! "I didn't choose that one. I don't want it." "Oh, don't worry about it. That's mine, I'm checking it out on my card." (These are often the books they truly latch on to once they are home!)

Yep, that's how it usually plays out!  The less of a deal made of it in the library, the better.  :-)

[Stars]

I think in the long run, if they are exposed to quality literature, even if books of lesser quality are part of the mix, they will learn to discern the difference.  Over time, they will develop their own tastes.  

 

I do think there are book selection techniques that can/should be taught - looking at the dust cover blurb, choosing things by authors they've read before and liked, asking the librarian for advice, figuring out the Dewey Decimal system (or whatever) to find books on a particular topic, using the "card catalog" on the library's computer to search for things of interest, and so forth.  Otherwise, it *is* easier to just pick the book with the licensed character on the front.

 

 

Yep, that's how it usually plays out!  The less of a deal made of it in the library, the better.  :-)

 

I agree with all of this, and especially the bolded part.  And all of it.

[Eagle]

I choose our fiction books and put them on hold so all we have to do is pick them up. Ds can go to the children/YA nonfiction area and choose whatever he likes. We also own a lot of books, so he has a lot of choice at home already.

[kitten18]

I read this post about book choices by a homeschooler and a librarian and it really resonated with me and helped me see past my desire to not allow DS to pick out certain books. 

 

http://sandboxtosocrates.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/in-defense-of-twaddle/

:thumbup:

[zoobie]

They can choose anything age-appropriate for free time/fun reading. I give them a short list of choices for "assigned" reading time (minimum 30 minutes, but they usually go over that).

[kristi26]

I'm so jealous of the poster who has a 99-book limit on each of her five cards!  My local library only allows five books per card (we have three), and the other one we frequent allows ten for me but only five for a minor.  I keep asking how I can petition to have the limits raised, but so far the answer is "Not gonna happen." 

 

My solution to the quality vs. twaddle issue is to tell my kids, "You can each pick out three/four/five books" (depends on what I need for school that week).  Then I choose all the rest.  I occasionally veto one of their choices, but not for being twaddle. 

 

We actually read Rainbow Fairies this week.  Dd3 thought it was brilliant.  I endured it and followed it up with The Secret-Keeper.

 

I just had to add that my library also has a very high limit. 100 books per card. ;)

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

We read good literature for school and listen to books above dd's reading level on audio so less then stellar literature choices at the library does not bother me.When we visit the library dd has to pick certain books first:

a book of poetry

a biography

music CD

a science topic book

a folktale/fairy tale

audio book (unless she is still listening to one)

an art book or book about art

and something to expand her horizons (craft, cooking, gardening, ...)

After she picks these she can get what she wants pending they are approved (books that go against our moral or ethical ideas are nixed). I do not let her bring home super easy books though, however she can read those while we are in the library. Dd reads so much and gets the whole range of reading levels and genre that putting limits just do not seem logical. I know sometimes I want  to read something without any meat so I pick up a trashy romance or something with no merit, between these I will read books that take more brain power to get through. I think I would not read these challenging books as often if they were all I read since they are taxing. breaking things up with brainless reading helps.

 

Variety keeps reading interesting.

[HelenNotOfTroy]

I allow my son one book per week that I don't approve. It is usually an early reader or comic book based on some movie, product, or game. I put books on hold for him to read, both school related and not, and he can choose other books while we are there that meet some basic minimum criteria (not too low a reading level or intended as a sales pitch). I do not read aloud books that he can easily read, but I might start a book that is long that he will read.

[RootAnn]

I'm so jealous of the poster who has a 99-book limit on each of her five cards!  My local library only allows five books per card (we have three), and the other one we frequent allows ten for me but only five for a minor.  I keep asking how I can petition to have the limits raised, but so far the answer is "Not gonna happen." 

 

Our local library allows 15 books per family/household. As a homeschooler who visits the library at least once per week (and sometimes 3-4 times per week), I petitioned for more. Homeschoolers can now check out 25 books per family. With three readering children, one emergent reader, a book-loving DH, and my "books for school", it can sometimes not be enough. But, we make do.

 

I don't usually disallow books that my kids pick out, but won't necessarily read them aloud. (I refuse to read aloud the Barbie books, for example. Yuck.) But, they can check them out, read them themselves, or cajole an older sibling to read them aloud to them. I do have to sometimes veto a "young adult" book that dd#1 picks out. Some of them are completely InAppropriate for her age/maturity. It isn't a twaddle issue - it is a guard-her-innocence issue. She's still very young. 

 

Mine get quality read alouds & I pick lit books for their school-related subjects. Not worried about twaddle. They are also allowed books that are 'under their reading level' because it helps them build fluency. You shouldn't have to be struggling through a book at the edge of your reading level if you are reading for fun.

[alisoncooks]

I don't believe in twaddle.  They can check out what they like.   :D

 

But there are books I don't like and I won't read them aloud.  Also, I check books out for the kids even when they're resistant, though sometimes it's things others would term as "twaddle" as well as things others would term as "literature."  It's just stuff I think they might like if they would try it and not be such picky book readers.

+1

 

I give my kids a number of books and they're free to get whatever they like.  Mine mostly choose non-fiction (much to my fiction-loving dismay!)  ETA:  if they pick up something inappropriate (morally for us, for example) I'll tell them why I prefer we not get that book.  I will usually pick a bunch of kid books that I'd like to read to them (b/c I am SO TIRED of reading NF animal books); these *I* check out on my card.

 

I remember LOVING going to the library as a child, spending time walking the aisles, reading titles, and making choices based on what interested me.  I won't take that from them.

 

ETA: since everyone is sharing -- we can do 25 books per card (for 3 weeks, plus 1 renewal unless there's a hold).  We currently have 3 cards.

[Dmmetler]

I let DD pick what she wants as long as I'm not paying. The library, the used bookstore where it seems like they buy almost all of DD's "read once and pass on" books at more than she paid for them initially at yard sales, and the aforementioned yard sales and library book sales where she can buy all those Scholastic series books and TV-tie in books at $.25 each, and does...knock yourself out, kid!

 

If I'm buying, I have some veto power-but usually it has to do with "if you will finish reading it on the car ride home, I'm not buying it!". I buy the books I consider to have enough value to make the purchase price reasonable.

 

I figure that any kid who reads several hours a day by choice is going to be fine.

 

 

 

 

[Ellie]

No rules, other than all books having to be returned every week whether they had been read or not.

 

Love me some good twaddle--I mean, it turns out that many of the books people refer to as twaddle are quite interesting, and not badly written, and really, if children are given free reign to choose books that look interesting to them, they'll move on to other books. :-)

 

I read aloud to my dc from good books, the ones I wanted to be sure were in their heads. :-)

[bakpak]

I love how folks do so many different things regarding library privileges. And I have to exclaim that I finally live somewhere with NO LIMITS on the # of books!!! I hit an all-time high checked out this week...80-some. Yoikes! I already have a small pile to take back. This is what happens when I decide I want to do a theme-study or two. 

 

Interestingly my DD4 doesn't really care much about picking out books from the library. She's more interested in the toys and other children. That's okay with me...I love picking out books. The excessive book checkout is totally my issue. I love books WAY too much. She loves most of what I pick out, and with renewals we have 6 weeks to read them.

 

I think if I had a 5-10 book limit I would be much more discerning about what my child was allowed to check out. With no limit, it doesn't matter too much. I only limit when I'm buying. I have caved a few times on a small, inexpensive used book, but my DD hasn't started begging for things yet, for which I am eternally grateful.

 

I read voraciously, including plenty of twaddle, so why would I set different standards for my child? She reads/listens to plenty of quality literature.

[Rachel]

OP, your kids are almost the exact ages of mine.  I don't have set library rules, I do have veto power if I feel something is inappropriate though.  Typically I'll pick out books that are off a book list or go along with something I want my kids to learn about.  I tell them they can pick out the same number of books at their age.  My 5 year old is reading pretty well, so I do sometimes tell him he needs to pick out a non-fiction book or a chapter book.

 

If they bring home a lot of those books that I don't like, I'll read it once, then they can look at/read it on their own.  I don't tell them "that's a dumb book" or anything like that because they have their own reasons for liking things, but we do talk about how some books are just fun to read and some are better for learning from.  I have found that my 5 year old has almost stopped picking the character books as the "stories" aren't as interesting now.

 

Those or you without limits, wow!  We have a 25 limit per card at one library and 35 per card at the other.  I'm the only one with cards and they are usually maxed out but that is plenty of books for me.  I get so stressed about losing one and having to buy it (it's only come close once).  At both libraries I can renew 3 times as long as no one has placed a hold.

The person with the 15 book limit per household, that must be difficult.  Is it a small library worried about not enough books for all the patrons?

 

[abrightmom]

Tin-Tin is read over and over and over here ..... by all ages, even the 4yo who can't read. My boys want to read Ninjago graphic novels continuously.  :o

 

I do allow them to check out a couple of "junk food" books each trip but we take them away if they stop reading quality books. Tin-Tin becomes obsessive and periodically we have a "fast" when all of our TT books are up high for weeks. "Treats" are fine as long as they aren't all you eat in a day, you know?! He he he.

 

I also screen for content in general because I truly hate banality. There are so many dumb books on the market. You couldn't pay me to check out many of the series that are out for kids in juvenile fiction and readers. :ack2:

 

I always reserve a bunch of books that are to my liking  and I require the kids to choose non-fiction titles whether or not they want to. We have a great library so it's a feast (we still have to be choosy though).

 

Using the 1000 Good Books List is an easy place to start. I simply started working through the list alphabetically because it was easiest for me. If I run across a book that we LOVE or that we dislike I can mark it for future reference. 

 

Oh, I have no idea if they'll naturally gravitate to better choices over time. That hasn't happened here. My kids still need me to build those curbs and direct their choices. Maybe someday! *shrug*  B)

[MamaSprout]

I have a really good book list, which dd trusts. She can check out anything non-fiction, anything on the the list, anything I give a thumbs up to, plus two "squishy brain books." We regularly have 40 books out between three libraries. I also give her time for squishy brain book reading while we are at the library. (one of my libraries would let me check out 100 books because I'm a "teacher"- I also tutor- but I would never be able to keep track of that many!

 

We have gravitated to better choices. A boon for us was when dd discovered that the illustrator of Fancy Nancy (one of her fave squishy brainers) does historical books as well.

[8filltheheart]

I do influence what my little children check out of the library. My older kids have free rein, but my little ones, yep, I definitely nix books in their pile.

On my no way list--books full of bratty characters. (I feel that way about most children's TV shows, too. The characters are whiny and spoiled and do not behave in ways my kids are allowed to. If I am not going to let them watch them, I am not going to let them read them either. ). And the improper grammar in some kids' books annoys me to no end. When the characters speak in improper grammar...not coming home. Improper grammar that is inherent to the context of speech in books aimed at non-beginning readers, fine. But using improper grammar as if young children do not speak with proper speech and that is the only apparent reason for it--no.

Call me a book snob, but there ya go. :)

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

It's always a mixed tote-bag.  DD will float from deep stuff to fluff and back.  I usually poke around and add some to the pile, and to be sure, some are winners, some aren't, but DD looks at every one and has really latched on to some titles I found just by chance.

[MamaSprout]

I will say I have seen some pretty aggressive home schoolers in terms of limiting what their students can check out. I was really unaware until a librarian (who is also a friend) said, "I'm not taking any unicorns off the book list- I've been asked before" when I suggested some home school get togethers at the library. There are parents in our system who pre-read the pre K story time books before they'll bring their littles, which is sad, because we have a super-awesome library.

[kubiac]

I just wanted to post this library checklist from WTM, courtesy of Jessie Wise herself:

• One science book
• One history book
• One art or music appreciation book
• One practical book (a craft, hobby or “how-toâ€)
• One biography or autobiography
• One classic novel
• One imaginative storybook
• One poetry book
• Anything else they please!