Ten Tips to Raise a Reader

1) Read to your child everyday and get caught in the act of reading to yourself;

2) Keep plenty of age-appropriate reading material in the home;

3) Limit tv and computer games to 30-60 minutes per day; the language in books is far richer--and necessary to excel at school;

4) Make reading aloud your family entertainment (take turns reading passages from novels or short stories);

5) Keep a reading log of every book your child reads or hears. For example, "The Jazz Fly, by Matthew Gollub, 32 pages." Kids love seeing the pages add up. Every time you log 1,000 pages, celebrate with a special outing or treat!

6) Make regular trips to the library, ask your librarian for suggested titles;

7) Carry a book in your purse or car, be ready to read to your child whenever you have a few minutes to wait;

8) Install a reading lamp in your child's bedroom, let your child stay up a few extra minutes provided he/she spend the extra time reading;

9) Subscribe to a magazine of interest to your child--even if it's of no interest to you!

10) For older kids, clip newspaper articles of interest to them. Plant the articles on the floor in front of the refrigerator or in the almighty bathroom!

As we read more, we know more and live healthier, wealthier lives. It's never too early or too late to start!

(Editor’s note: An award-winning children’s author and musician, Matthew Gollub has created 16 books. He speaks 3 languages and performs internationally. His book with CD, THE JAZZ FLY, became the #1 recommended children's book in the US among independent booksellers and won the Writer's Digest National Self-Published Book Award. For more information, please visit www.matthewgollub.com )