The best books to have great conversations with kids

This book hilariously shows us—and our kids—how a book with no pictures can be far more fun than a picture book. Both my kids loved it, for different reasons—my son for how ridiculous it was to “make” adults read it, my daughter because she used it as a jumpstart for her own “no-picture” book. The result of reading it is that you will have a conversation with your kids, and likely a funny one. You may even talk about what makes a good book, or why books exist. No matter how old your kids are, try to leave this one on the coffee table and see what comes of it. 

This book, a graphic-novel middle-grade memoir based on Telgemeier’s life, is hilarious and awkward and sad, just like much of middle-school life. In the book, Raina has a terrible accident, needs braces and headgear, and has all the typical sibling arguments. What’s great about it is that it lets you tackle all these awkward feelings with your child by reading together…in a way that’s more comfortable than it otherwise might be if your child had to start with their feelings. Even if your child is younger, you can do this as a read-aloud…or get two copies and read together.

This book, a nonfiction book for adults, is a kind of ode to the read-aloud. But it’s not the typical parenting book. Filled with case studies, book recommendations, and poetic language, Gurdon shows how those read-alouds are far more impactful than you might think, in bringing you closer as a family. It’s so easy to think “reading time” for school-aged kids needs to mean them reading alone or to you, but in fact, kids of all ages, and even adults, benefit from being read aloud to. With my ten-year-old daughter, we’ve had fun taking turns reading to each other or to her brother. She’s often proud of how her reading skills help put him to sleep!

If you have a child who’s interested in the inner workings of things, or who has lots of “why” questions, you need this book. It’s been updated since its prior version and now covers stuff like digital cameras, e-paper displays, and lots of other classics like robots and gears. The great part is it starts with the basics and goes up in complexity—I’ve used the simple stories with young kids and the complex diagrams to teach science topics to middle schoolers. And the visual nature of the book lends itself to kids flipping through and seizing on what catches their interest.

Do you have a child who says, “I don’t know what to draw” or “I’m not creative?” This book is an especially helpful way to get the creative conversation started. By giving simple prompts and helping kids develop specific artistic skills like tone, pattern, and shape, this book lets you and your kids flex your creative muscles in a low-stakes way. I’ve found it helpful as a jumpstart to more open-ended drawing activities, and an easy way to get into a routine of creating, even in 5- or 10-minute chunks. Try using it for conversations about what kind of drawing you each like, or what kind of creative goals you want to set.