As I progressed through elementary school one thing was constant, the presence of Gladys Hunt’s “Honey for a Child’s Heart” on every teacher’s desk. The book was the “gold standard” for selecting classroom read aloud. As a new parent I remember checking out the original 1969 edition from our public library to peruse. After perusing the library copy, I purchased my own, which I am still using 12 years later.“Honey for a Child’s Heart” is a guide book for selecting quality children’s literature for children ages, 0-14 years of age. The author guides the parent through a two-step process in helping to select quality children’s literature.The first step is titled “Using Books to Help Children Grow.” The author gives a scope and sequence of what good books do, how to choose good books, how to raise a reader, what makes a good book, the benefits of fantasy, realism, and poetry, the importance of family read aloud time, good books as good teachers, building a family library and using the public library.The second step is titled, “Best-Loved Books for Children.” This section of the book is a book list divided into the following topics: How to Use The Book List, A Child’s First Books, Picture Book Classics, More Favorite Picture Books, First Books for Beginning Readers, Classic Children’s Novels and More Great Books for Intermediate Readers, Stories for Animal Lovers, Historical Novels, Fantasy Novels, Young Adult Novels, Poetry for Pleasure, Nourishing Your Child’s Spiritual Life, and A Book List for Special Occasions.As a parent I have found this book to be indispensable resource.I look forward to using the authors other titles, “Honey for a Teen’s Heart” and “Honey for a Woman’s Heart.”

As I progressed through elementary school one thing was constant, the presence of Gladys Hunt’s “Honey for a Child’s Heart” on every teacher’s desk. The book was the “gold standard” for selecting classroom read aloud. As a new parent I remember checking out the original 1969 edition from our public library to peruse. After perusing the library copy, I purchased my own, which I am still using 12 years later.“Honey for a Child’s Heart” is a guide book for selecting quality children’s literature for children ages, 0-14 years of age. The author guides the parent through a two-step process in helping to select quality children’s literature.The first step is titled “Using Books to Help Children Grow.” The author gives a scope and sequence of what good books do, how to choose good books, how to raise a reader, what makes a good book, the benefits of fantasy, realism, and poetry, the importance of family read aloud time, good books as good teachers, building a family library and using the public library.The second step is titled, “Best-Loved Books for Children.” This section of the book is a book list divided into the following topics: How to Use The Book List, A Child’s First Books, Picture Book Classics, More Favorite Picture Books, First Books for Beginning Readers, Classic Children’s Novels and More Great Books for Intermediate Readers, Stories for Animal Lovers, Historical Novels, Fantasy Novels, Young Adult Novels, Poetry for Pleasure, Nourishing Your Child’s Spiritual Life, and A Book List for Special Occasions.As a parent I have found this book to be indispensable resource.I look forward to using the authors other titles, “Honey for a Teen’s Heart” and “Honey for a Woman’s Heart.”