How do you think kids are likely to describe their siblings? In all probability, the list of adjectives would look something like this – best friend, worst fiend, secret-keeper, suspiciously secretive, kind, kind of crazy, downright insane, insanely annoying. As they express their feelings, kids are likely to swing between great love and extreme frustration for their siblings.

That’s how sibling relationships are – intense, ever-evolving and lasting a lifetime.

Listed below are some fun books that acknowledge, explore and celebrate the many facets of this special bond. Written with a lot of heart, these books are sure to bring on the laughs and some sibling cuddles as kids read along.

1. Jack and Jill and Big Dog Bill

One snowy winter day, Jack and Jill go sledging with their big dog Bill. But things don’t go as planned once Bill spots a rabbit. A fun story with alliterations and rhymes that is perfect for young readers.

Reading Level: 1 (Grade 1) | Word Count: 173 | Page Count: 31

2. Sharing Time Troubles

Sam can’t find anything that’s good enough to take to school for show and tell. And then his troublesome little brother appears on the scene. What happens next is certainly unexpected. The simple illustrations add to the appeal of this book.

Reading Level: 1.1 (Grade 1, Month 1) | Word Count: 160 | Page Count: 29

3. Little Monster Did It!

An amusing story about how things start to go wrong when a new baby arrives at Amy’s house. Little Monster, Amy’s imaginary friend, loves her but not the baby. The mischievous monster starts to wreak havoc all over the house and Amy gets the blame.

Reading Level: 2.2 (Grade 2, Month 2) | Word Count: 539 | Page Count: 32

4. I Can Do Anything That’s Everything All on My Own

Lola is a quirky 5 years old girl with a very active imagination. She describes her older brother Charlie as ‘small and very funny’. The utterly lovable siblings from the hugely popular Charlie and Lola series deal with a whole new set of challenges when Lola decides that she wants to do everything herself.

Reading Level: 2.2 (Grade 2, Month 2) | Word Count: 424 | Page Count: 24

6. My Brother’s Famous Bottom

Award winning Jeremy Strong has written many wacky books for kids. My Brother’s Famous Bottom is no different. Nicholas’s dad has a plan to make some quick money. Nappies! Some disposable-nappy people are looking for a beautiful baby bottom for their new advert – and all Nicholas’s baby brother has to do is pass the audition. What could possibly go wrong?

Reading Level: 3.9 (Grade 3, Month 9) | Word Count: 8910 | Page Count: 86

7. The Tapper Twins Go To War (With Each Other)

The Tapper Twins series are a hilariously authentic account of what life in middle school can be like. Twelve year old twins Claudia and Reese are as different as chalk and cheese, except in their determination to top each other in a continuously escalating prank war. At some point though, the twins have to decide if their efforts are worth the price.

Reading Level: 5.4 (Grade 5, Month 4) | Word Count: 26611 | Page Count: 219

We hope you agree that these are splendid books to have your little one reading this month.

Our young readers can pick these or choose from thousands of outstanding fiction and nonfiction books including award winning books from celebrated, international authors. And we will deliver them all to your doorstep!

The post 7 Books That Celebrate Sibling Bonds appeared first on BookGuru.

Isn’t that so true! Our best memories from school are of friends and teachers who warmed our hearts and left a mark. We all have our favourite teachers. The one who believed in us, kindled a love for a subject, encouraged us to think differently, made learning fun or just loved us for who we were. Their presence in our lives was brief, but their influence on us was permanent.

We wish for our children to know such teachers and be touched by their love too. But we can’t control who our kids will meet. What we can do is introduce them to books that celebrate such teachers.

Here are some stories about wonderful teachers who were inspired by real teachers and have found their way into books. Read on to discover these beautiful gems –

My Teacher for President by Kay Winters

An adorable story of a second grader named Oliver nominating his dear teacher Mrs Robbins for the job of the President of the USA. What makes it a fun read is the parallels drawn between how the teacher manages the class and how she would run the country in quite the same way.

Alvin and the Substitute Teacher by Jodi Huelin

Another amusing read from the Chipmunks’ series. Their favourite teacher is out for the week. And now Alvin, Simon and Theodore are in for a big surprise. Colourful pictures combined with much loved characters keep the readers hooked till the very end.

Reading Level: 2.3 (Grade 2, Month 3) | Word Count: 655 | Page Count: 32

Mr. Lincoln’s Way by Patricia Polacco

Everyone loves Mr Lincoln, the coolest school principal ever. Except for ‘Mean Gene’. But then, Mean Gene is a bully and hates everyone who is different. This is a beautiful story by Patricia Polacco, of an elementary school principal who doesn’t want to give up on any of his students.

Reading Level: 3.7 (Grade 3, Month 7) | Word Count: 1761 | Page Count: 40

Mysteries According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney

Nominated for twenty-four state awards and the winner of seven, the Humphrey series is a huge hit. Humphrey loves to investigate. But it’s a true mystery when his favourite teacher, Mrs. Brisbane, goes missing. Inspired by his hero, Sherlock Holmes, he vows to solve this mystery.

Reading Level: 3.8 (Grade 3, Month 8) | Word Count: 29299| Page Count: 187

The Secret School by Avi

Ida Bidson really wants to become a teacher. For that she needs to finish 8th grade and then go on to high school. But her dreams come crashing down when her one room school in a remote Colorado town shuts down. Her only hope is to keep the school open secretly. But even a secret school needs a teacher! This is an inspiring story of courage and hope and…of shaping your own destiny.

Reading Level: 4.1 (Grade 4, Month 1) | Word Count: 24414| Page Count: 160

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Nick Allen is the class clown and Mrs. Granger is his no-nonsense English teacher. In this award winning book, Nick and Mrs. Granger lock horns over the word ‘frindle’. That’s the word Nick wants to use instead of ‘pen’. What follows quite simply exceeds everyone’s expectations.

Reading Level: 5.4 (Grade 5, Month 4) | Word Count: 16232 | Page Count: 105

There are so many books to explore!’

Our young readers can pick these or choose from thousands of outstanding fiction and nonfiction books including award winning books from celebrated, international authors. And we will deliver them all to your doorstep!

The post Teachers We Wish Were Real! appeared first on BookGuru.

Unfortunately, it’s not always obvious, but it is true.

We all know that it is ‘good’ to read. Most of us want our kids to have good reading habits. But how many of us believe that reading is ‘critical’ to our child’s academic and future success? Yes, reading for pleasure has so far been an unlikely predictor of future success.

However, studies across the globe are confirming that reading has a strong impact on student development. E.g. Timothy Bates and Stuart Ritchie, in their 50 years long research, concluded that children with higher reading and math skills end up having higher incomes. Children who read from a young age are far more likely to succeed at school and later, in the workplace.

Listed below are 5 definitive benefits of reading for all kids –

1. Higher self esteem

Kids who read well are also more knowledgeable and likely to be better at writing. This gives them more confidence in talking to their peers, answering in class and participating in classroom discussions.

2. Better concentration

Reading requires a higher level of focus and concentration. It doesn’t matter whether a child is reading about actual dinosaurs or about Tom Fletcher’s Chritmasaurus. When he/she focuses on one topic for an extended period of time, it leads to better concentration in other areas as well.

3. Stronger memory skills

Reading strengthens memory over a period of time. Even in books for young readers, one has to remember the characters, settings and overall plot. All this happens subtly while the child is enjoying the story.

4. Improved critical & analytical thinking

Mystery novels to books on bizarre facts and all books in between – encourage kids to think about what they are reading. When kids question, analyze and predict based on what they are reading, it improves their critical and analytical thinking skills.

5. Expanded vocabulary

Over time, words that kids read in books will definitely make their way into their conversations. Reading words in context of the sentence, helps organically improve vocabulary even if kids aren’t looking up the words in the dictionary.

Reading for pleasure and reading with pleasure are both equally important. Such readers are called engaged readers. They are the ones who benefit the most from their reading efforts.

At BookGuru, we are committed to ensuring that all our readers grow into engaged readers.

We add new books to the library every week. We pick the very best books across genres, including award winning books from around the globe. These books are sure to foster curiosity, imagination, language skills and vocabulary.

Additionally, at BookGuru, not only do we ensure that the books your child is reading at his/her reading level, but we also monitor (very closely!) how well your child has understood each book read. All this whilst always focusing on getting your child excited about reading!

We look forward to hearing from you.

The post 5 Reasons Why Reading is so Importrant for Academic Success appeared first on BookGuru.