Author: Kids should read about reality
CHILDREN’S WRITER DEE WHITE ADVISES PARENTS TO READ TO THEIR CHILDREN
Parents have to set an example if they want their children to develop the reading habit, says Australian children’s writer Dee White.
In the UAE to conduct storytelling workshops for children at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), White is the author of 18 books.
“Parents are role models for children. For children to read, parents have to read at home every day and more importantly, parents should read to children from a very early age and keep reading to them even when they grow up. That way, you develop an atmosphere of reading and learning at home,” said White, speaking to Gulf News ahead of her workshop on Tuesday evening.
‘Stories shape personalities’
White started writing children’s fiction as a young mother trying to tell her children stories. Interestingly, she continues to read to them even though they are young adults now.
“What we do in our family is choose a book to read together: it’s so much fun. I have two boys who are now 20 and 22 and we read together. We ■ take turns reading the chapters, then we talk about it. This way, we also spend more time with each other,” White said.
Apart from developing the reading habit, helping children choose the right kind of books is very important, said White, whose latest book K9 Heroes — based on real stories about dogs rescuing people in emergency situations — is out now and available at SIBF.
“Children should grow up learning the right things about the world around them. I like to write stories about the human spirit and its triumph over adversity, and acts of kindness; it is important that children read such stories,” said White.
While there is varied literature available these days for young adults and children, with a focus on humour, fun, and fantasy literature, there is very little about the real world, she noted.
“Some of the books are being published because they will sell well. For publishers, it’s mostly about making money,” she said, adding that reality-based stories and inspirational books are important for children to develop balanced personalities.
“Good stories allow children to explore who they are. One of the reasons I wanted to write the book about Muslims who saved Jewish children in the Second World War was because we have a lot of racial prejudice against different communities in our societies,” White said, referring to her upcoming book.