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Now in its 4th edition, Gladys Hunt’s book has encouraged thousands of families to reap the benefits of quality literature. Gladys wrote Honey for a Child’s Heart to help others experience the same influence that reading books both separately and together has had on her family. In the first section of this book, she offers advice on “using books to help children grow.” Through the chapters in this section she emphasizes the way that quality literature affects children, provides tips on raising a reader, helps you learn how to select good books and stories for your children, and discusses the merits of reading aloud together. She also explores in depth the question “What Makes a Good Book?” and discusses fantasy vs. realism and poetry before talking about the influences on your children from various sources. Gladys also provides a chapter in this section encouraging family Bible reading, warmly sharing on how to integrate it into your daily life and why it is so important. The second half of this volume, aptly sub-titled “Books your children should have the opportunity to enjoy,” features lists of quality literature for different age levels and interests. These lists are organized by author and then title with brief descriptions of each book. Thirteen chapters recommend books for children age 0-3; picture book classics and more favorite picture books for 4-8 year olds; first books for beginning readers, classic children’s novels, more great books for intermediate readers, stories for animal lovers, historical novels, and fantasy novels, all geared towards 9-12 year olds; young adult novels for ages 12-14; and worthwhile poetry, Bible and Christian truths storybooks, and books for special occasions. 251 pgs. ~ Steph

Customer Reviews

 
Cindy R. from Hickory, NC wrote the following on 01/11/2009:
Honey for a Child's Heart is a must have for the homeschooling family. It breaks down books by age and type, and explains why she chose each book based on its merit. I needed a guide to figure out which books were acceptable, quality literature worth reading that would instill a love of literature in my kids, without having to read each of the books all my kids were reading in advance. This book did exactly that. It put a tool into my hands that allowed me to be comfortable choosing books without personally reading them when time to do so was an issue. I can choose knowing that I have been informed of the positive and negative points of the recommended books.

 
Kathy A. from Southeast Wisconsin wrote the following on 04/25/2012:
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.”