Trains, Planes and Automobiles
Trains, planes and automobiles, or, more collectively, transport, is another theme featured often in children's stories. Boys especially tend to relate to tales about machinery of all kinds. I won't delve into the differences between the sexes or bother to debate pros and cons of gender specific books. To say boys identify with moving vehicles is a general statement. There will always be girls who love them equally as much as boys do, but if you're looking for ways to inspire your own kids to read, start right here. For sheer range of reading material, transport is a winner. From the smallest toys, inline skates and skateboards, through to trains, jumbo jets and massive trucks, you'll keep their attention snagged.
A popular choice for younger children and babies are thick-paged books about vehicles with cute faces and names like Trevor the steam train, Sally the sea ferry, Harriet the helicopter and Freddy the fire engine. Thomas the Tank Engine books fall into this category, plus a plethora of similar titles. The number of books available shows the interest at this age level, as publishers should provide your local book store with a wide range. The library is another place to discover your kids favourites. Even when they reach school age, these same themes will fascinate.
You might need to search further as their reading skills improve for books with transport and vehicle themes. Stretch your mind a little and include stories about journeys and travel adventures. A good story time choice to read aloud might be Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. In fact, many Jules Verne tales focus on travel and journeys. There are several non-fiction titles sure to keep them reading if you find it hard to locate good fiction. Try history of transport and biographies on those who invented the machines and vehicles. They'll be just as interested in how people used to get around as they are in what's zooming by their window today.
Don't forget about ships and all the varied types of vessels sailing the oceans and waterways of the world. This can be a doorway into reading about other cultures and ways people earn a living. There's also the subject of shipwrecks and salvaging treasure from the bottom of the ocean. Books on the Titanic alone should keep them reading for a long time. Another popular choice for more reluctant readers are the fantastic Stephen Beisty's Cross-sections books.
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