Beyond Harry Potter: five books you can enjoy together as a whole family

Most adults are well aware of the benefits that come with reading with children.

Storytime with kids can improve their literacy and develop their communication skills .

Research also shows children love being read to even up until young adulthood.

Beyond well-known classics such as Harry Potter, it can be challenging to find stories that everyone in the family wants to read together.

Parents might default to books they loved when they were younger.

But this means families may be missing out on some great stories published more recently.

Read more: Book Week is not just for big kids.

How to engage babies and toddlers at storytime Why you should keep reading with older children Some parents might feel there’s not much benefit in reading aloud with older children once they have learnt to read for themselves.

However, research suggests children gain confidence and reading skills when their parents continue to read with them during older childhood.

Adults can also help shape a positive attitude towards reading in their children.

Read more: Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read Parents reading aloud with older children can also help improve their pronunciation of words .

Regular storytime sessions create opportunities for families to bond too.

Choosing books for family reading When selecting books, it’s great to choose a range of diverse-voice titles.

Research shows when children read about characters different to themselves they develop greater awareness of other ways of living and being.