the Ministry of Education believes it is very important for families with young children to read together daily.

She has compiled the following tips on home reading: 1. Finding Good Books It is important for children to learn where to find good books. Parents need to show their children how to do this. The library, book clubs, school book fairs, and garage sales are great places to begin your shared search.

2. Using Books Without Words It is important to share a wordless book with your child in order to create a story together, develop thoughts into complete sentences, and learn the relationship between pictures and the story told.

3. Reading Aloud to Your Child It is important to read aloud to your child for the following reasons: It helps to develop a love of reading.

It helps your child learn the language of books.

It helps your child understand how stories are put together, with beginnings, middles, and ends.

It helps your child predict what will happen in a story.

4. Choosing Appropriate Books It is important to choose appropriate books so that your child will develop a love for reading. For help finding just the right books, speak to your child's teacher and a librarian. Remember, your child can make books, with your help.

5. Introducing a New Book to Your Child It is important to give your child the right support before reading a new book. This allows your child to use the pictures and language he or she needs to read the book.

6. Listening to Your Child Read It is important to listen to your child read so that he or she can become a better reader. Listening to your child read should be a shared, enjoyable activity.

7. Demonstrate the Purposefulness of Reading Together Read recipes.

Explore television guides, maps, food menus.

Review newspaper articles.

Read and discuss school notices.

Compare food labels when shopping.

Ms Todd-Wynn advised, "After reading with your child talk about the story.

Were there surprises? What did you like best about the characters or the happenings or the endings? Did the story remind you of any other story or of things that have happened to you? Ask your child to retell the story in his/her own words.'' Darnell Todd-Winn MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP