Encourage Challenged Readers with These Helpful Combos!

"If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk," writes author Laura Joffe Numeroff in her best-selling children's book (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie). In the same vein, if you give a child a book, there is a very good chance she will ask for another.

Books are priceless gifts that open doors to children that they might not otherwise have opened to them. Stories teach important lessons, provide escape to faraway lands and introduce children to characters that inspire and remain in their hearts for years to come. So, when it is time to think of a great gift for a child you love, think no further than a favorite book to help him remember your special thoughtfulness. Whether it is to commemorate a birthday, the Holiday Season or other important event, give a book, and chances are, you will hear about your gift often and for a long time to come.

You may wonder, "But what about a child who struggles to read or has challenges that make reading more difficult for him?" Please don't stop thinking about books as worthy gifts if this is the case. In fact, giving a book to a child with a reading challenge like dyslexia or other LD such as ADHD, autism, etc., can actually provide you with an opportunity to present an audio-book or a traditional selection accompanied by helpful reading tools. So, don't hesitate to consider the gift of one of these options that will make a child of any age smile.

Consider choosing a title with a main character that struggles with the very same reading challenge the child experiences. There are more children's books than ever before that demonstrate just how to manage and even overcome many reading and learning issues. Some attack dyslexia or ADHD head on while others infer an academic or other struggle. Whatever the case, when a child reads about a character who experiences the same issues and feelings he has, it can be the first step to helping to deal with that issue. Combine the title with helpful tools or reading aids, and you have an ideal gift option for a child who wants to read and learn with more success.

During this Holiday Season, we have gathered together a very special grouping of favorite children's selections for a variety of age groups to help you with gift giving. With books like these that are paired with innovative reading tools, not only will you be encouraging a child to read, but you will also help provide support, enjoyment, inspiration and improved self-esteem for that child. Of course, being a genuine supporter of literacy and life-long learning will be a wonderful benefit, as well. And there is always the very good chance that the child will ask for another book to read just like the mouse with the cookie and the glass of milk. Happy "Reading" Holidays, everyone!

Book & Tool Gift Sets for Challenged Readers/Learners

- Clementine (ages 6-8) by Sara Pennypacker

- My Name is Brain Brian (ages 8-12) by Jeanne Betancourt

- My Mouth Is a Volcano! (ages 5-8) by Julia Cook

- Tom's Special Talent - Dyslexia (ages 5-7) by Kate Gaynor

- Fish in a Tree (ages 10+) by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

- The Alphabet War: A Story about Dyslexia (ages 5-7) by Diane Burton Robb

- The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 1) (ages 9+) R. Riordan

- It's Called Dyslexia (Live and Series) (ages 6-9) by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos

For more information on customizable reading tools for ADHD and/or dyslexia, please visit: FocusandRead.com ---Tools for challenged readers of all ages!

Image courtesy of: Brennan Innovators, LLC and Amazon.com