Good day humans! Since I am Bingo, the Mighty Adventurer, I wanted to propose a topic for debate.
It has come to my attention that I may write "too big" for some kids in my book Bingo's Big Adventure. There have not been many humans complaining, but I still wanted to talk about this subject since it is on the top of my feline mind. The Tall Lady has mentioned to me that a very small number of reviews have talked about this fact.
Just for the record, I am a smart cat! I like words. And if you want your kids to learn new words, let them hang out with me. There is an excellent study you could also read about how important new words are to kids HERE.
While I appear casual and relaxed for my daily grooming, I am really thinking of new words that should be introduced to children. I want kids to have a BIG vocabulary. It makes their minds grow!
As I lay between the corn rows contemplating what new words I could use, I reflect upon the plants growth which rockets to the sky. It was not long ago that I was taller than the corn . . . but I digress.
I was thinking about the fact that the famous children's book writer, Bill Peet used HUGE words in his books and I have not heard criticism of his work. Heck there are many, many, many other authors who include vocabulary enriching text in their works.
So what's the big deal about ME using some good words mixed with those kids already know?
I think kids get bored after a while with the same "ole" word set. For most kids my book will seamlessly merge into the family library. For other kids who are not quite ready for my word empowerment, then the adult humans should wait until those kids are a little bigger before letting them dig into my thoughts!
It's possible that a 3 year old may not be able to sit through my book, but I know MANY who already do! So as a human parent, your job is to gauge when the time is appropriate to introduce the bigger worded books to your little humans. On the other end of the spectrum, I have watched some 7 and 8 year old medium sized humans tear through my book and absorb the new words with fervor!
So with all things, parents are crucial in implementing a reading program that broadens children's exposure to new words. The sooner the better is what the Tall Lady always says.
I guess my parting thought is if you want your kids to grow their minds, read books like Bingo's Big Adventure to them. If you like the comfort zone, my book may not be right for you. But I still hold the hope that you change your mind . . .