#先讓孩子愛上閱讀，再談教育意義
「捨棄實用性的繪本，選擇有趣的。真正能讓孩子喜歡的書，大人也會樂在其中。如果不了解孩子們為什麼喜歡那些圖畫書，自然無法走進他們的世界。」
若家長希望孩子能真心喜歡閱讀，就必須讓他們有機會接觸他們真正感興趣的書籍。
試想一下，孩子平時讀的中文圖書，是否曾讓他們哈哈大笑？他們是否曾對某一本繪本愛不釋手、反覆翻看？
調查顯示，年幼兒童最喜歡的圖書類型，第一名是「有趣、幽默，能讓他們開懷大笑的書」，而不是富含教育意義的書。
因此，若要培養孩子的閱讀習慣，首先要讓他們在閱讀中建立快樂且正面的回憶。唯有曾經從閱讀中感受到喜悅，孩子才會對閱讀產生好感，進而願意主動閱讀。
所以我家裡添置了大量爆笑漫畫，還有一些沒有明確教育意義、天馬行空、搞怪好玩的中文書。
每當我看到女兒在無聊時主動拿起中文書來看，甚至在閱讀消遣類書籍時發出「哈哈哈」的笑聲，我就更堅信自己做對了。
有時我也理解，為什麼很多海外孩子更偏好閱讀英文圖書，而非中文圖書。
不妨看看當前在海外孩子中最流行的圖書系列：《Captain Underpants》、《Dog Man》、《The Bad Guys》、《The Story Treehouse》、《Cat Kid》、《Wimpy Kid》……這些書大多無厘頭、輕鬆、搞笑。從華人家長的角度來看，可能會覺得這些書「沒有教育意義」。但事實真是如此嗎？
這類書的語句簡短易懂、插圖幽默、節奏明快，能讓孩子在歡笑中輕鬆閱讀，逐步建立自主閱讀的信心與習慣。能讓孩子主動開心地去看書，這本身就是極有意義的事。
身為前線教育工作者，從現實的角度來看：孩子必須先有閱讀能力與習慣，才能進一步接觸更有深度與品味的書籍。
我見過不少香港家長，為孩子精挑細選各種圖書，家中書架滿滿是《唐詩三百首》、《知識小百科》、《寓言精選》、《情緒啟蒙故事》、《品格成長系列》、《世界經典文學》、《語文學習叢書》等等。
但請家長們扪心自問：這些書，真的能吸引你們的孩子閱讀嗎？
當然，有些優秀繪本確實能結合藝術美感、文學素養、品德情意、人文關懷與人生哲理，又同時保有趣味性，這類書固然值得大力支持，也能達到「寓教於樂」的效果。
但問題是：**圖書一定要「有教育功能」才值得孩子閱讀嗎？**孩子是否僅靠這類圖書，就能愛上閱讀嗎？這一點，我個人抱持保留態度。
例如，《愛心樹》這類經典繪本與一本純搞笑漫畫相比，哪一本更容易吸引年幼孩子反覆閱讀？哪一本更能讓他們想理解文字內容？
雖然華人教育強調「文以載道」，但對於在海外學習中文的孩子來說，開心、輕鬆的閱讀經驗，往往比任何教育意義更能激發興趣。
我時常收到家長的訊息，說孩子不愛看中文書。可當我詢問家裡已有的書單時，常常不禁心想：如果我是孩子，我也不會想看這些書。
當然，市面上也有不少既富有文學性、又不失趣味性，甚至能在潛移默化中達到教育目的的好書，我自己家裡也買了很多。
所以我並不是否定「教育性」圖書的價值，而是希望當孩子遲遲未能養成閱讀習慣時，家長能從另一個角度思考：我們是否選對了能吸引孩子的書？
#別把圖書當作解決問題的萬靈丹
#不要賦予圖書過多的額外功能
#記得首要目的是「先讓孩子愛上閱讀」
在幫女兒挑選圖書時，我一定會避開太過直白或說教意味濃厚的書。
（我私下常覺得這類書是為家長設計來「買」的，而不是為孩子設計來「看」的。）
每當看到這類書，我心中總有幾個問號：
這些問題真的能透過幾本書就解決嗎？
孩子幾天後是否就「打回原形」？
年紀稍大的孩子是否能察覺家長其實是在「借書發表教育立場」？
他們真的愛看這些書嗎？
除非家長自己也非常喜歡這類書，能看得津津有味、熱情投入地與孩子共讀，否則我建議家長還是慎選。如果真想透過繪本輔助教養，就應選擇教育意義潛藏其中、但趣味性強的優質繪本。
因為要培養孩子對中文閱讀的興趣，應該從孩子的視角出發，選擇他們覺得好玩、好看的書，而不是以大人的標準去判斷。
而且我始終相信：凡事太用力，反而會產生反效果。我們越希望孩子透過閱讀學習，就越不能急功近利地關注「閱讀的收穫」。
閱讀的第一步，應該是「喜歡上閱讀」；不是要求孩子「為了學習」而去閱讀。
如果在孩子尚未建立閱讀習慣時，家長就急於要求每一本書都要有「教育意義」，而忽略與孩子一起輕鬆、無壓力地享受閱讀過程，是很難讓他們真正愛上閱讀的。
我始終相信，一旦孩子建立起閱讀習慣、從中獲得樂趣，他們自然會從不同類型的書中吸收知識、理解世界、領悟人生。
因此，挑書時不必一味追求「寓意深遠、教育功能強」的書。我們也應該挑選孩子真正喜歡的書。
只要他們養成閱讀習慣，將來自然會逐漸接觸到更多元的書籍。根本不用擔心他們學會閱讀之後，會永遠只停留在「無意義」的娛樂類書籍上。
相反地，我更把這些幽默趣味的書，視為孩子邁向自主閱讀的重要墊腳石。
可惜的是，這類中文書目前數量仍不夠多。雖然比以前豐富了一些，但整體中文圖書市場仍然以「教育性」為主、「趣味性」為輔。
很多家長願意花錢購買教材、百科全書、文學經典、寓意故事等，卻常常下意識抗拒購買單純娛樂、輕鬆搞笑的中文書。
若家長能放下「圖書必須具備教育功能」的觀念，願意為孩子挑選那些他們真正想看的中文書，或許就能讓孩子更容易從中獲得正面的閱讀體驗，進而愛上閱讀本身。
Cultivating a Child’s Reading Habit
“Choose picture books that are fun, not just educational. The books that truly capture children’s hearts are also enjoyable for adults. If we don’t understand why kids love certain picture books, we’ll never be able to enter their world.”
If parents want their children to genuinely enjoy reading, they must give them the opportunity to engage with books they’re truly interested in.
Think about it: have the Chinese books your child reads ever made them laugh out loud? Have they ever clung to a picture book, flipping through it again and again?
Studies show that young children’s favorite books are those that are funny and make them laugh, not necessarily those with an obvious educational purpose.
So, if we want to foster a reading habit, we must first help children create joyful and positive memories around reading. Only when they’ve experienced true delight through books will they develop a fondness for reading—and a willingness to read on their own.
That’s why I’ve filled our home with hilarious comics and quirky, fun, whimsical Chinese books that don’t necessarily have a strong educational message.
Every time I see my daughter pick up a Chinese book on her own when she’s bored—or hear her burst out laughing while reading something silly—it reinforces my belief that I’m on the right path.
Sometimes I understand why many overseas children prefer reading English books over Chinese ones.
Just look at some of the most popular series among kids abroad: Captain Underpants, Dog Man, The Bad Guys, The Story Treehouse, Cat Kid, Wimpy Kid… These are all silly, light-hearted, humorous books. From a traditional Chinese parenting perspective, they might seem “lacking in educational value.” But is that really the case?
These books have simple language, funny illustrations, and fast-paced plots. They help children read effortlessly and joyfully, gradually building their confidence and independence as readers. The fact that kids are excited and willing to read on their own—that alone is deeply meaningful.
As an educator on the front lines, I view things practically: children must first develop reading ability and a reading habit before they can engage with deeper and more refined literature.
I’ve seen many Hong Kong parents carefully select books for their children—shelves filled with Three Hundred Tang Poems, Little Encyclopedias, Fables, Emotional Intelligence Stories, Character Education Series, World Literary Classics, Language Learning Series, and so on.
But I urge parents to reflect honestly: do these books genuinely appeal to your children?
Of course, there are excellent picture books out there that combine aesthetic beauty, literary quality, character-building, humanistic values, and philosophical depth, while still being entertaining. These are definitely worth buying and reading with your kids, as they achieve the ideal of “learning through fun.”
But here’s the real question: Must a book have “educational value” to be worth reading? Can children fall in love with reading through such books alone? Personally, I remain skeptical.
Take The Giving Tree, for example—an acclaimed picture book. Compared to a pure comedy comic book, which one is more likely to be read over and over by a young child? Which one sparks their curiosity to understand the text?
While traditional Chinese education emphasizes “literature with moral purpose,” for children learning Chinese abroad, happy and relaxed reading experiences often ignite more interest than any educational message ever could.
I often receive messages from parents saying their children don’t enjoy reading Chinese books. But when I ask what kinds of books they have at home, I can’t help but think: If I were a child, I wouldn’t want to read those either.
Of course, there are many Chinese books out there that combine literary quality with fun and even subtly deliver moral lessons—I’ve bought a lot of them myself.
So I’m not denying the value of “educational” books. Rather, I hope that when a child hasn’t yet formed a reading habit, parents can pause and consider: Are we picking the right books—ones that truly attract our child’s attention?
#BooksAreNotMagicSolutions
#Don’tOverloadBooksWithTooManyExpectations
#TheFirstGoalIsToSparkLoveForReading
When selecting books for my daughter, I deliberately avoid those that are too preachy or overtly moralistic.
(Privately, I often feel such books are designed more for parents to buy than for children to enjoy.)
When I come across these books, I always have a few doubts:
Can these problems really be solved just by reading a few books?
Will kids “revert to old habits” after a few days?
Will older kids sense that their parents are “using books to make a point”?
Do they really enjoy reading these?
Unless a parent genuinely enjoys such books and can read them with excitement and enthusiasm alongside their child, I suggest choosing more carefully. If you want to use picture books to assist in parenting, then choose quality books where the moral lessons are embedded, but the fun is front and center.
Because to foster an interest in Chinese reading, we must start from the child’s perspective—choose books they find fun and enjoyable, not what adults think is “good for them.”
I firmly believe: the harder you push, the more likely you’ll encounter resistance. The more we want our kids to learn through reading, the less we should focus on immediate “gains” from it.
The first step in reading is simply to like reading—not to read for the sake of learning.
If we rush to expect every book to have an “educational value” before a child even enjoys reading, and ignore the importance of sharing relaxed, pressure-free reading experiences, then it’s unlikely they’ll ever develop a love for reading.
I truly believe that once a child builds a reading habit and starts to find joy in it, they will naturally absorb knowledge, understand the world, and gain insight from various types of books.
So when choosing books, we don’t need to focus solely on those with “deep meaning” or “strong educational value.” We should also select books that children genuinely love.
As long as they develop a reading habit, they’ll gradually explore more diverse genres. There’s no need to worry that once they learn to read, they’ll only stick to “meaningless” entertainment books.
On the contrary, I see those humorous, silly books as crucial stepping stones to independent reading.
The unfortunate reality is that there still aren’t enough such Chinese books available. While the selection is better than before, the Chinese book market is still heavily skewed toward “educational” over “entertaining.”
Many parents are willing to spend on textbooks, encyclopedias, classics, or moral stories, yet instinctively avoid buying light, funny, purely entertaining Chinese books.
But if parents could let go of the belief that “books must have educational function,” and instead select books their children actually want to read, perhaps they would be giving their kids a far better chance at a positive, lasting reading experience—and ultimately, a lifelong love of reading.