One way to get your child interested in books is to share some of your favorite books from when you were a child. Your child will pick up on your enthusiasm and will be excited to hear about when you were a child. Books such as "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak and "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein have been among the favorites for many generations.
From "Green Eggs and Ham" to "The Cat in the Hat," Dr. Seuss books are favorites of children. Dr. Seuss books relate fun stories and are easy to read. Your child will develop favorites that will be read again and again. The best part about Dr. Seuss books is that there are more than 40 different books to choose from, including other favorites such as "Oh the Places You Will Go," "Fox in Socks" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
Many children's stories have been turned into movies. Connecting the idea that a movie has been based off a book is something interesting to children. Suggest that before you watch a movie together, you read the book or story first. Many children's movies are based on books such as "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Chronicles of Narnia."
Older children may be aware of Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling and the blockbuster movies, or have heard of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books by Jeff Kinney. Use these popular sources to get your child interested in reading. The Harry Potter books can be intimidating because of their size. Make an agreement to share the reading responsibility with your child. For example, you read a chapter out loud and then the child will read a chapter. There are seven books in the Harry Potter series, all with a backdrop of wizardry and magic. "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" is an easier-to-read book that combines cartoon art, a diary and a story all into one fun read. There are currently five books in the "Diary" series.