The benefits of reading together

On 14 October 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and the rest of the gang began their adventures around the Hundred Acre Wood. A A Milne and E H Shepard's classic characters have been much loved across generations because the stories are enjoyable no matter what your age.

Winnie-the-Pooh features on the Kumon Recommended Reading list under the Read Together section. In honour of the first publication, we thought we'd explore a few other books that can be fun for all the family.

The stories you read to your child are their first introduction to the world of books and can demonstrate how fun reading can be. Taking the time to sit with your child and delve into a fun book is not only a great way to bond and share enjoyment of an activity together, but is also a great way to encourage the habit of reading. So here are a few suggestions to get you started.



Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's 'The Gruffalo' tells the story of a mouse who takes a stroll through the deep, dark, woods. On his journey he encounters several dangerous animals but uses his cunning to escape potential trouble, eventually meeting the Gruffalo himself!

'Dr Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!' An interesting and fun way to share the learning of letters with your child, Dr Seuss's alphabet is filled with weird and wonderful animals to educate and entertain.

'Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type', by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. Farmer Brown can hardly believe his ears when he discovers that his herd of cows can type! Then he finds out they are typing him an ultimatum.

Lynley Dodd's rhyming classic 'Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy' follows Hairy and his canine friends on a walk through town. All is going swimmingly until they encounter the terrifying Scarface Claw!

If this isn't enough inspiration, have a look at the Kumon Recommended Reading List's Read Together section for a host of books designed to be read aloud.