Common Sense Media Review
By Karen Wirsing
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Multi-language library opens new doors for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
What's It About?
With a growing collection from around the world, the International Children's Library invites kids to grow their world through online reading. The library's multilingual books are age-rated and include a variety of genres (folktales, classics, nonfiction, etc.). The library also focuses on translations, offering most books in more than one language (one book is offered in 13 languages).
Is It Any Good?
CHILDRENSLIBRARY.ORG has been acknowledged as one of the top 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning by the American Association of School Librarians. The foundation encourages complete tolerance and acceptance of diversity and was created to offer people access to books in their native language. As more and more families relocate internationally, they no longer have access to books from their homelands. Also, language barriers flourish causing stunts to pedagogical growth. According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization), "children learn best in their mother tongue." Chidlrenslibrary.org offers a wide array of prose in many languages, introducing children to mythology, poetry, plays, short stories and much more. The books are easily accessible because of the site's great search tools that are broken down into many categories.
While this online library doesn't offer the newest best-sellers, it overflows with international locales, spell-binding stories, fascinating characters, and exciting languages that provide something for everyone. It's an excellent resource for parents who want to expose their kids to diverse cultures and languages, and for families who speak more than one language.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the various cultures and places they read about. How is a particular culture similar to yours, and how is it different?
Families can also talk about where to find different books -- from brick-and-mortar libraries, to sites like Childrenslibrary.org, to book apps on mobile devices.
Website Details
- Subjects : Social Studies : cultural understanding , global awareness , Language & Reading : letter or word recognition , reading , reading comprehension
- Skills : Responsibility & Ethics : embracing differences , honoring the community , respect for others
- Genre : Educational
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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