Insights on raising kids that love to read with Maya Lé

In our latest Insight Series, we spoke with Maya Lé, an elementary school teacher, artist, and mom to talk about educational resources for kids, plus all things motherhood! Maya revealed her incredible knowledge on how to foster a love for reading, her favorite kids books, and so much more. Keep reading to learn Maya’s advice on how to educate and engage your little ones!

Congrats on your new pregnancy with baby number two! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?

My name is Maya Lé, and I am the Creator of MaiStoryBook. MaiStoryBook is a social
media platform, YouTube Channel, and blog with the goal of providing educational
resources and curated children’s book recommendations to inspire a new generation of
readers and leaders.

On Instagram, @maistorybooklibrary, I share curated collections of diverse and inclusive children’s books. My hope is that every child will be able to find a book that reflects their own identity. I also believe it’s important for children to see that other children, who are different than them, can be the heroes and heroines of the books they read as well.

On YouTube, I share interactive read aloud videos to model how to engage children in conversation throughout a story, and on my blog I feature book collections and bookish craft templates inspired by some of my favorite books.

Can you share what initially sparked your passion for sharing children’s books?

During undergrad, I worked for Jumpstart, an early childhood intervention program where I worked with preschoolers. Part of the training included how to implement shared-reading, which is when children are actively and verbally engaged in the read aloud as well. This inspired me to start my YouTube channel to create read aloud videos to model for teachers and parents how to implement an interactive, shared-reading
read aloud.

Then, I began to share the books I recommended and was reading to my own class on IG, and soon I began sharing more specific children’s book recommendations, with the goal of sharing more diverse and inclusive books for underrepresented populations.

"Reading aloud is one of the most effective ways to inspire a love for reading. This makes reading a social activity, and children learn to associate reading with joy and connection"

What strategies do you find most effective in encouraging children to develop a love for reading?

Reading aloud is one of the most effective ways to inspire a love for reading. This makes reading a social activity, and children learn to associate reading with joy and connection, and for children who are not reading yet, this is the best way to introduce them to the wonders of reading.

But even if your child can read on their own, it’s important to continue reading aloud to not only foster that love for reading, but to also support your child’s reading and comprehension development as children can comprehend stories that are higher than their current reading level.

For older children, you can read aloud chapter books, or even continue to read aloud picture books as I believe picture books are relevant for all ages.

How do you handle reluctant readers or children who struggle with reading?

In this case, I also recommend incorporating more read alouds. This way, children are still building their comprehension skills and are learning to associate reading with pleasure. Also, involve children in selecting what they read. This could look like trips to the library or bookstore and letting them choose any book they want, even if it is one that doesn’t match their reading level. Graphic novels for older readers are also a great way to hook kids on reading.

What role do parents play in fostering a reading habit at home, and how do you involve them in the process?

I always share with parents that if you want your kids to read, it’s important that they see you reading as well. Kids pick up on what their parents do, so it’s important to be a reading model for them. Schedule in family reading time or a weekly family book club time. Set up snacks while you read, or read aloud a chapter book together so everyone in the home is invested in the story.

Another big predictor of a child growing up to be a reader is the accessibility of books around the home. Put book baskets not only in the bedroom, but also in the living room, on the breakfast counter, in the car, in the bathroom, pack some on the go when you are out and about. When children have access to books all around them, they are more likely to pick them up and read them!

And don’t forget to make use of the local library. There’s no need to buy a bunch of new books. Borrow them from the library, and make it a fun outing to return books and switch them out for new ones.

How do you integrate modern technology, like ebooks, audiobooks, reading apps, or educational games into your reading programs, and do you see benefits or challenges in doing so?

I think audiobooks are excellent for all ages! Especially for kids, it’s a great way to incorporate more read alouds throughout their day as they can listen even when you are busy. For example, audiobooks in the car are a great idea. By listening to a story, children are building their listening skills, comprehension skills, and visualization skills. Ebooks such as those on a Kindle or iPad are also a great way to access more books more easily.

Reading apps or educational games can be useful if they have a read-to-me/read aloud function so kids can read along independently. I try to make sure they are not over-stimulating and simply reading the story in an engaging way. The challenge with some reading apps and games is that they can deter from the actual reading and engagement with the story if there are too many interactive or play elements involved.

"I always share with parents that if you want your kids to read, it’s important that they see you reading as well."

What are some of your favorite books or authors for children, and why do you recommend them?

Joanna Ho (Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, One Day) and Michelle Sterling (Maribel’s Year, When Lola Visits) are two of my favorite picture book authors. Both are Asian American authors, and I appreciate the Asian representation in their stories as Asians are underrepresented in kidlit. But the themes and messages in their books – such as self-love, cultural pride, intergenerational bonds, and family love – are universal and
applicable to all children. They also both have the most lyrical, and beautiful writing style that evokes vivid imagery in your imagination.

For social emotional learning (SEL) books, my favorite series is the Big Bright Feelings Series by Tom Percival. The books feature a diverse cast of characters, and cover social-emotional topics such as anxiety, disappointment, self-esteem, anger, making friends, honesty, and a growth mindset. The back of each book includes applicable steps children can use when they experience similar emotions or situations, and the stories feature highly relatable situations that littles will connect to.

As for illustrators, one of my favorites is Dan Santat (Beekle, Drawn Together, After the Fall). His character development and the character expressions are unmatched, and he has a whimsical, magical, and humorous style. His illustrations bring the story to life in a whole new way!

What has being a mom taught you about children’s education?

Right now my oldest is two years old, and I think for really little children, they learn most through movement and play. Throughout the day, I try my best to provide my toddler opportunities to explore outdoors and to take risks, such as climbing ladders and structures. I’ve also learned that children grow and develop on completely different timelines, so it’s important not to compare your child’s development to that of another child.

What do you think is coming up in the future for you and MaiStoryBook?

As my own little grows older, and with a newborn on the way, I’d love to share more book and play activities, pairing picture books with crafts, games, and activities to extend the story beyond the book. It will also be fun to start sharing more chapter book recommendations as I start to read aloud more of them to my toddler. It’s also been a dream of mine to potentially start a small preschool and to nurture a love for reading and play with a small group of children once my toddler is old enough. Another goal is to write and illustrate my own picture book one day.

Maya Lé is an elementary school teacher, artist, and mom of soon-to-be two little ones. Stay connected with Maya through her Instagram handle @maistorybooklibrary.