Growing Up and Growing Older: Books for Young Readers

Early children's literature plays a major role in attitude formation. The attitudes children form about aging will play an important role in how successfully they age. This annotated booklist strives to promote positive attitudes about aging and counteract ageism. It is a compilation of carefully selected early children's literature (Preschool-Third Grade) that contains meaningful portrayals of older adults, promotes positive aging, and promotes aging with optimism. Books on the booklist portray aging as a natural and lifelong process of growing and developing, present similarities between young and old, show young and old enjoying each other and learning from each other, and view older adults as valuable and contributing members of society. They help prepare children to live a long life in an aging world. They assist children to see aging as an opportunity, think in terms of "lifespan activities"--things they do now and can continue to do as an older adult, and explore the older adult they would like to be. The booklist includes a listing of the author's favorite books, over 80 topical listings (e.g., intergenerational learning, intergenerational friendships, family history, lifelong learning, exercise, work, retirement, volunteering, centenarians, special messages, music, art) and a multicultural listing of books that illustrate racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. The booklist, with additional resources, can also be located at http://library.lmunet.edu/booklist and at the Old School Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse https://oldschool.info under “Tools”. Read to children! Read books from the booklist. In the words of Dr. Seuss “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read to a child.”