An author creates a TONE within his or her story, based on the purpose of the book.    Some authors write mysteries of intrigue to keep us guessing, other write to inspire and give hope, and other write simply to entertain and bring joy. In literature, tone is the attitude that a narrator or author takes towards a given subject.  Some examples of literary tone are:  comic, encouraging, funny, inspirational, informative, ironic, light, playful, sad or solemn, scary, or serious. An author’s tone affects our moods.

While tone is all about the author, mood is all about the reader. Mood is how a book makes the reader feel, the overall feeling the reader has after reading the story (yourdictionary.com).   The tone of a book (or a movie) can put us, the readers (or watchers) in a certain mood.

You get it, it’s just like picking a series to watch on TV.   There are certain “dark” shows that I simply don’t want to watch because they will put me in a bad mood; that is tone affecting mood. I think this can be a key concept for us as parents or grandparents to be cognizant of as we select books for our children to read.

There are some days where our littles loves may just seem “down”.  These are the days when a silly Dr. Zeus story may be just the ticket, something that can get them out of their own minds and into the creative, rhyming world of magical creatures.

On other days, our children may be curious and energetic with questions about how things work.  These may be the opportunities for books with information and processes, stories about machines, the planets, the oceans or animals of the earth.

After church on a Sunday afternoon, there may be an opportunity for Biblical stories of faith, stories with inspirational tones.  If the tone has been set, use the opportunity wisely.

On those days when our little ones come home from pre-school or school feeling frustrated or over-whelmed, we can choose stories with characters who overcome problems and persevere, with tones of hope.  The Little Engine That Could is an example of this.

If there’s an issue with self-esteem or relationships, there are books about being a good friend, a good listener, or how to deal with bullies.  These are informational but at the same time can offer encouragement and problem solving strategies.

There’s a book that can help our kids deal with almost any issue!

I think we need to be observant and flexible… and to “tune-in” to what our children are dealing with on a daily basis.   When we do that, we can make reading time more meaningful and impactful.  We can choose text that will not only “check off” reading time in the Daily Logue, but will actually help change their moods in a positive way.   Teaching and healing can occur without them even being aware of it!  As we “book time with our kids” we can tune-in to the tone of the story, and help them heal, learn, discover, solve…..or maybe just have a needed, good laugh.

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