The messages they learn are forever associated with the security of those arms. Whatever values and attitudes appear in the simple texts and rich illustrations will play an important role in their socialization. We know that reading to children, and providing books for them to read themselves as they grow older, is beneficial to them. Children's books can greatly expand a child's imagination. Moral and ethical beliefs can be conveyed through stories.
Children can develop a strong self image through reading.
And in a world where television monopolizes our lives, children's literature is a wonderful way to establish or repair the relationship between children and adults. Books and other printed materials can also provide a channel through which children can learn to respect the diverse groups of people in the world around them. They can make a significant contribution to the broadening of children's views about their world, allowing them to learn about and respect other cultures. Children can learn that beneath the surface differences of color or country of origin, all people have feelings of love, sadness, fear, justice and tenderness. Many children's books, however, reflect a variety of biases, some in subtle ways and some more blatantly.