If they are too young to write or write only haltingly, parents can have the children dictate to them. After reading them, the child is asked to draw the characters in both books and the two begin discussing what they learned from the two different stories. There are all sorts of variations to combining books. For example, children could discuss, draw, or write about characters in two books. Suppose the characters from these two books got together.
Parents also can combine fiction and nonfiction.
Once they become aware of their children's interests, they can use books on a particular subject from a variety of disciplines. For example, a girl who wants to learn about whales might enjoy combining a science book about their natural life, another one about a fictional whale, and then perhaps watch a video about them. They may like to write a series of poems, dictate stories of their own, or possibly create a map charting the migration routes of whales. An important dimension to creative thinking is the ability to think of alternatives. Books offer a ready resource for this.