The Best Canadian Book Club for Your Kids

For decades, researchers have said that reading aloud to kids when they're young and giving them access to books as they grow older helps equip them with skills they need in life, such as an understanding of language and a good grasp of the world around them.

Children's book clubs can help further this goal by making sure you and your kids never run out of new books to read together -- and that you don't have to go broke building up their literature library.

Clubs such as Children's Book of the Month are good for kids and parents who like to read a lot and want to get tons of new and different kinds of books. The club sends you an initial 4 books for $1 with your membership, and you agree to buy 4 more books over the next 2 years (an average of only 1 book every 6 months). In exchange, you get to choose from over 450 children's books for kids ages 0 through 12, many of which are award-winning and bestselling titles your family is sure to love. And if you have more than one child, signing up for a book club is a particularly money-saving and smart choice, since the older kids can pass the books down to their younger siblings as they grow out of them.

Other clubs, like Doubleday's Children's Book Club, have fewer titles to choose from, but they offer more books for less money. With Doubleday, you get 5 books for $1 when you join, as well as 1 free book. The commitment is the same (4 books over 2 years), but the 60-book selection focuses on childhood favorites such as the Dr. Seuss collection, "Where the Wild Things Are," and "The Velveteen Rabbit." This club is great for people who are less interested in collecting lots of new books and would rather make sure their kids are well-versed in the classics.

No matter what their interests are, your kids are likely to benefit from membership in a book club, and spending time reading the time-honored titles and latest book releases available through these clubs will make your children better and more confident readers.