© Beverley Paine

I found the easiest way to locate fiction for any age group (children/teens) is to wander around a school library. If you feel confident enough why not visit the local school and introduce yourself to the librarian. You don't have to take your children if you or they would find the visit unsettling or intimidating. Librarians love to talk books and school librarians like nothing better than to point parents in the direction of great literature.

I used to spend a hour or so at the school library by myself when my children were homeschooled. Fiction written for teens is my favourite as it deals with many issues in a honest way - most novels deal with identity and coming of age issues. I tended to steer away from the 'problem' novel and preferred imaginative stories.

The good thing about the library is that you can borrow up to ten books from a range of genres and give them to your son. He doesn't have to read them all, but it might be a gentle way to stretch his reading repertoire.

The other easy way to find books for different aged children is to chat to a bookshop owner. Many of them have their favourite genre and that will be obvious the minute you walk in the door, but most are very similar in nature to librarians and would spend hours chatting about books if they could. Ask them who the best authors are for your son - what's new, what's coming out, what's popular and why.

Also do a search in google for book lists or literature lists together with Charlotte Mason. I think the Ambleside website has an extensive list in age order.

The other place is to check out the local writer's centre website. They will have a list of Australian (and especially WA) authors for children. They should have a library you can borrow from as well, if you become a member.

For the internet savvy parent or child you'll find a wealth of books online, especially those past their copyright. The Children's Literature Web Guide has the following very useful collection of links to help you begin your search:

• Children's Story Books Online has a collection of contemporary stories and activities for all ages.
  
• Story Collections is a collection of websites which have a variety of stories available: some folktales, some contemporary stories, maybe some poetry and non-fiction as well.
  
• Folklore, Myth and Legend has links to many sources of folklore, as well as to information about folklore.
  
• Songs and Poetry include a great collection of links from nursery rhymes to classic poems.
  
• Classics for Young People has links to many of the great children's books of the past, most of them available in full-text on the Internet.
  
• Contemporary Writing for Children and Young Adults
  
• Ashley wrote and told me about https://sleepopolis.com/education/bedtime-stories-for-kids, saying that it has "loads of different nursery rhymes, lullabies, and stories". Thanks Ashley - I truly appreciate feedback, especially ones that add more great links for our readers!

A search for 'children's books online' will bring up many useful sites that will have you exploring the internet for hours, if not days! Also take a look at this list of children's authors.

Most computers come with software that will allow a child to hear the online book. Although the accent is weird and the pronunciation not always quite right, children who love to listen but aren't keen on reading can take advantage of this function.

There is no excuse to not bring the wonderful world of literature into your child's life!