RICHIE MCFARLAND CHILDREN’S CENTER

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Stratham, NH  03885

(603) 778-8193

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Early Literacy – Book Choices

 

Children learn to enjoy reading as a result of many positive experiences with books during their early years. Reading to--and with--children during their earliest years can be not only a warm and loving exchange, but is also a powerful way of introducing children to literacy. 

 

As children are read to they begin to understand what books are and what you do with them.  They learn that books create imaginary worlds and that written language has its own rhythms and conventions. They learn that a book has a front cover, pages and a beginning and an end. They learn that the pages have a top and a bottom, that pages are turned one at a time to follow the story, and that words are read from left to right.

 

Below is a list of only a few of the many great books available for children compiled by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Zero to Three. Visit your local library where you can get more guidance from the librarian on popular and appropriate titles for your child.

 

Infants up to six months old

 

At this age, babies typically will play with books or chew on them. Their interest in the content focuses on interesting colors and shapes. Choose books with simple, large pictures or designs with bright colors. Stiff cardboard, “chunky” books, or fold out books can be propped up by the crib. Cloth and soft vinyl books with simple pictures of people or familiar objects can go in the bath or get washed.

Good choices are My Toys, by D. Bruna; Flower in the Garden and other titles by Lucy Cousins; Spot Series by Putnam Publishing; Baby Faces Series by Scholastic; Red Blue Yellow Shoe by Tana Hoban; Baby Animals and Zoom Zoom by K. Warube; Snapshot Series and Touch and Feel Series Board Books by Dorling Kindersley.

 

Infants six to twelve months

 

Children at this age may begin to pay attention to and interact with pictures in books. They may show recognition of pictures and point to familiar objects. Choose chunky board books with sturdy pages, and plastic books for bath and washable cloth books to cuddle and taste.  Babies this age love photos of other babies, familiar objects such as balls and bottles, as well as photos of family and friends. Books with rhyming verses and activities are favorites.

Good choices are My First Board Books by Dorling Kindersley; Peekaboo, Baby by Denise Patrick; Jamberry by Bruce Degan; The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boyton; Look Baby Books by Margaret Miller; Super Chubby Board Books by Neil Ricklin; Read Aloud Series by Rosemary Wells; The Baby’s Lap Book, by K. Chorao; Good Night, Sleep Tight! Shhh...., by G. Fujikawa; At Home, by S. Tucker; Dr. Suess Board Books; Wee Pudgy Board Books by Putnam Publishing; Mother Goose Rhymes, Simon & Shuster.

 

Young toddlers twelve to twenty-four months

 

A child’s understanding of pictures and events in a book is beginning to develop.  They may imitate an action they see in a book. Choose sturdy books that they can carry and have only a few words on each page. Toddlers love looking at photos or illustrations of other children doing familiar things like playing or sleeping. They are also very interested in books about animals. This is a good age to use books as a way to introduce children to the names of things.

Good choices are Barnyard Banter, by D. Fleming; Clothes, Food, Garden, and Kitchen, First Word Series Snapshot Covent Garden Books; Zoo Animals, Rets, and Field Animals, by V. Greeley; Acja Backa Boo! Playground Games from Around the World by Opal Dunn and Susan Winter; Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells.

 

Toddlers two to three years old

 

As their understanding of books increases, toddlers may babble in imitation of reading or they may follow the reading of words with their fingers on the page. Toddlers enjoy books with simple stories and simple rhyming books that they can memorize.  Choose books that reinforce what they are learning such as counting, the alphabet, shapes or sizes. Also appropriate are books about animals, vehicles, playtime and saying hello and goodbye.

 

Goodnight Moon, by M.W. Brown; The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by E. Carle; Lily and Willy, by M. Alexander; All By Myself, by M. Mayer; The Snowy Day, by E.J. Keats; Ten, Nine, Eight, by M. Bang; Hippety-Hop Hippety Hey: Growing Rhymes from Birth to Age Three by Opal Dunn and Sally Anne Lambert; Cats to Count, by M. Phillips; Ernie and Bert Can...Can you? Random House.

 

For more information about supporting young children’s literacy learning contact the American Library Association at 800-545-2433 or www.ala.org; or the National Association for the Education of Young Children at www.naeyc.org or Zero to Three at www.zerotothree.org.

 

For questions or comments about this or other Parenting columns, contact Peggy Small-Porter at the Richie McFarland Children’s Center at psmallporter@richiemcfarland.org.