Babies & Toddler Information

Look for Books! The books that you pick to read with your child is very important. If you aren't sure of what books are right for your child, ask a librarian to help you choose titles.

Introduce your child to books when she or he is a baby. Lether/him hold and play with books made just for babies: boardbooks with study cardboard covers and thick pages; clothbooks that are soft and washable, touch-and-feel books, orlift-the-flap books that contain surprises for your baby todiscover. Choose books with covers that have big, simplepictures of things that she/he sees every day. Don't beupset if at first your child chews or throws a book. Bepatient. Cuddling with the child as you point to and talkwith great excitement about the book's pictures will sooncapture her interest. When your baby becomes a toddler, shewill enjoy helping to choose books for you to read to her.

As your child grows into a preschooler and kindergartner,the two of you can look for books that have longer storiesand more words on the pages. Also look for books that haverepeating words and phrases that she can begin to read orrecognize when she sees them. By early first grade, add tothis mix some books designed for beginning readers,including some books that have chapters and some books thatshow photographs and provide true information rather thanmake-believe stories.

Keep in mind that young children most often enjoy booksabout people, places, and things that are like those theyknow. The books can be about where you live or about partsof your culture, such as your religion, your holidays, orthe way that you dress. If your child has special interests,such as dinosaurs or ballerinas, look for books about thoseinterests.

From your child's toddler years through early first grade,you also should look for books of poems and rhymes. Rememberwhen your baby heard your talking sounds and tried toimitate them? Rhymes are an extension of that languageskill. By hearing and saying rhymes, along with repeatedwords and phrases, your child learns about spoken sounds andabout words. Rhymes also spark a child's excitement aboutwhat comes next, which adds fun and adventure to reading.