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It is no secret that I LOVE to read aloud. If you've known me for more than five minutes, chances are I've read to you. Luckily for me, my work as a literacy professor offers me opportunities to read to future and current teachers, as well as to parents and children on occasion.

On February 5, 2020, World Read Aloud Day celebrated its tenth anniversary. This annual celebration was started by nonprofit organization Lit World. According to their website, World Read Aloud Day is "an opportunity for people all around the globe to celebrate the joy of reading aloud, and advocate for literacy as a fundamental human right that belongs to everyone." Participants organize read alouds at local libraries, schools, book stores, and other gathering places in the community.

As I tried to decide between reading my favorite read aloud book Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield, trying out new gem by Grace Byers, or really stepping out of my comfort zone to read aloud in Spanish with the bilingual Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald No Combina by Monica Brown, I thought about why I was doing this. Why do I spend so much time reading aloud and encouraging parents, teachers, and other humans to do the same? Why do I enjoy it so much and how does it benefit the listeners?

Well, I'm glad you asked! (Oh...did I ask? Either way, it's a great question. Let's not split hairs.) Here are five reasons we should all be participating in read alouds.

1. Sharing Stories is Powerful

It's no secret that there are some stories we hear a lot, while others are pretty rare. Therefore, when we participate in read alouds, we get to be a part of expanding the stories that are heard. We empower people to share their loves, hurts, passions, fears, and dreams. We get the unique opportunity to step into other lives for a few precious moments and recognize the truth and fullness of others. Perhaps most importantly, we build empathy as we inhabit these lives. Further, we build confidence and self-awareness as we enjoy stories that reflect our own lives.

2. Literacy is Powerful

Access to literacy is access to power. On their website, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognizes that "literacy empowers people, enables them to participate fully in society and contributes to improve livelihoods." They continue by saying it is "also a driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater participation in the labour market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities." Reading aloud makes literacy accessible and...

3. Read Alouds Improve Literacy Skills

Reading aloud to young children helps them develop their understanding of language and how print matches speech, as well as to understand story structure and character development. As we grow older, listening to read alouds improves our vocabulary and word usage. Further, reading aloud improves the reader's fluency and communication skills. Being read to gives us access to language and ideas that may be above our ability to comprehend through independent reading.

4. Engaging in Read Alouds Builds Community

When we participate in read alouds, we naturally talk to each other about the books. We share connections and engage in discussions. We get excited, scared, sad, and joyful. Hence, sharing these emotions, ideas, and knowledge draws us closer together.

5. It's Fun

Well, duh. Above all, the community-building, empowering, joy-sharing, skill-building magic of read alouds is FUN. Because we're doing voices and movements while laughing and crying together, it is FUN! If there's one thing the world needs more of right now, it's fun!

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Here's Why You Should Participate in Read Alouds | Book Riot

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It is no secret that I LOVE to read aloud. If you've known me for more than five minutes, chances are I've read to you. Luckily for me, my work as a literacy professor offers me opportunities to read to future and current teachers, as well as to parents and children on occasion.

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"It's not the toys in the house that make the difference in children's lives; it's the words in their heads," says Jim Trelease in The Read-Aloud Handbook. You intuitively know that reading aloud is good for your kids, but Trelease lays out such compelling, well-researched reasons to read to your kids that you'll soon find it impossible to say no to one more story.

Children's books are an excellent source of new vocabulary. Researchers developed a common lexicon consisting of the 10,000 words we use most often. Any word beyond those words is considered "rare." Children's books provide 30.9 rare words per thousand, versus nine rare words per thousand found in conversation of an adult talking to a 3-year-old, or 17.3 rare words per thousand found in adult conversation. The rich vocabulary found in children's books helps children when it comes to school readiness.

Here are some tips from The Read-Aloud Handbook that you can start using immediately:

Read to your child from day one.

Keep reading to your child until he's a teenager.

Make yours a print-rich home, with books, magazines, and newspapers in every room.

Buy your older child a book-light to stay up late reading, and say yes to one more book request from your younger child.

Set a good example by being an active reader yourself.

The Read-Aloud Handbook is full of great insight and information, and also contains a vast "Treasure of Read-Alouds" - targeted book recommendations for every age. See also Jim Trelease's Web site for more information and resources.

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"It's not the toys in the house that make the difference in children's lives; it's the words in their heads," says Jim Trelease in The Read-Aloud Handbook. You intuitively know that reading aloud is good for your kids, but Trelease lays out such compelling, well-researched reasons to read to your kids that you'll soon find it impossible to say no to one more story.

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10 Takeaways from The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

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10 Takeaways from The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

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Don't Stop Reading to Your Kids Once They Learn How to Read

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A site based on The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, 6th edition, copyright 2006, focused on children's reading, children's literature, and the benefits of reading aloud to children of all ages; its goal is to create lifetime readers instead of just schooltime readers.

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Links back to research why should we read aloud to children.

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Jim Trelease - The Read-Aloud Handbook - 2001

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Reading with preschoolers can be one of life's great joys - if the material is right. Re-reading the same tedious guff every bedtime is the bane of many parents' lives but snuggling down with a small person plus an engaging text and/or some beautiful illustrations is a real treat.

Every child is different in their reading habits and tastes - some have devoured Roald Dahl's back catalogue with their parents before starting reception, others still enjoy picture-based books. Below is a range of new titles, published in the last 18 months or so, that should between them appeal to young children of roughly two- to four-years-old. Staff at The Reader, a wonderful charity that promotes shared reading, contributed some excellent recommendations.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Welcome to our World by Moira Butterfiled with Harriet Lynas (illustrator): £13, Amazon

This wonderful book, sub-titled "A celebration of children everywhere", is full of cheery illustrations and the kind of facts that inquisitive pre-schoolers adore. Here they can learn how to say "My name is" in a number of languages; discover that Australian children apparently get to eat sugar sprinkles on toast for breakfast; and wow grown-ups with sayings from around the world such as Arabic's "Some days honey, some days onions" (you win some, you lose some). Out in June but available to pre-order now, this is sure to be a smash hit with the older end of the preschool market.

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty with David Roberts (illustrator): £14, Amazon

Ada Twist is my hero. She's a smart, curious young girl who doesn't talk unless she's got something clever to say, and she thinks like a scientist - always wanting to find out the truth for herself rather than accept someone else's say-so. Plus she wreaks havoc with her hair-brained experiments. I cannot stress strongly enough that this is not a book only for girls. A New York Times bestseller, from a series by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts that also includes Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer, it is a great book for all preschoolers that happens to promote the revolutionary notion that women can do science.

The Night Box by Louise Greig with Ashling Lindsay (illustrator): £5.99, Amazon

The Night Box is written by an award-winning poet, the Aberdeen-based Louise Greig, and you can tell. It is lyrical tale of nighttime coming to life as it is released from its box by a little boy at bedtime, bringing with it mischief and magic but also quiet. Enjoyable to read out-loud and calming to listen to, with engaging illustrations from Ashling Lindsay.

What is Poo? By Katie Daynes with Marta Alvarez Miguens: £6.50, Amazon

Let's face it, the lowest common denominator usually works pretty well when appealing to young children, so what could possibly be more fun than a lift-the-flap book about poo? It's actually quite educational - dinosaur coprolites and composting both make an appearance - and is ideal for scatalogically minded preschoolers, particularly when potty training.

Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman: £7, Waterstones

A romp about a thief who swipes items and replaces them with something that rhymes - see "Arney's comfy chair was swapped for a bear'' - complete with suitably daft and technicolour drawings from author and artist John Burgerman. This is the kind of word play that my youngest (nearly three years old) thinks is the highest form of wit.

Boogie Bear by David Walliams with Tony Ross (illustrator): £7, Amazon

The literary juggernaut that is David Walliams continues with Boogie Bear, the tale of a polar bear and a brown bear who end up realising that their differences are only fur-deep and making multi-hued baby bears together. An unlikely way to introduce the concept of inter-racial harmony perhaps, but a sweet and entertaining one, and in my experience young children do love Tony Ross's humorous illustrations.

Triangle by Mac Barnett with Jon Klassen (illustrator): £7, Amazon

Triangle, the anti-hero of this entertaining tale by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, is a mischievous cove. He likes to play tricks on his friend Square, but eventually gets his comeuppance. The illustrations are simple but full of wit.

Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies with Emily Sutton (illustrator): £6.99, Amazon

This is a beautiful hardback book perfect for any young nature lover. Lovely, almost old-fashioned illustrations are paired with the sort of random fact - scientists have so far counted 100,000 kinds of mushroom - that smart little ones love. Sure to generate some mini eco-warriors.

Zog and the Flying Doctors by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (illustrator): £4, Amazon

Only the second sequel produced by children's book dream team Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (after the Gruffalo's child), this tome sees accident-prone dragon Zog and his companions saving a sexist king from both "orange fever" and his own prejudices - with the help of some lion snot and mermaid's scales. What's not to like?

Ottoline and the Purple Fox by Chris Riddell: £5.77, Amazon

As they approach school age, some book-loving pre-schoolers are chomping at the bit to make the transition from picture-led tomes to what my four-year-old calls "chapter books". The Ottoline series, from former children's laureate Chris Riddell, about a young detective/explorer and her Cousin Itt-style sidekick Mr Munroe, is a wonderful hybrid. This most recent instalment features plenty of illustrations, a steampunk aesthetic and great mystery. These books were designed originally for slightly older children to read themselves but my daughter and I devoured it over three nights.

I Am Bear by Ben Bailey Smith and Sav Akyuz (illustrator): £6.99, Amazon

Ben Bailey Smith (aka Doc Brown) is a rapper by trade, and it shows in the rhythm of this simple, irreverent book about a mischievous purple bear. There's an online version set to music that will be stuck in your head for weeks once you watch it.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr: £4, Amazon

This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Tiger Who Came to Tea's initial appearance, and with it, the publication of a celebratory edition. While it certainly doesn't have the progressive gender politics of Ada Twist - Mummy's at home with Sophie worrying about Daddy's beer having been consumed by a voracious feline while he is at work - it remains full of charm and character.

Everything You need for a Treehouse by Carter Higgins with Emily Hughes (Illustrator): £13, Amazon

This newly released and beautifully illustrated hardback is an ode to outdoor exploration that will make you want to head for the woods. It reads almost like a poem; a perfect bedtime treat.

The Verdict: Books for preschoolers

Welcome to Our World is one of the very best non-fiction books for preschoolers that I have seen, and will be genuinely fascinating for adults as well as children. For fiction, Ada Twist is hard to beat.

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

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Reading with preschoolers can be one of life's great joys - if the material is right. Re-reading the same tedious guff every bedtime is the bane of many parents' lives but snuggling down with a small person plus an engaging text and/or some beautiful illustrations is a real treat.

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*Please contact the office to order complimentary postcards of the above image for promotional purposes. There is no cost to Australian organisations, but international orders will incur a postage cost. The pdf version, however, is free to everyone. Click the image above to download a PDF version.

Anita Ayre

Anita lives in Brisbane. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Education degree and has 30 years of experience in teaching children in primary schools from three/four years of age, through the early childhood years, to the middle years of primary education. She has been a facilitator of change in teaching practice in a state-wide literacy and numeracy project, working in city and country schools to improve experiences for children in classrooms. For many years, she was a co-operating teacher, guiding student-teachers undertaking professional experience in schools during their university undergraduate and postgraduate years. As well, she has been a member of literacy educators' and early childhood associations and has been a marker of government assessments in literacy for children in primary and high schools for many years. Anita has worked as an after-school tutor for a government project to improve the skills of children who experience difficulties learning.

Professor Trevor Cairney OAM

Trevor Cairney taught in primary schools for 10 years and served as a literacy curriculum consultant for the Department of Education in the Hunter Region before completing his PhD in text comprehension. He has written widely on pedagogy, early literacy and learning, comprehension and family literacy. His publications include ten books and over 250 articles and book chapters. He has been a professor of Education for 25 years, conducting research in the areas of comprehension, early literacy, family literacy and children's literature. He writes the popular blog ' Literacy, Families & Learning ' for teachers, parents and students. He is a past President of the Australian Literacy Association and is on the editorial boards of international journals 'Reading Research Quarterly' and the 'Journal of Literacy Research'. He is a Life Professorial Fellow at UNSW and an Honorary Professor at The University of Sydney.

On a personal note from Anita

This publication started its life as a book created at the time of the imminent birth of my first grandchild, Max, to guide his parents in engaging him in talk and text. Part of the reason for doing this was that Max's parents were living in Sydney and I was living and working as a teacher in Perth. I could only manage to go to Sydney twice a year, so these modules were created to give them ideas to engage Max as a talker and user of text. They were very busy parents, as Max's mother began a business while she was pregnant with him and his father was working full-time. I wrote the first drafts of these modules specifically for my family at that time.

After I gave them the modules, they urged me to publish it, saying that it was needed by parents and carers like themselves. I really think they thought I was silly, telling them to read to Max as soon as he was born, but they did so, twice a day, until he could read himself. Max is now a teenager and has been an avid reader, and participating in online activities and using apps more and more.

My two nieces with babies and toddlers have been using some of the activities in the modules. They have said that they need this advice and believe that other parents and carers might also. One niece said she would never have thought of using pegs for learning activities - so there: one little tip has been beneficial.

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Please contact the office to order complimentary postcards of the above image for promotional purposes. There is no cost to Australian organisations, but international orders will incur a postage cost. The pdf version, however, is free to everyone. Click the image above to download a PDF version. Anita lives in Brisbane.

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Children who own books are six times more likely to read above the expected level for their age - and yet hundreds of thousands of pupils are still missing out, a report suggests.

More than 380,000 children in the UK do not have a book of their own, an analysis from charity the calculates, which can affect their National Literacy Trust reading skills, enjoyment and wellbeing.

The survey, of more than 56,000 children, reveals that 22 per cent of children who own books read above the expected level, compared to just 3.6 per cent of pupils who do not have a book.

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Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

More than half (56.2 per cent) of young people who have books enjoy reading compared to less than a fifth (18.4 per cent) of those who do not, according to the survey of pupils aged nine to 18.

The findings come as hundreds of libraries across the country have been forced to close amid spending cuts.

Boris Johnson, who was challenged over the clos ures on , The Andrew Marr Show said he wanted to invest in libraries but could only do so when the economy is "really motoring".

The National Literacy Trust survey shows that children who are eligible for free school meals (9.3 per cent) are more likely to not own a book than their richer peers (6 per cent).

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: "Books have the power to transform children's reading skills, enjoyment and mental wellbeing.

"Yet far too many children are missing out on the chance to reach their full potential simply because they don't have a book of their own at home."

Overall, 6.3 per cent of children who were surveyed said they do not have one book - which the charity has estimated amounts to 383,774 children across the UK.

Mr Douglas added: "We have taken huge strides to get books into the hands of children who need them most, but we must continue to strive to close the gap once and for all."

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Children who own books six times more likely to read above expected level

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Children who own books are six times more likely to read above the expected level for their age - and yet hundreds of thousands of pupils are still missing out, a report suggests. More than 380,000 children in the UK do not have a book of their own, an analysis from charity the calculates, which can affect their National Literacy Trust reading skills, enjoyment and wellbeing.

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Download the full list of 2018 Book of the Year Award Winners and Honour books (PDF)

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Meet Mem Fox Sharing Her Book Hello Baby

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Meet Mem Fox Sharing Her Book Hello Baby

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Can you hear the rhyming words in this story?

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Michael Rosen performs We're Going on a Bear Hunt

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Introduction: Reading Magic by Mem Fox
Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever
Have you ever discovered a book that turned out to be a hidden gem? A few weeks ago, I saw a friend with the book, Reading Magic by Mem Fox. Based on the book title, I wondered what it could be about. I decided to read the back of the book, then I started to read the book. Anyone with children need to buy a few copies - keep one for yourself and give away the others as gifts. This book is worth the time and financial investment.

It occurred to me that not everyone thinks about reading books to their children. Some do it and others don't. Those who don't read to their children may be feeling too tired and overworked, or may not see the importance of doing so, or don't for some other reason. Those who regularly read books to their children may very well understand the benefits of reading to them. But what they may not know is that there is a special way to read to captivate and engage the children.
Have you read?
A Journey into Kids' Reading Books
Important Life Lessons from Children's Books
Book People Research Discovers One in Five UK Parents do not Spend any Time Reading with Their Primary School Age Children

What is Reading Magic by Mem Fox About?

In Reading Magic by Mem Fox, she explains to the reader how to read so that you engage the child. It is dramatic reading. Fox demonstrates how to read aloud to best effect and get the most out of a read-aloud session. Expressive reading is reading that is remembered. Children cannot help but get into the story, wanting to know what comes next. When you read to a child every day for at least 15 minutes, with the child looking at the page, this simple act, helps her to learn to read faster. This is a better way for the child to learn to read, instead of by phonics, where she or he is sounding out the letters in the words.

Mem Fox explained that people often mix up phonics and phonetics. Learning words by sounding out letters when learning to read becomes very problematic, since some letters have a different sound, depending on the word.

"Phonics is the method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic values of letters, groups of letters, syllables, etc. Thus, it's concentrating on written language, and how to translate written language into speech.

Phonetics is the study and classification of spoken sounds in languages." Source: https://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenPhonics-Phonetics/gwgdp/post.htm

You don't know what you don't know. While I was reading the book, Reading Magic, and Mem Fox was talking about bringing the story to life, I was thinking that it would be so appropriate to point out certain images in the book to the child as you are reading to them. Pointing out things in the story is a definite no-no, children can figure out things for themselves. If the child needs any help, she will ask for it. Children - and people - learn better when they discover things for themselves.

Another benefit of reading with your child was surprising to me, but when I thought about it, it made perfect sense. Children behave better because they are accustomed to sitting down and listening to a story, so they do not get antsy and misbehave. Reading with your children is a way for them to learn about the world from the pages of a book. Those who read this blog regularly know that I promote reading the world. And there are many diverse books for children to read that will teach them about other cultures. What I liked about Reading Magic by Mem Fox, is that she provides a list of books for you to read with your children. I will also add another list of books that more diverse.

Reading Comprises Three Secrets

1. Understanding print.

2. Understanding language.

3. Understanding how the world works.

I found information in Reading Magic that would apply to everyone. And it is something that I have seen in speed reading course. The faster you read, the better you understand the text. When you read too slowly, by the time you get to the end of the paragraph, because you have taken so long to read, you tend to forget what you read. When you read through the text faster, you do not have time to forget what you previously read.

[Further Reading: Putting down your phone or tablet can help your child at school]

Recommended Book List in Reading Magic

Stone Fox , John Reynolds Gardiner & Greg Hargreaves

The Beast of Monsieur Racine , Tomi Unngerer

The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry , Louis Untermeyer

​ Who Sank the Boat , Pamela Allen

Owl Babies , Martin Waddell

Hairy Maclary Donaldson's Dairy , Lynley Dodd

Rascal the Dragon , Paul Jennings

Madeline , Ludwig Bemelmans

Wombat Stew , Marcia K. Vaughan

Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book , Rod Campbell

We're Going on a Bear Hunt , Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen

Rosie's Walk , Pat Hutchins

The Elephant and the Bad Baby , Elfrida Vipont and Raymond Briggs

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day , Judith Viorst

I Went Walking , Sue Machin

Each Peach Pear Plum , Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See , Bill Martin

Green Eggs and Ham​ , Dr Seuss

Are You My Mother , PD Eastman

Where to Find a List of Diverse Books
15 Great Children's Books That Celebrate Diversity 7 Books That Teach Kids About Diversity Children's Books That Teach Diversity Are More Important Than Ever Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
Final Thoughts: Reading Magic by Mem Fox

I enjoyed Reading Magic by Mem Fox and I recommend the book for teachers and parents of preschool kids. After reading the book, I told my friend who I borrowed the book from that she had to read it.

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Reading Magic by Mem Fox, a Book Review (for teachers and parents)

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Introduction: Reading Magic by Mem Fox Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever Have you ever discovered a book that turned out to be a hidden gem? A few weeks ago, I saw a friend with the book, Reading Magic by Mem Fox.

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Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

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The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

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Top Tips For Reading To Children - Author Neil Griffiths - ELC

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Reading to Children - Tips & Techniques - "Itchy Bear" Neil Griffiths - ELC

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Reading To Children - Tips & Techniques - "Winnie Wagtail" Neil Griffiths - ELC

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Reading To Children - Tips & Techniques - "No Rooms For Baby Roo" Neil Griffiths - ELC

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Reading To Children - Tips & Techniques - "Sneezy Bear" by Neil Griffiths - ELC

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Select books by ages

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Be inspired and discover your child’s next favourite book with the BookTrust Bookfinder: search by theme and age, from babies and toddlers all the way up to teenagers.

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Tips and advice for reading books with babies and children

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10 Tips on Hearing Your Child Read: Topmarks Education

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You are your child's most influential teacher with an important part to play in helping your child to learn to read. Here are some suggestions on how you can help to make this a positive experience.

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For your children to grow smart, it is a must for them to become bookworms early. The benefits of reading to children cannot be overemphasized. You, as a parent, can form your children's reading habit by starting them early - from babies to preschool kids. The loving environment created by reading to your young children will help them associate reading with your warmth, and this conditions their minds to feel that reading is a positive, pleasurable activity.

Here are age-appropriate how to's and tips on reading to your children (baby, toddler, and preschooler), so they will get the most benefit out of their experience with you:

General Guidelines

Position yourself so both you and the children are comfortable. Make sure everyone can see the pictures. For example, sit side by side with one or two children. With a group, have the children sit in a semicircle and seat yourself slightly above them so that the children in the back can see the pictures.

Allow your listeners, especially younger children, a few minutes to settle down to get ready to hear the story.

Mood is an important factor in listening. Create anticipation.

Use plenty of expression and change your tone of voice to fit the dialogue.

Adjust your pace to fit the story. During a suspenseful part, slow down, draw your words out, and bring your listeners to the edge of their seats!

Be enthusiastic. Read stories that you enjoy yourself - your dislike will show if you read books that you don't like.

Don't just let your children look at the pictures in a book while you do all the reading. Call attention to the words. Read with them, not to them. Have in mind that you are trying to build their reading skills and strategies, and not showing them the book's illustrations.

Before Reading

Introduce the author by saying something like: Remember how much we enjoyed ________ by this author? Do you remember what we liked about that story? Here's another book by him/her. Let's read this one and see if we like it as well as the other book we read.

Show the cover of the book. Ask children what they think the title might be and what the story will be about.

Discuss what they know about the topic.

Provide information about the setting, characters, and where the story takes place. With older children, talk about the genre (fiction, nonfiction, folk tale, myth, mystery, science fiction, fable).

Set a purpose for reading and signal that the reading will begin by saying something like: I'm going to begin reading and while I do, listen carefully to see if you can figure out what problem Stellaluna had and how it is was solved.

During Reading

Ask questions and make elaborations (add more information) during the read aloud. For example, questions and elaborations should help children:

1. understand the meanings of unfamiliar words Sultry is a word we don't hear often. It means warm and damp, no breeze.

2. make predictions What do you think will happen next? What makes you think that?

3. more deeply interpret the meaning of the book Do you think Stellaluna meant to be naughty by hanging by her feet?

4. understand difficult concepts. What did the birds and bats learn from each other? How can people learn from each other?

Children will ask questions of you also. Answer their questions patiently; don't ignore them or put them off.

"There is no time limit for reading a book but there is a time limit on a child's inquisitiveness" (Trelease, 1993).

Discuss the illustrations and how they relate to the story.

Stop periodically and have children recap in their own words what has happened so far. Fill in the gaps of missing information or clarify misconceptions.

After Reading

Give children time to reflect on and think about the reading. Ask them to describe their favorite part and why it was their favorite.

Review the story components, such as the setting, main character's problem, how the problem was resolved.

Ask questions to encourage children to think about why events may have happened the way they did; why people in the story behaved in a certain way; what the children would have done the same or differently and why.

Help children make connections between the events in the story and their own lives. For example, Have you ever felt out-of-place like Stellaluna did? How did you feel? What did you do?

Have children read the story to you (see next two pages).

Provide follow-up activities to extend the impact of the shared reading experiences.

How To Read To Your Baby

When reading, cuddle with your baby. Make her feel that reading is warm, relaxing and fun.

The best way to read books to your baby is to do this in a style that holds his interest, which stimulates his brain. Read slowly, use a lilting singsong voice and exaggerated emphasis on important elements on the book, such as a key event ("Look at the cat climbing up the tree!") or a character ("That's a cat, it says "meow".)

Do not feel awkward for acting silly while reading. In fact, this is a must to hold your baby's interest and engage his imagination. Use different voices, body movements, and sound effects.

When choosing books to read to your baby, make sure that the texts are simple, and the sentences not too complicated. Rhymes work best since at this stage, you are reading for ear appeal, rather than comprehension. Rhymes are a type of sound that the young brain craves. One word per page books are good too since these books help in starting to build your baby's spoken vocabulary.

A great idea for a book-reading activity is to choose books that stimulate games like peek-a-boo, touch-and-feel, moving pop-up elements through tabs, and revealing surprises within hidden little flaps. These books teach additional concepts like textures, object permanence, and cause and effect.

Encourage baby participation, like making her point to the objects on the book, or make her imitate the sound you make. You can also suggest to your baby to turn the book by herself.

Choose books that have big, bright, realistic but simple pictures of familiar subjects such as animals, familiar house objects, toys, and people.

When giving books for your baby to play, choose those that are sturdy. They are those that are laminated cardboard pages with round edges, or soft cloth books that can lie flat.

Make reading a regular activity, doing it a few minutes at least twice a day, when she's quiet but alert, and already been fed. This way it becomes a habit, and part of your baby's routine. Make sure that your baby is receptive to the reading activity, and she does not want to do something else like actively crawling or banging on pots.

Finally, let your baby see you read. Your baby is more affected by seeing what you do than what you say. This will give your baby an early impression that reading is an important part of life. When nursing or giving your baby a bottle, show your baby that you are reading, or you may even read a few pages out loud.

How To Read To Your Toddler

Let your child help you choose a book you would like to read together.

Find a comfortable place for you to read and sit together.

Do things that will make reading a book more entertaining to your child - and to you. You can use different tones of voice for different situations, choose different voices for characters, and so on. It is not just what you are reading that matters, but also how you read it.

You may tell the story in your own words if the words on the book is too complex for your child, and you don't want him to lose interest.

Give your child time to make the most out of every page of the book. Encourage him to look at the pictures, point out objects, repeat words, and talk about the story.

Ask questions like "Who did that?", "What is she doing?", "What is that called?". Also, to keep your child involved in the story, do not read straight through. Ask questions like "Why do you think it happened?" and "What do you think will happen next?"

After reading a book, take time to ask your child question about what he liked or didn't like about the story. Discussing pictures and ideas in the book helps your child understand.

To build your child's vocabulary, ask him about where an object is in the book. Praise him every time he points or names an object.

Choose books that tell a story with a lot of repetition and have the same words appearing over and over.

Spend a lot of time talking about illustrations on the book. Reading pictures is how children begin to read text

If you have more than one child, read to each child separately, especially if they're more than 2 years apart. Reading to children with different ages together is also a good practice.

Remember to take your child to the library regularly.

How To Read To Your Preschooler

See tips on reading to your toddler above, plus:

Let your child indulge in his interest when reading books. Visit a book store or local library and let your child choose the book he likes. Remember, you want to teach your child that reading is fun!

To further encourage reading, read aloud together with you pointing at the words. If your kid makes a mistake, say the correct word and move on.

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How To Read To Your Child: Tips & Tricks - Raise Smart Kid

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For your children to grow smart, it is a must for them to become bookworms early. The benefits of reading to children cannot be overemphasized. You, as a parent, can form your children's reading habit by starting them early - from babies to preschool kids.

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Here's the truth: dating while divorcing with young kids is complicated.

And when I say complicated, I don't mean the setting-up-IKEA-furniture definition.

I mean like if IKEA suddenly started selling whole DIY houses, and provided you with their typical cartoon instructions and an Allen key for assembly. It's complicated, and messy, and full of panicky meltdowns where you turn the manual sideways and wonder if you're actually doing it all wrong.

But surprisingly, despite the enormous amount of people in this position, my recent Google searches on dating with kids post-divorce have turned up next to nothing on the subject. There are lots of lists, of course, indicating the appropriate time to introduce your new partner to your children and how to do so smoothly.

But I couldn't find any brutally honest testimonials describing the way to be both a single mom and a girlfriend without screwing everything (and everyone) up in the process.

So this is mine.

I should probably start by saying I believe whole-heartedly that there is nothing wrong with dating when you have kids. The best mom is a happy one, and if you meet someone who can contribute to your life and bring joy to it, then have at it.
Practicing self-care is one of the best ways to become a better caretaker, and dating should be on that list, alongside bubble baths and good friends.
I have (almost) 4-year-old twin girls. They're very loud, very messy, and big on the overshare; they love to announce to people entering my house, "I did a poop on the potty!" So naturally when I started seeing my boyfriend, I wanted to keep a firm wall of separation between my mom life, and my dating life.

I didn't want to freak him out. Especially because my new partner is a bachelor in the full sense of the word; he owns his own house, and (with the exception of his dog) is entirely without dependents who'll clutter it up. When he's not working he can hit the gym, go out with friends, or even take spontaneous vacations, all without having to first find a babysitter and hurriedly vacuum Kraft Dinner off the couch.

There's also the physical element of dating when you're a mom. I might only be 26, but hello! I've had twins and my body likes to exclaim it. My hips are painted with faded stretch marks, a C-section scar that (while I absolutely love it) forever reveals my status, and I have lines forming around my mouth and brows which deepen every time my kids smile and say, "Mama we made a BIIIG mess!"

On an average day I feel like more of a disaster than my house is, and that's saying something. Initially when I compared my life (and my appearance) to my boyfriend's, I saw myself beside him as some wrinkled old mom, hunched over and using my last breath to order another time-out; I was sure there was no way he could really love me if he was introduced to that bipolar love-my-kids-to-death-but-sometimes-want-to-kill-them persona that goes with parenting.

Because it's not cute; there's legitimately nothing endearing about my greasy messy bun, eye bags, and frequent hoarse yelling at my girls to "Share!" while I shove toast in my gob so I don't have to.

So in the beginning, I made a choice: I decided I would slice myself down the middle into two versions-the one I am during the week with my kids, and another on the weekend when I went out on a date. The latter could be young, vibrant, with clean hair and boundless, youthful energy, while the former would be unwashed, unshaved, and falling asleep under piles of laundry by nine PM.
I decided that if my boyfriend was worth my time, if he really cared about me, he'd care about all of me, the whole package.
But one day I realized that even though I'd tried to convince myself I could separate the two identities, it's impossible; like winter and spring, they can't exist without each other. At the end of the day they're both me, one is just a little bit cleaner and has pruned more recently than November.

It turned out to be a gamble worth taking; after his first day with the three of us, my boyfriend turned to me and said, "Syd, those girls are amazing and the fact that you're a mom is one of my favorite things about you."

But it hasn't all been so easy; there's still the ex-factor. I am lucky in the way that my former husband and I have a good relationship, talk regularly about our kids, and he comes to my place almost every weekend to pick them up. But that doesn't mean our dating lives don't bring some weirdness.

While I'm a positive girl who likes to put an optimistic spin on things, I'll admit that the first few encounters between my boyfriend and my ex were, understandably, a little awkward.

There was definitely some chest-puffing on both sides, and the conversation was about as strategic and subtle as navigating a minefield (while blindfolded). But eventually both men started to breathe normally, and one day they got together and had a conversation agreeing on a mutual desire to bring the girls and myself nothing but happiness.
And I think that's probably what I've learned the most about dating with children: In the midst of that uncertain whirlwind, figure out what your priorities are, and stick to them.
I'm not going to claim that's a typical situation, but it was one that I demanded; my kids deserve peace, and that doesn't arise from two sides pointing canons at each other. Ultimately, I wasn't going to have anyone in my life who didn't understand or support that.

Let them anchor you to the soil, and hold fast when it feels like you might get swept away. Despite my wish for a personal life, my children have always remained my number one priority, and I refuse to loosen my grip on that, to compromise their emotional security so I can meet my own (or someone else's) selfish needs.

Still, I do want my girls to believe in real, transcendental love.

I want them to know that we all have the power to bring what we want into our lives and remove what we don't. To see that it's feasible for a mother and father to separate while still supporting each other, and to find new relationships without obliterating what they once had.

I want them to experience firsthand that despite what TV shows and movies tell us, a boyfriend and an ex-husband, or a girlfriend and an ex-wife can actually get along with each other because above all they want peace for the children caught in the middle.

I need them to know that it's possible to find love again when it seems like your entire world has fallen apart. Because one day they're going to get their hearts broken too; a time will come when they're disillusioned by love, and I need them to know that they can rise from those ashes, shake it off, and live again like I did.

Obviously, everything isn't perfect. My kids don't need a new dad, my boyfriend worries about stepping on toes, and it's still important for the girls to have the majority of their time spent either just with me, or with me and their father together.
They also have to learn through me that relationships do not complete you, and that we are all the engineers of our own happiness.
Our original family unit needs respecting, as does my own single parent relationship with my daughters; it's necessary for them to know that I'm theirs first, and for them to see that being single is empowering.
There's just something that feels right about honoring my truth, and embracing that imperfect, colorful, kaleidoscopic version of myself with all her unique, contradictory angles.
But with lots of honest communication, teamwork and a real craving for calm waters, dating while divorcing with young kids is something that I'm fairly successfully doing.

It's been a lot of trial and error of course, and my romantic life is definitely not the same as it would be if I were childless; I have serious limits on the time and energy (mental, emotional, and physical) that I'll devote to it. But despite that, it's worth it.

Not because I need to be in a relationship, or get married again, or press 'reset' on the last several years of my life, but because I'm entirely human, and at the end of the day it's nice to choose who you want to be sharing a blanket and a glass of wine with.

While I'm haunted daily by all the what-ifs, the endless potential ways my children could be further hurt or disappointed by my choice to date, I can't live in fear. Those worries might always shadow me, regardless of the position of the sun; the most I can do is show the girls that progress isn't made by pretending you're not afraid.

Rather, it's found through striding out your door and facing those fears, and then moving forward despite them.

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Reading with your child is a fun, bonding experience that offers many benefits - the most obvious being the development of child's language skills and providing an opportunity for them to learn how to read. Beyond boosting their learning potential, parent-child reading also has health benefits, says...

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If you're the parent of a toddler or preschooler, then you probably learned early on that you can't easily escape nursery rhymes.

These ditties seem fairly innocuous at first, but it doesn't take long before you're going bonkers from hearing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" for the 4,783 rd time.

You start to wonder why you're allowing these antiques into your house in the first place. After all, aren't they just outdated (and often politically incorrect) collections of pseudo-history, most of which don't even make sense in today's society?

But before you try to rid yourself of these earworms by digging them out of your head with a spoon, read this list.

Believe it or not, nursery rhymes are incredibly powerful influencers in preschool development. Phonemic skill development gained from nursery rhymes has even been scientifically shown to significantly improve reading, spelling and other literacy skills (Harper, 2011)!

So try to grin and bear it (and start a round of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" while you're at it!) as you learn all the ways nursery rhymes can positively affect your toddler or preschooler:

Cognitive development

Repetition of rhymes and stories is good for the brain, teaching how language works and building memory capabilities.

Nursery rhymes help develop inferencing skills, both with encountering new words and in reading comprehension.

Because these verses are made up of patterns, they are easy first memorization pieces.

Speech

Nursery rhymes are important for language acquisition and help with speech development.

They help children develop auditory skills such as discriminating between sounds and developing the ear for the music of words.

Rhymes like these help kids articulate words, modulate voices (practicing pitch, volume, and inflection) and enunciate clearly by saying them over and over without fear of criticism.

Nursery rhymes are excellent, the natural choice for a first recitation selection.

The mouth and tongue muscles are developed as children say these rhymes.

Listening comprehension is a foundational skill that is often skipped, but nursery rhymes can help ensure this crucial ability (that precedes reading comprehension) is covered.

Reading

Nursery rhyme knowledge provides an excellent foundation for later literary works.

They are a great introduction to stories since many contain a beginning, middle, and end (sequencing).

Familiarity with nursery rhymes makes good readers, even despite differences in social background (Bryant, Bradley, Maclean & Crossland, 1989).

Work with these verses helps children detect the phonetic segments of words.

Language

Nursery rhymes increase vocabulary (like the word "fetch" in Jack & Jill).

They help children assimilate language.

They are a great, wonderful introduction to poetry.

They promote spelling skills.

Verses like these introduce literary devices like alliteration, onomatopoeia, and imagery.

Creativity

Nursery rhymes expand children's imagination.

They promote creative dramatization when kids act the scenarios out.

History

These classic verses preserve culture and provide something in common between multiple generations (a good way to bond with grandparents or when meeting new people!)

Nursery rhymes teach history and connect a child to the past.

Math

Nursery rhymes are full of patterns, sequencing, numbers, and counting (forward and backward).

They also discuss size, weight and other important math vocabularies.

Physical

Since many nursery rhymes involve movement, coordination and physicality are integrated with their readings (Think "Ring Around the Rosey" or "London Bridge.")

Coordinating fingerplays are helpful to fine motor skill development.

Social and emotional

Nursery rhymes develop humor.

Because of the connection between movement, rhythm, and words, singing these songs can be a great group activity.

Children can learn social skills from many of the rhymes.

Nursery rhymes are familiar and can thus provide comfort and support to youngsters in uncomfortable situations.

Finally, nursery rhymes are just plain fun to say!

So, put away that spoon and embrace Mother Goose with open arms! Every time you cringe from hearing "Humpty Dumpty" or "Hey Diddle Diddle," just remember how important these classics are to your child's growth!

Are you a fan of nursery rhymes, or do these ditties drive you batty? I'd love to hear!

Also, be sure to pop on over to Syncopated Mama and read 10 Ways to Make Nursery Rhymes More Fun for great ideas for wordplay and other coordinating activities!

Sources

Bryant, P.E., Bradley, L., Maclean, M., and Crossland, J. (1989). Nursery rhymes, phonological skills,
and reading. Journal of Child Language [Online], Jun; 16(2), 407-28.

Harper, L. J. (2011). Nursery rhyme knowledge and phonological awareness in preschool children. The Journal of Language and Literacy Education [Online], 7(1), 65-78.

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The Benefits of Nursery Rhymes on Preschool Development

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If you're the parent of a toddler or preschooler, then you probably learned early on that you can't easily escape nursery rhymes. These ditties seem fairly innocuous at first, but it doesn't take long before you're going bonkers from hearing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" for the 4,783rd time.

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Nursery rhymes are important for young children because they help develop an ear for our language. Both rhyme and rhythm help kids hear the sounds and syllables in words, which helps kids learn to read! Here are some activities and recommended poetry books to aid your child's developing poetry, rhyming, and rhythm skills.

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Surely when you were a child they were very "in vogue". But their popularity seems to have decreased in time, even though they are an excellent way of having fun with your child and developing their brain.

Nursery rhymes offer oral support to children and aid in their development of hearing awareness. They are part of children's pre-literacy skills, being an important pillar in their cognitive development. Their value to children's language and learning foundation cannot be underestimated.

Benefits of teaching your child nursery rhymes

Developing phonemic awareness

Nursery rhymes teach children to pronounce words. A lot of nursery rhymes are full of interjections or funny words. They have the role of helping children repeat difficult groups of sounds with the aim of improving their speech. Above all, nursery rhymes teach children intonation and correct pronunciation.

Building memory and articulation

Nursery rhymes are full of rhyming words, and usually it is words or groups of sounds that you don't encounter in regular words. By introducing your child to these patterns of sounds, nursery rhymes give their brain the input it will need to categorise words by their internal structure. This acts as a precursor to written language, where children have to identify the sounds of written words.

For example, nursery rhymes help your child's brain to differentiate between syllables and to identify similarities between words that rhyme or words that begin with the same sounds.

Understanding of concepts: painting pictures in children's heads

When you teach your child nursery rhymes, you are contributing to their creative development. When you talk to your child from the moment they are born, through to their years of learning how to talk, you are equipping them with a solid vocabulary base.

What is more, children also learn to understand abstract concepts like big, small, in front, behind, first and last. The words used in nursery rhymes help children develop language comprehension by associating words with people, objects, and events in their daily life.

Development of social routines

There are lots of fun nursery rhymes that you can sing in two parts. Teaching your child when they should tell their part in the rhyme contributes to their development of social skills. What is more, your child will also learn important conversation lessons, such as turn-taking and listening.

Listening skills

When you read nursery rhymes to your child, you are telling them a story. Because of the rhyming words, the storyline, and your pronunciation, children are lured into the story and pay attention to you. This helps them make sense of the story and at the same time makes them good listeners.

Remember these nursery rhymes?

Nursery rhymes are fun for children and they can be excellent conversation openers between parents, their parents and grandparents.

Here are some good old nursery rhymes you can learn with your child. Bring the family together, maybe some family members know the lyrics by heart.

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5 ways nursery rhymes can help your child learn

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Surely when you were a child they were very "in vogue". But their popularity seems to have decreased in time, even though they are an excellent way of having fun with your child and developing their brain. Nursery rhymes offer oral support to children and aid in their development of hearing awareness.

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I had the huge honour of being asked to draw a special picture for Blue Peter to celebrate its 60th year. My drawing featured the top moments in the show's history, as chosen by the viewers.

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Tweets by BIGPictureBooks

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#ReadAlong | PETE THE CAT: The Wheels on the Bus | Sing-Along Song | A Groovy Twist on a Classic!

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What Can a Crane Pick Up? | Book Trailer

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FLASHLIGHT By Lizi Boyd - Animated Trailer

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BABY-BOO, I LOVE YOU – CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK TRAILER

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That’s Not My Hat
https://m.youtube.com/watch/?v=6MuDfdxESOQ

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Don’t miss what’s happening

People on Twitter are the first to know.

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Tweets by The_Pigeon

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Tweets by peterhreynolds

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Tweets by Booktrust

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Tweets by Candlewick

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Once a year, every year, I reread The Little Prince and manage to find in it new layers of loveliness and wisdom each time, always seemingly written to allay whatever my greatest struggle at that moment is. It is a special book, yes, but it is not singular in being a testament to something I have long believed: that great children's books transcend both age and time. They are exquisite distillations of philosophies for living, addressing in the language of children - which is the language of absolute sincerity, so countercultural in our age of cynicism - the deepest, most eternal truths about what it means to live a meaningful, beautiful, inspired, noble life. Although written with children in mind, they speak to the eternal child that each of us lives with and answers to, but often neglects - something Antoine de Saint-Exupéry knew and articulated beautifully in dedicating The Little Prince to the little boy inside his grown-up best friend.

Here are the loveliest such timeless, ageless illustrated philosophies for living that I read in 2018. (And in this spirit of timelessness, treat yourself to their counterparts from 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010.)

BEAR AND WOLF

Otherness has always been how we define ourselves - by contrast and distinction from what is unlike us, we find out what we are like: As I have previously written, we are what remains after everything we are not. But otherness can also be the most beautiful ground for connection - in slicing through the surface unlikenesses, we can discover a deep wellspring of kinship, which in turn enlarges our understanding of ourselves and the other. "The world's otherness is antidote to confusion," Mary Oliver wrote in her moving account of what saved her life. "Standing within this otherness... can re-dignify the worst-stung heart."

That is what Brooklyn-based author and illustrator Daniel Salmieri explores with great thoughtfulness and tenderness in Bear and Wolf (public library).

On a calm winter's night, Bear ventures into the forest in consonance with Thoreau's love of winter walks and his insistence that "we must go out and re-ally ourselves to Nature every day." As she savors the touch of the sparkling snowflakes falling on her fur, she spots "something poking from the glistening white."

At the same time, Wolf was out walking, then he spotted something poking out form the glistening white.

As the two solitary walkers approach, they see each other up close - a young bear, a young wolf.

She could see the wolf's pointy snout, smooth gray fur, golden eyes, and wet black nose... He could see the bear's big round head, soft black fur, deep brown eyes, and wet black nose.

In a testament to Anaïs Nin's observation that "it is a sign of great inner insecurity to be hostile to the unfamiliar," Bear and Wolf meet each other not with frightened hostility but with openhearted, compassionate curiosity. Their encounter is a shared question mark regarded with mutual goodwill and concern for rather than fear of the other:

"Are you lost?" asked Bear.

"No, I'm not lost. Are you?" asked Wolf.

"No, I'm not lost. I'm out for a walk to feel the cold on my face, and to enjoy the quiet of the woods when it snows. What are you doing?"

"I'm out for a walk to feel the cold under my paws, and to listen to the crunching of the snow as I walk."

"Do you want to walk with me?" asked Bear.

"Sure," said Wolf.

And so they head into the woods furry side by furry side, wet nose near wet nose, aware that they are "both creatures made to be comfortable in the very cold." They savor the splendor of this forest world they share, smelling "the wet bark on the trees," listening to "the small sounds" of the snowflakes falling on their fur, looking closely at the multitude of shapes.

Meanwhile, above them, Bird spots two tiny figures "poking out from the glistening white."

As Bear and Wolf walk forth, they come upon a great white clearing in the woods - a place faintly familiar, for they have both been there before, but in the summertime. What is now a vast oval of white was then a vast blue lake.

They venture onto the frozen lake, clean a window of ice, and peer down to see fish floating, asleep.

And then the time comes for them to part ways and return to their separate lives, lived in parallel in this shared world.

See more here.

JEROME BY HEART

To love every fiber of another's being with every fiber of your own is a rare, beautiful, and thoroughly disorienting experience - one which the term in love feels too small to hold. Its fact becomes a gravitational center of your emotional universe so powerful that the curvature of language and reality bends beyond recognition, radiating Nietzsche's lamentation that language is not the adequate expression of all realities. The consummate reality of such a love is the native poetry of existence, known not in language but by heart.

The uncontainable, unclassifiable beauty of such love is what French writer Thomas Scotto explores with great tenderness in Jerome by Heart (public library), translated by Claudia Bedrick and Karin Snelson, and illustrated by the ever-wonderful Olivier Tallec - the story of a little boy named Raphael and his boundless adoration for another little boy, Jerome, which unfolds in Scotto's lovely words like a poem, like a song.

He always holds my hand.
It's true.
Really tight.

Jerome always sees Raphael from far away, shares his snacks with him, and pairs up with him on school trips to the art museum. Under Tallec's sensitive brush, we see them standing side by side, peering into a painting together - a sweet embodiment of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's assertion that "love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."

That's why I love Jerome.

It doesn't bother me at all.
Raphael loves Jerome.
I can say it.
It's easy.

Jerome and Raphael share a love pure and infinite. It flows between them at its most buoyant and expansive, which means its most unselfconscious. But the grownups around them, caught in the tyranny of labels and classifications too small, are made uneasy by its largeness - a tragic testament to Bob Dylan's observation that "people have a hard time accepting anything that overwhelms them."

Eventually, Raphael begins to feel the weight of their unease at so boundless a bond. He sorrows in his dad's lament that Jerome isn't strong because he doesn't play soccer and in his mom's impression of Jerome as merely "polite," in her blindness to "how warm his smile is" and to the "secret hideout" Raphael has in it.

Against the smallness of his parents' perception, Raphael takes solace in the largeness that fills his own heart.

See more here.

A VELOCITY OF BEING

Having devoted eight years of my life to it, and having a heart swelling with gratitude to the legion of writers and artists who contributed original letters and illustrations for this monumental labor of love, I must proudly include A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader (public library) - a collection of original letters to the children of today and tomorrow about why we read and what books do for the human spirit, composed by 121 of the most interesting and inspiring humans in our world: Jane Goodall, Yo-Yo Ma, Jacqueline Woodson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Mary Oliver, Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Rebecca Solnit, Elizabeth Gilbert, Shonda Rhimes, Alain de Botton, James Gleick, Anne Lamott, Diane Ackerman, Judy Blume, Eve Ensler, David Byrne, Sylvia Earle, Richard Branson, Daniel Handler, Marina Abramović, Regina Spektor, Elizabeth Alexander, Adam Gopnik, Debbie Millman, Dani Shapiro, Tim Ferriss, Ann Patchett, a 98-year-old Holocaust survivor, Italy's first woman in space, and many more immensely accomplished and largehearted artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and adventurers whose character has been shaped by a life of reading.

Accompanying each letter is an original illustration by a prominent artist in response to the text - including beloved children's book illustrators like Sophie Blackall, Oliver Jeffers, Isabelle Arsenault, Jon Klassen, Shaun Tan, Olivier Tallec, Christian Robinson, Marianne Dubuc, Lisa Brown, Carson Ellis, Mo Willems, Peter Brown, and Maira Kalman.

Because this project was born of a deep concern for the future of books and a love of literature as a pillar of democratic society, we are donating 100% of proceeds from the book to the New York public library system in gratitude for their noble work in stewarding literature and democratizing access to the written record of human experience. The gesture is inspired in large part by James Baldwin's moving recollection of how he used the library to read his way from Harlem to the literary pantheon and Ursula K. Le Guin's insistence that "a great library is freedom." (Le Guin is one of four contributors we lost between the outset of the project and its completion, for all of whom their letter is their last published work.)

Read more here.

THE FOREST

"When we have learned how to listen to trees," Hermann Hesse wrote in his lyrical love letter to our arboreal companions, "then the brevity and the quickness and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve an incomparable joy." When Walt Whitman beheld the singular wisdom of trees, he saw in them qualities "almost emotional, palpably artistic, heroic." Philosopher Martin Buber insisted that trees can teach us to see others as they truly are.

Indeed, whatever the splendor, wisdom, and heroism of trees may be, it stems from the individual's orientation to the whole - not only as an existential metaphor, but as a biological reality as science is uncovering the remarkable communication system via which trees feel and communicate with one another. Biologist David George Haskell recognized this in his poetic expedition to a dozen of the world's most unusual trees: "The forest is not a collection of entities [but] a place entirely made from strands of relationship."

That relational, existential mesmerism is what Italian author Riccardo Bozzi explores in The Forest (public library), illustrated by Violeta Lopíz and Valerio Vidali, and translated from the Italian by Debbie Bibo. Less a book than a tactile expedition into the existential wilderness, the journey unfolds across time and space, in "an enormous, ancient forest that has not yet been fully explored."

The illustrations, minimalist yet luscious, peek through die-cuts and stretch across gatefolds, emulating the way one lovely thing becomes another when you look closely at nature with generous attentiveness to life at all scales.

Constructed in the tradition of Japanese binding, the book is wrapped in translucent velum that gives the lush cover illustration the aura of a mist-enveloped forest early in the morning.

The story begins when the forest is young - little more than a grove of small trees. With each page, it grows thicker and thicker, more impenetrable and more fascinating at the same time. We see the silhouettes of the explorers - white shadows cast of negative space against the vibrant forest - trek and kneel "to investigate its beauties and its dangers."

It is said that the forest has a certain limit if you look straight ahead, but the sides are boundless. Here is where the explorers can venture with enjoyment and curiosity.

As the forest grows, so does the explorer: Rising out of the crisp-white page are the subtly embossed faces of different genders and races, also progressing along the way of life - an infant, an adolescent boy, a young woman, an old man.

See more here.

LOVE

"What is love?" Kafka asked in contemplating love and the power of patience. "After all, it is quite simple," he answered his own question. "Love is everything which enhances, widens, and enriches our life. In its heights and in its depths. Love has as few problems as a motor-car. The only problems are the driver, the passengers, and the road."

Behind the comical quip lies a common strain of cynicism. One need not be as profoundly defeated by love as Kafka to default to this achingly human form of self-defense - for cynicism is, after all, a maladaptive coping mechanism when we feel the threat of disappointment and heartbreak. I take a less cynical perspective and stand with J.D. McClatchy: "Love is the quality of attention we pay to things." And in those moments when the heart stands on the brink of breakage, I like to revise Borges's timeless reflection on the nature of time, substituting love for time to produce a sentiment of equally exquisite profundity: " Love is the substance I am made of. Love is a river which sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger which destroys me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire which consumes me, but I am the fire."

Perhaps the truest and most abiding thing about love is that it means different things to each of us, and presents itself in myriad different guises.

That splendid multiplicity of manifestations is what author Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long explore with uncommon loveliness in a book simply titled Love (public library) - a testament to my long-held conviction that great "children's" books are simply great books, imaginative and intelligible to young readers, replete with soulful wisdom that spills into what we grownups call philosophy.

In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed, and the sound of their voices is love.

The book is as a mosaic of vignettes, each unfolding against the backdrop of the New York City skyline and capturing a particular tessellation of love, addressed in the second person to a child who transmogrifies across ages, genders, ethnicities, and faiths across the pages - a small black boy whose older brother hands him breakfast as they watch their father take the bus to work in the blizzard at dawn; a small Latina girl clutching her teddy bear as terrifying news streams into the family living room under the blessing glances of Frida Kahlo and Jesus Christ; a Muslim girl laying in an open field of flowers, drinking in the love of the trees and the wind and the universe; a little white boy curled with his dog under the grand piano of a lavish home, looking small and lonely and afraid as his father rages and his mother cries; a young black girl searching her own beautiful eyes in the bathroom mirror - all discovering the various meanings and manifestations of love, braided of sweetness and difficulty and simple gladness.

A cabdriver plays love softly on his radio while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life.

Love is the embrace of a mother after a bad dream, and a grandfather's creased face, and a father dancing with his daughter atop their mobile home overlooking a clothesline and the ocean sunset, and the old lady pointing to the sky with reverence for the steadfast stars.

Love, too, is the smell of crashing waves, and a train whistling blindly in the distance, and each night the sky above your trailer turns the color of love.

On the night the fire alarm blares, you're pulled from sleep and whisked into the street, where a quiet old lady is pointing to the sky.

"Stars shine long after they've flamed out," she tells you, "and the shine they shine with love."

See more here.

LITTLE MAN, LITTLE MAN

"The greatest poet in the English language found his poetry where poetry is found: in the lives of the people," James Baldwin (August 2, 1924-December 1, 1987) wrote in his superbly insightful essay on Shakespeare, language as a tool of love, and the writer's responsibility in a divided society. But while "the people" of sixteenth-century Europe were very different from the people of twentieth-century America, as were their lives, cultural representations of "the people" of our time and place - of what Whitman celebrated as "a great, aggregated, real PEOPLE, worthy the name, and made of develop'd heroic individuals" - have remained woefully stagnant and unreflective of diversity in the centuries since Shakespeare.

Fifteen years after Gwendolyn Brooks - the first black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize - released her trailblazing poems for kids celebrating diversity and the universal spirit of childhood, Baldwin set out to broaden the landscape of representation in children's literature by composing a short, playful yet poignant story inspired by his own nephew - Tejan Kafera-Smart, or TJ. Originally published in 1976, with a jacket that billed it as "a child's story for adults," Little Man, Little Man: A Story of Childhood (public library) is Baldwin's addition to the compact canon of sole children's books composed by literary icons for their own kin, including Sylvia Plath's The Bed Book, J.R.R. Tolkien's , and William Faulkner's The Wishing Tree.

The book is less a story than a series of vignettes depicting African American life and childhood on a particular block on New York City's Upper West Side - one that looks "a little like the street in the movies or the TV when the cop cars come from that end of the street and then they come from the other end of the street." Baldwin, who considered the book a "celebration of the self-esteem of black children," began working on it shortly after his historic conversation about race with anthropologist Margaret Mead and set out to find the right illustrator for it.

He chose Yoran Cazac, a white French artist he had met more than a decade earlier through a mutual friend - the African American painter Beauford Delaney, who had mentored the young Baldwin and had taught him what it really means to see. When Delaney was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric asylum outside of Paris, Baldwin and Cazac rekindled their friendship in this hour of devastation and sorrow, and soon began collaborating on bringing Little Man, Little Man to life.

Cazac would complete the art - pencil and watercolor, vibrant and alive, evocative of children's jubilant and free drawings - without having ever been to Harlem. Instead, Baldwin transported the artist by giving him books on black life, telling him stories about his time in New York, and sharing photographs of his own family there, including his nephew and niece, after whom the characters in the book were modeled. Cazac was determined to "imagine the unimaginable" through these telegraphic descriptions that became a form of artistic telepathy.

The story is written in the authentic colloquial language - children's language, African American language - of its time and place. It is a creative choice that embodies poet Elizabeth Alexander's notion of "the self in language" and evokes a sentiment from the stunning speech on the power of language Toni Morrison delivered when she became the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature: "We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives."

See more here.

BE STILL, LIFE

"Life goes headlong," Emerson lamented in contemplating how to live with presence in a culture of busyness, offering the antidote to our civilizational haste: "Now pause, now possession is required, and the power to swell the moment from the resources of our own heart until it supersedes sun & moon & solar system in its expanding immensity." Half a century later, writing about the most important habit for living with presence, Hermann Hesse cautioned: "The high value put upon every minute of time, the idea of hurry-hurry as the most important objective of living, is unquestionably the most dangerous enemy of joy." Another century later, in the midst of an ever-accelerating cultural trance of busyness, Annie Dillard distilled the heart of the paradox in her sublime insistence on choosing presence over productivity: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

An uncommonly tenderhearted, wide-eyed invitation to fill our days with lively presence comes in Be Still, Life (public library) - a splendid illustrated poem of a picture-book by Ohara Hale, whose work I have long cherished and who has the loveliest back-flap author bio I have ever encountered:

Ohara Hale is a self-taught artist who works with many different forms and materials. She sings, writes, draws, and performs sounds, words, colors, and movements that are questions and ideas about love, life, nature, and all the unseen, unknown, and dreamed in between. Hale lives on planet Earth with her rescue dog, Banana.

From the slumbering snail to the purposeful gentleness of the honeybees at work to the dance of the leaves in the whispering breeze, Hale beckons eye, heart, and mind to drink in the glorious aliveness of the world with a generous curiosity, evocative of Simone Weil's assertion that "attention is the rarest and purest kind of generosity." What emerges is a mirthful modern-day counterpart to Thoreau's celebration of nature as a form of prayer. Playful levity and vibrancy carry the deeper soulfulness of the message, which unfolds with a songlike quality - a sort of hymn in word and image. (Perhaps it cannot be otherwise, for Hale is also a gifted musician, and we bring everything we are, our whole selves and all of our multitudes, to any one thing we do.)

See more here.

PRESTO & ZESTO IN LIMBOLAND

The Bulgaria of my childhood was bereft of the classics of American children's literature. Instead, I grew up with the unsugared Brothers Grimm and the strangeness of Lewis Carroll. I discovered The Velveteen Rabbit and The Giving Tree and Charlotte's Web only as a young adult, and found in them a shock of warmth and wisdom for my fledgling life as an immigrant. I still remember sitting on a Brooklyn rooftop and reading Where the Wild Things Are for the first time, well into my twenties, aching with dislocation from the world and a roaring sense of lack of control. I remember feeling suddenly awash in reassurance that the inconsolable loneliness of living is survivable, that love can be steadfast and belonging possible even amid the world's wildness.

"I don't write for children," Maurice Sendak told Stephen Colbert in his last on-camera appearance, four months before his death in 2012. "I write - and somebody says, 'That's for children!'" From his largely forgotten 1956 debut as the author-illustrator of a picture book, Kenny's Window - a philosophically inclined parable of love, loneliness, and knowing what you really want - to his most beloved masterpieces, Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, to his final farewell to the world, the beautiful and sorrowful My Brother's Book, Sendak has enchanted generations with singularly illustrated stories that delight children and emanate existential consolation for the trauma of living.

Presto & Zesto in Limboland (public library), Sendak's posthumously published collaboration with the writer and director Arthur Yorinks, is not one of those books. At least not at first glance. Rather, it is the playful story of two friends' adventures in a topsy-turvy world, part Alice in Wonderland, part Grimm fairy tale, part prescient analogue for the nonsensical cultural moment we inhabit. "One day Presto and Zesto, good friends, took a walk and ended up in Limboland," we read. "They didn't mean to go there, who would go there, but they had a lot on their minds."

In this uncanny world, two sugar beets are getting married, but their perfect wedding gift - a set of bagpipes, of course - is in the hands of the formidable Bumbo, a monster resembling a Wild Thing skinned of sweetness. As Presto and Zesto journey through Limboland to steal the bagpipes from Bumbo, they encounter visual strangenesses left unexplained - a rat holding a ruler, a goat's rear sticking up from a pond - indulging the way children's minds so naturally whisper This could be us at even the most bizarre and improbable vignettes.

The story is not so much a story as a narrative filmstrip reeled around Sendak's art - ten drawings he created in 1990 as projections for a London Symphony Orchestra performance of a 1927 opera setting Czech nursery rhymes to music. Sendak resurfaced the art once more for a charity concert in 1997, then tucked it away for good. But Yorinks - a friend of Sendak's for more than four decades who had collaborated with him on two previous children's books, The Miami Giant and - had fallen in love with the drawings and never forgot them. He brought them up over a work lunch with Sendak and suggested that they might be a book - a book in need of a story. That afternoon, the two friends arranged the pictures on Sendak's drawing table and, in a state of creative flow punctuated by wild bursts of laughter, began improvising the story. They refined the manuscript over the coming months and declared it a picture book. But then, as it happens in life, life happened. Presto & Zesto vanished in the shadow of other projects.

One day long after his friend's death, Yorinks received a note from Sendak's longtime assistant and now literary executor, Lynn Caponera, alerting him that she had discovered among the author's papers a strange manuscript titled Presto & Zesto in Limboland. I imagine how difficult it must have been for Yorinks to revisit this story of two friends, named after the nicknames he and Sendak had for each other; how difficult and beautiful to see it morph into a private elegy - in the classic dual sense of lamentation and celebration - for a lost friendship.

And so, six years after Sendak's death, this unusual picture book is finally being born. It is both like and unlike classic Sendak. At times, there are leaps in the narrative that strain the effort to stitch the drawings into a cohesive story. As a young man, when asked to illustrate a book of Tolstoy's short stories, Sendak had confided in his editor - the visionary Ursula Nordstrom - that he admired the "cohesion and purpose" of Tolstoy's narrative but feared that his art would fail to match it. Nordstrom, ever the nurturer of unpolished genius, assured him otherwise. He did illustrate Tolstoy. This formative storytelling ideal of "cohesion and purpose" became an animating force of his work. Perhaps Sendak put Presto & Zesto in a drawer because he was unsure the book had achieved this.

But I am glad it lives. In a story propelled by surprise after surprise in deliberate defiance of the expectations of ordinary reality, where logical discontinuity is a vehicle of joy, these leaps furnish rather than obstruct the whimsical world-building. The dialogue between image and story becomes essentially an act of translation, calling to mind the Nobel-winning Polish poet Wisława Szymborska's lovely notion of "that rare miracle when a translation stops being a translation and becomes... a second original."
This article originally appeared in The New York Times Book Review on September 25, 2018.
BOLD & BRAVE

"While any one is base, none can be entirely free and noble," Margaret Fuller - one of the central figures in my book Figuring - wrote in her epoch-making 1845 treatise Woman in the Nineteenth Century, insisting that the "improvement in the daughters will best aid in the reformation of the sons of this age." It was indeed an age of transformation, in which Fuller's book became the foundation of American women's movement toward social equity and political power. Her writings empowered generations of leaders to fight for equality, ultimately winning women the right to vote seven decades after Fuller's death.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand celebrates ten of these leaders (though, curiously, not Fuller herself) in Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote (public library) - an illustrated encyclopedia of courage and persistence, with art by the inimitable Maira Kalman.

Kindred in spirit to my long-ago project The Reconstructionists - a series of illustrated micro-biographies of women who have profoundly transfigured our world and our worldview - the book focuses particularly on American politics. Inspired by a lineage of politically daring women stretching back to her great-grandmother, Gillibrand highlights a diverse dectet of visionaries, ranging from schoolbooks staples like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth to icons like Harriet Tubman and Inez Milholland, whose famous last words open the book, to lesser-known heroes like Jovita Idár, who championed the rights of women and Mexican Americans, started a free kindergarten, and founded the League of Mexican Women, and Lucy Burns, who worked tirelessly on both sides of the Atlantic to win women political representation and power, co-founding the National Woman's Party alongside her friend Alice Paul, also one of Gillibrand's suffragists.

Most of these women were Thoreau's contemporaries and embodied his ethos of civil disobedience to advance their cause, many of them at the price of arrest and assault.

Inscribed onto each of Kalman's lovely portraits is a distillation of the central lesson the respective woman modeled in her life.

See more here.

THE BRILLIANT DEEP

"Do you sometimes want to wake up to the singularity we once were?" poet Marie Howe asked in her stunning contribution to The Universe in Verse. She imagined a time before we severed ourselves from "Nature," a time when there were "no tests to determine if the elephant grieves her calf or if the coral reef feels pain."

The living reality of coral reefs animated another visionary poet a century and a half earlier: In his ode to "the world below the brine," Walt Whitman celebrated corals as some of our planet's most wondrous creatures. A living example of non-Euclidean geometry, corals have graced Earth for hundreds of millions of years. They are as remarkable in their evolutionary longevity as they are fragile in their dependence on the health of the world's oceans, from which springs the health of Earth itself - a physical embodiment of naturalist and Whitman biographer John Muir's poetic assertion that "when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." But under the combinatorial assault of climate change, overfishing, and pollution, coral reefs have been dying at a heartbreaking rate in the century and a half between Muir and Whitman's time and our own - how, we must wonder, could they not feel the pain of such brutal demise?

One man set out to heal this ecological heartbreak with an ingenious remedy involving hammer and glue.

Ken Nedimyer grew up near the Kennedy Space Center as the son of a NASA engineer in the golden age of space exploration. And yet he fell in love not with the stars but with the depths - a world then more mysterious than the Moon - after seeing a television program about the ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.

This young love became a lifelong devotion.

Nedimyer's story and immensely inspiring work come alive in The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs (public library) by Kate Messner, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe - a lovely addition to the growing body of picture-book biographies of cultural heroes.

Like many scientific breakthroughs, Nedimyer's radical marine remedy began with a stroke of luck.

Nedimyer had translated his childhood love of the oceans into a quiet life of farming live rocks - rocks covered with algae, sponges, mollusks, and other marine life, used as a handsome natural water purification system in saltwater aquariums. One day, he noticed that a colony of staghorn corals had spawned and migrated to his rocks from the nearby open waters of Florida.

Messner writes:

It starts with one.

One night, after a full moon, the corals begin to spawn - releasing first one, then millions of tiny lives - until the waters swirl like a snow globe.

As Nedimyer and his daughter observed these lovely interlopers, they noticed that if they cut pieces of living coral off and attached them to other rocks - literally gluing them on - the coral from the original colony would grow on this new blank canvas for life. So they wondered what would happen if they grew a coral colony and tried attaching it to a dying reef.

Nedimyer decided to return to the reef where he had learned to dive as a child - a reef that had begun dying when he was still young. He took six small coral colonies from his farm, each no larger than an outstretched hand, and glued them onto the bleached and barren limestone.

Month after month, Nedimyer and his team dove to check on this hand-mended reef. Month by month, the coral colonies grew larger and larger.

See more here.

JULIÁN IS A MERMAID

"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight," E.E. Cummings offered in his advice to aspiring artists. "You've got to tell the world how to treat you," James Baldwin argued two decades later in his fantastic forgotten conversation about identity with anthropologist Margaret Mead. "If the world tells you how you are going to be treated, you are in trouble." Both the vulnerability and the courage of that world-telling are in direct proportion to our sense of otherness - to how far the teller diverges from society's centuries-old, dogma-proscribed, limiting ideas about the correct way to be a human being.

A lovely celebration of the courage to tell the world who you are comes in Julián Is a Mermaid (public library) by Jessica Love - a sweet story of loving acceptance and the jubilant inner transformation that takes place when one is welcomed to be and to dream beyond society's narrow templates of being and dreaming.

Whenever Julián goes to the swimming pool with his grandmother, he dreams of being a mermaid.

One day, on the subway ride home, he glimpses three beautiful women dressed as mermaids. He is instantly entranced.

"Abuela, I am also a mermaid," he tells his grandmother shyly, the way one whispers a closely guarded innermost truth.

When Julián's grandmother goes to take a bath, an idea alights to his enchanted mind: He sheds his boy-clothes and fashions a headdress out of a fern. Like a miniature Scarlett O'Hara, he transforms the window curtain into a long skirt, tying its end to resemble a mermaid's tail.

Just as he is rejoicing in his self-creation, grandma returns from the bath, frowns, and walks away.

But she quickly returns to unsink Julián's heart by handing him the perfect finishing touch for his mermaid regalia.

Julián takes her hand and follows her out of the house, through the streets, wondering where she is taking him. "You'll see," she says.

See more here.

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Once a year, every year, I reread The Little Prince and manage to find in it new layers of loveliness and wisdom each time, always seemingly written to allay whatever my greatest struggle at that moment is.

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Nick Butterworth

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Two-year-olds aren't terrible. In fact, they're pretty awesome - especially when they have a book pressed between their chubby little hands. Some of my favorite memories of my kids as toddlers are of them snuggled on my lap with a giant stack of books.

With my youngest child nearing her second birthday, I'm digging out all the books I read with my older kids at this age. We read these books hundreds of times and I hope to read them hundreds more.

by Ezra Jack Keats

Peter wants to learn how to whistle, but it's not as easy as it looks. Toddlers that enjoyed The Snowy Day will especially like this beautifully illustrated story of a young boy living in the city.

by Hervé Tullet

My kids became proficient on touch screens soon after their second birthday, but I wanted to limit screen time. Press Here is a smart imitation of touch screen usage with the added benefits of lap time, interaction, and physical pages to turn.

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10 Must-Have Books for 2-Year-Olds | Brightly

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Two-year-olds aren't terrible. In fact, they're pretty awesome - especially when they have a book pressed between their chubby little hands. Some of my favorite memories of my kids as toddlers are of them snuggled on my lap with a giant stack of books.

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Early childhood educators and experts share their favorite toddler books to add to your little learner's library.

Toddlerhood is a great time to create a reading ritual with your child. Bring books to life with funny voices, sounds and movement. Reread their favorites (as if you have a choice) and pause to let them finish the sentence or say the wrong word on purpose and see if they correct you. Talk about the pictures on each page and describe what is happening. A positive reading experience that is fun and engaging helps your toddler build early literacy skills, develop a lifelong love of reading and nurture a stronger bond with you.

Here are a few of our favorite toddler books to add to your collection. Be sure to share YOUR favorites below in the comments!

Written by Liz Garton Scanlon

With beautiful watercolor illustrations and a message of love and family life, this Caldecott Honor book explores different community settings through the eyes of a diverse family.

"It has beautiful art. The words are very lyrical (in fact I'm working on adding a tune to it). And the message is one of love and living together peacefully." - Seth Pederson, Toddler Teacher at Day Early Learning State Government Center

Written by Bill Martin Jr., Illustrated by Eric Carle

This is a great book for all ages. It introduces colors, animals, repetition and rhyming. Kids love this book because of the sing-song nature of the words and the beautiful images. It is also easy for students to read along with the book the more familiar they become with it.
Submitted by: Trisha Satterfield, Pre-K Teacher at Day Early Learning at Phalen Leadership Academy
Written and Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Circus Ship is sure to delight adults and animal-loving little learners alike. The lyrical story is fun to read, and the charming illustrations offer lots of details for tots to discover. There's even a page of hide-and-seek animals to find.
Submitted by: Brittany Fortman, Early Learning Indiana Manager of Communications & Engagement
Written by Adam Rubin

Did you know dragons love tacos? This playful story tells all about why dragons love tacos, but beware the spicy salsa!

Written by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Written in poetic and colorful language, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site offers the perfect way to wind down for kids who love anything on wheels.
Submitted by: Kirsten Eamon-Shine, Early Learning Indiana Director of Statewide Communication & Engagement
Written by Carole Gerber

Based on ancient Gaelic song, an extended family prepares for a storm all while the baby cries until they're all settled around the fire and the baby is finally asleep.

Written by Liza Baker, Illustrated by David McPhail

A mama fox tells her little fox of her unconditional love for him as she describes his many moods. A heartfelt message that also helps children identify and understand emotions.

Written by Lisa Mccourt

Another story about a mother's unconditional love for her child, but with a funny and not-so-sappy twist. As the mother is putting her child to sleep, she tells him she loves him, but then his imagination runs wild and the reader is along for the ride. What if I'm a big, scary ape or a super-smelly skunk? Would you love me then?

Written by Alice Schertle

A wonderful story about a friendly little blue farm truck who helps his friends teaches children a lesson on kindness. Little Blue Truck is great for helping young toddlers identify animals and their sounds. It has a simple, rythmic story that's short enough for younger toddlers, but has rich and delightful illustrations that older toddlers can build on. Sure to be a favorite.
Submitted by: Brittany Fortman, Early Learning Indiana Manager of Communications & Engagement
Written by Anna Dewdney

We love the Llama Llama series for exploring various social and emotional themes. This particular story addresses the trials of bedtime and separation anxiety. The wonderful illustrations bring feelings to life as Baby Llama wails for his mama in the darkness of his room. The reassuring message "Mama Llama's always near, even if she's not right here," is easy for toddlers to understand and repeat when they're experiencing their own feelings of separation anxiety.

Written by Anna Dewdney

Another Anna Dewdney favorite, this time for dads! An involved and doting father helps his daughter build a playhouse out of a cardboard box, takes her to the store, gives her a ride on his shoulders and makes dinner. A great daddy-daughter book with the same great illustrations as the llama llama series.

Written by Leslie Patricelli

Light on words, but full of fun, "Potty" takes your toddler through the process of going potty and the feelings and questions that come with it. Toddlers will laugh out loud as you act out all the faces the boy makes as he says sits on the potty for the first time and waits for the "Tinkle, Tinkle, Toot" to come. A great introduction to prepare for potty training.

Written by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

A vibrant springtime tale that follows a little girl on a rainy day. She counts the raindrops up to ten and then goes inside for a bath and counts back down. The short, rhythmic text is easy for toddlers to memorize and provides them with the opportunity to "read" it on their own. The charming and detailed illustrations are fun for little readers to pour over and discover nature.

Written by Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

A clever mouse takes a stroll through the deep dark wood and meets a fox, an owl and a snake along the way. He outwits his enemies by inventing a terrible creature to ward them off - the Gruffalo. With playful and rich illustrations and a surprising twist at the end, The Gruffalo is sure to be a favorite.
Submitted by: Brittany Fortman, Early Learning Indiana Manager of Communications & Engagement
Written by Maurice Sendak

A timeless classic perfect for the toddler crowd. Caldecott Medal-winning picture book Where the Wild Things Are tells the tale of a boy named Max who was sent to bed after making mischief of one kind or another.

" Where the Wild Things Are can be a great, engaging story! Children can help "roar their terrible roars" right along with you!" - Matt Miller, Center Director at Day Early Learning Federal Building

What books thrill your toddler? Add your family's favorites in the comments below!

Curious about how literacy skills develop in our classrooms? Explore more about our curriculum for one-year-olds and two-year-olds today!

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15 Teacher-Tested Toddler Books to Read with One- and Two-Year-Olds

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Toddlerhood is a great time to create a reading ritual with your child. Bring books to life with funny voices, sounds and movement. Reread their favorites (as if you have a choice) and pause to let them finish the sentence or say the wrong word on purpose and see if they correct you.

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Developmental skills learned by reading to a 2-year-old

By the time our little one's reach 2 years old it's clear that the baby stage has passed. Despite being older and smarter than they were as infants, toddlers have their own set of developmental milestones to reach. Two of the largest milestones occurring within their second year of life are directly influenced by reading. The cognitive milestone that begins to develop around this time involves your child learning new ways of thinking and new techniques for solving problems within their own life.

Reading can introduce new patterns and new ways to look at the world that can help enhance these new thought processes. The development of learning is also beginning to emerge as your little one starts remembering and asking questions about things that have already happened, such as the book that you read the night before. With a helping hand from reading, it is amazing how quickly your child's mind will begin to blossom throughout this year.

Language development is also cresting towards a peak during the second year. Children suddenly evolve from being passive listeners, where they are simply listening to you speak and looking at the pictures, to being active participants in storytime. They start to understand what the story is about and ask questions. Their natural curiosity is beginning to form and reading inspires the "why' and 'what is that' questions that are so important at this stage. Unlike infant milestones that can seem to come on all at once and bring about a noticeable change in behavior, toddler milestones are more subtle. The developmental skills they are learning every time you sit together at storytime may not be immediately apparent.

At some point during their second year, you will find yourself in awe of how much their minds have grown as they begin to show off their newfound understanding. Regardless of the time needed for your precious flower to bloom, reading is an enjoyable and valuable resource that will help you and your little one to grow.

Books that are included on the 15 best books for 2 year olds

Books that are included in the 15 best book for 2 year olds focus on the interaction between the adult and the child. Because children usually do not read at 2 years old, making sure that the pre-reading skills were there was not a focus. We wanted to make sure that the book focused on the adult-child interaction and was exciting for young readers. This interaction is important and making sure that the books listed were an excellent tool for this was one of our biggest focuses. Once the list was composed of the best interactive books our panel of experts could find, then we looked at the excitement level of the book.

We gauged the excitement level of the book because we want to make sure that it is not only exciting but adds value to reading. When children get excited about a story, it allows them to learn more from the story and also shows that they understand it as well. The panel of experts took all this into consideration and created the list of the best books that displayed both interaction and excitement. We hope that everyone will find a book they love on this list.

Benefits of reading books to 2-year-olds

Reading to 2-year-olds benefits their development. It is very important to read to a child because it helps them prepare to learn to read on their own and it boosts cognitive development. When you read to a 2-year-old, they may not be able to read every word that you are reading, but it helps them start to pick up on rhythm and tones of your voice. The more words that they are exposed to and the more they are read to, the easier reading themselves will be. Preparing them to read on their own is one of the best benefits of reading to them, but boosting their cognitive development is also a great benefit as well.

Studies show that 2-year-old who are ready to have a larger vocabulary, display more advanced math skills, and speak at a younger age than their peers. They can link directly a child's language skills to the number of words a child is exposed to. So, the more words children hear and see means the more words they are able to say and understand. Preparing children to learn to read and boosting their cognitive development are two of the best benefits of reading to a 2-year-old.

Reading to 2-year-olds encouraged

Reading to a 2-year-old is encouraged because it plays a critical role in their language development and encourages adults to spend time with children. Language development of a 2-year-old is important. Some of the most important milestones at the age of 2 are language development milestones. Reading to a child helps them have larger vocabularies and they typically are able to speak better than their peers. It is also a great way to spend time with a child. Reading is a great adult-child interactive activity. It is never too early to start to read to a child, but when they reach the age of 2, it is encouraged to help them with healthy development. When children spend positive time with an adult reading, it helps them develop the love of reading and learning. This will benefit them throughout their entire lives and is a great way to bond.

What Determined the Top 15 Toddlers' Books in Our List

It was quite a challenge coming up with a selection of the best children's books for 2-year-old kids. This is because 2-year-olds are not really known for having the faculty to read. The pre-reading skills typically occur much later at around 4 to 5 years of age. Of course, there are child protégés whereby at a very young age they could easily be reading verses from a Shakespearean play but this is a rarity. As such, we were left with choosing books that were easy to understand when read by mom or dad and of course, full of graphic illustrations to help drive home the point.

If the book offered some learning interaction with kids, then we evaluated just how much of a kid's development is impacted by these features. For instance, book pages that function like peek-a-boos are generally regarded as excellent tools for stimulating children's curiosity while also enhancing their intellectual and cognitive abilities. Textured pages can also provide for a more sensory experience. Add to these a variety of colors, forms, and shapes and you have a really superb learning resource for your child. These are the things that we had to carefully examine in coming up with our list.

We also looked at the bestseller status of such children's books as we believe, if a title fared pretty well in the world market, then it should be an excellent choice for our young readers. We also took into consideration what other parents think about these young children's books. It is imperative for us to understand just how well these pieces of kiddie literature were received not only by parents but, more importantly, by the very kids that these books were designed for. While we cannot say with absolute certainty that everyone will love the books in our top 15 list, at least a great majority of you will.

It is the combination of developmental appropriateness, sensory functionality, and customer reception that formed the bases of our selection process.

Why Reading to Infants and Toddlers is Encouraged

In a meta-analysis conducted by the Center for Early Literacy Learning, it was found that numerous studies have already shown the many benefits of reading to young children especially infants and toddlers. These studies show that reading to our kids at a young age can help in the development of the expressive and receptive language skills. In other words, by reading to our young kids, they are able to develop their own way of communicating as well as refine their skill of understanding or comprehending what is being communicated to them.

It is in reading to our kids that we are able to provide them with the foundation for their speech, language, and communication skills. When we pronounce a word, they instinctively learn that this is how it's supposed to be pronounced. That is why when we tell a story to our kids, we always do so at a much slower pace so they will be able to pick up the correct pronunciation. More importantly, the manner in which we tell the stories will somehow create an impression on them as to the different emotions inherent in the story. For instance, if we make our voice gloomier than usual, they will gain an understanding of what sadness sounds like.

Perhaps more than just enhancing their communication skills, reading to our young children further strengthens our bonds with them. As we cuddle up close, they will feel the warmth of our care and affection and this builds the trust that exists between a parent and his or her child.

The Bottom Line

There are many benefits of reading to our young children. While some parents may not agree with what we have in our list solely because of the content of the books, it should be worth remembering that these are for 2-year-old girls or boys.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where can I find the books on this list in a physical store?

A: You can find the books on this list at a physical store by searching the internet for the title. Using a search engine to type the title of the book in and the results displayed will show you both places online that carry the book and physical stores around you as well. Checking to make sure they have it in stock or giving them a call is best before heading over to the store.

Q: What kind of books are the best for 2-year-olds?

A: The kind of books that are the best for 2-year-olds at short stories with rhymes that include colorful illustrations. Children will often share the pictures as the adult reads so you want to make sure they are able to see the pictures and the pictures tell the story as well. Interactive books with flaps, sounds, and moving parts are always a fun way to get them learning as well.

Q: Are there any safety concerns for books for 2-year-olds?

A: There are only a few safety concerns for books for 2-year-olds. You always want to review the book and make sure there are no loose materials or accessories that have come apart. You want to make sure there are no choking hazards that could come from the book materials. So making sure there are no choking hazards and also make sure the book is constructed of safe materials as well. The dyes and paints used in the book printing could cause health concerns. Always check to make sure the book is constructed of safe materials as well. You never know when they would like to put the book in their mouth.

Q: Why are there so many benefits to reading to children?

A: Reading to children benefits them in so many ways because it is a crucial part of development during their childhood. Reading to children helps them become better readers as they grow up, it helps to increase their vocabulary, teaches them about the world around them, and creates positive child-adult interaction. All these benefits help create children who want to learn and enjoy learning new things.

Q: When should my children be able to start reading?

A: Children should start to read by the age of 6 or 7 years old. Early readers will start reading around 4 or 5 years old. Reading books to children out loud is one of the best ways to help them learn to read. Make sure that the experience is fun and rewarding. This ensures that healthy literacy-development skills are created and that they will enjoy reading themselves.

Q: Does reading to a 2-year-old teach them about the world around them?

A: Yes, reading to a 2-year-old teaches them about the world around them. To make sure they are getting the most out of the experience, make sure to read a large variety of different kinds of books. Picking books to read that include information about different people and cultures, along with places and events outside the home is the best way for them to learn about the world around them.

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Best Books To Buy For 2 Year Olds in 2019 | Borncute.com

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Developmental skills learned by reading to a 2-year-old By the time our little one's reach 2 years old it's clear that the baby stage has passed. Despite being older and smarter than they were as infants, toddlers have their own set of developmental milestones to reach.

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Get now the Best books for two year olds, including But Not the Hippopotamus , Pajama Time!, Guess How Much I Love You and 48 other top solutions suggested and ranked by the Softonic Solutions user community in 2019.

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Toddlers have an innate sense of the ridiculous, and enjoy repetition, word play, and bold pictures. We've rounded up 36 both recent and tried-and-true books that your toddler will adore!

Toddlers are active, curious, busy little people, intensely engaged in learning about the world around them. Books help them make sense of what they see, hear, think, and feel. Still, there's a vast gap between a one-year-old who's just started to speak in short sentences, and a three-year-old who can recite the alphabet-possibly backwards. That means that the best books for this diverse group meet them where they are, but also encourage them to stretch their abilities, staying relevant as kids grow.

Toddlers like repetition, word play, and bold pictures, and since they have an innate sense of the ridiculous, any book that tickles their funny bones is sure to become an enduring favorite. Below, we've rounded up 36 both recent and tried-and-true books for toddlers, in eight categories.

Fundamentals

2. Black Bird Yellow Sun Written and illustrated by Steve Light, Candlewick Press (0-3)
Deceptively simple, this book of colors will get your tot making up her own stories about what that black bird is up to in the green grass and under the purple grapes. $8,barnesandnoble.com.

3. Touch Think Learn: Vehicles Written and illustrated by Xavier Deneux, Chronicle Books (2-4)
The one-to-three-year-old-set will love exploring the outsides (and insides) of some of their favorite modes of transportation in this cool cutout book. $15, .

4. Baby Goes to Market Written by Atinuke and illustrated by Angela Brooksbank, Candlewick Press (3-6)
Toddlers love stories about infants and relishing their own non-infant-ness, and they'll delight in counting down the fruit that a hungry baby eats on an action-packed market trip. $17,barnesandnoble.com.

Deeper Explorations

Play

12. Say Zoop Written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet, Chronicle Books (3-5)
The latest interactive title by the French illustrator has readers touching, whispering, singing and pretending to be birds in a 2-D game that will never turn out the same way twice. $16,barnesandnoble.com.

Bedtime

Feelings, and Feeling Different

Nature

25. Fantastic Flowers Written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale, Peachtree Publishers (2-6)
Wee ones will want to look long and close at these images of vividly colored and patterned flowers, to see what else is hidden among their petals. Backmatter details each exotic species, for when they want to learn more. $17, barnesandnoble.com.

Imagine

Poetry
Read more:
Potty-training books we love
100 best children's books of all time

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Toddlers have an innate sense of the ridiculous, and enjoy repetition, word play, and bold pictures. We've rounded up 36 both recent and tried-and-true books that your toddler will adore! Toddlers are active, curious, busy little people, intensely engaged in learning about the world around them.

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The Magic Hat – Mem Fox (Rock’n’roll Storytime)

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National Geographic Learning: Young Learners

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Part 4: Using Songs and Games to Build Literacy

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Maria Kay highlights the close relationship between music and literacy in the early years, and suggests simple activities to help you develop children's skills...
In this article I want to examine how developing a sense of rhythm can help to improve children's reading and writing skills.

Usha Goswami, a professor of cognitive developmental neuroscience at Cambridge, has found the perception of rhythm to be important to literacy. She has undertaken research specifically with dyslexic children. This was presented on BBC Four's 'Growing Children' in 2012. In the programme she stressed the importance of rhythmic language activities in preschool to support language development. These include nursery rhymes, songs, language games, stepping, clapping, action rhymes and large motor movement.

Rhythm and syllables

Words can be divided into syllables - chunks of sound. For example, the word, 'ex-am-ple' has three syllables. The ability to 'chunk' words in this way is an important skill that helps us to break down words into simple units when we are reading or spelling.

The rhythm in a song often reflects the syllables in the lyrics. Examine the rhyme below, 'Can You Hear the Falling Rain', and you'll be able to see how the syllables in words are given a note each. For example, 'fal-ling' is one word but it has two syllables and it is sung on two notes. Helping children to identify syllables by highlighting them through music is an effective method of helping children to break down words. Adding movement too, to highlight the syllables, adds further emphasis. Hence, marching, clapping, dancing and playing instruments help to embed vital literacy skills.

Musical activities
Can You Hear The Falling Rain? Can you hear the falling rain?
Listen here it comes again.
Down the river, down the lane,
Tapping on the window pane.
To emphasise the rhythm use claves (sticks), clap your hands or tap on a drum. If you use a drum you can vary the sounds of the rain falling, flowing down a river, on a road or on a window.

This rhyme can also be used as a basis for discussion about rain and the sound it makes as it hits different surfaces or flows in a river. You could compare this to the sound of the crashing waves of the sea or water from a tap.
It's raining, it's pouring
On the same 'rain' theme recite this traditional rhyme - it is usually performed as a chant (more singsong than a spoken rhyme, yet not quite a song). The circles indicate the beat of this rhyme and the lines, the rhythm (also reflects the syllables in each word).

Tap the beat and then tap the rhythm to compare them. When you tap the beat, only tap where indicated by the dots. When tapping the rhythm, tap where indicated by the bricks.
Cobbler cobbler
The rhyme 'Cobbler Cobbler' can be used in the same way too. See if you can identify the beat and the rhythm...
Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,
Get it done by half past two
'Cos my toe is peeping through,
Cobbler, cobbler mend my shoe. Syllable activity
Here's another activity that will help identify syllables. Pass a beater around the children in turn; you hold a drum. Ask the children a question such as, "What did you have for breakfast?" The children have to reply and beat out the syllables on the drum as they speak. For example; ce-re-al = three beats (syllables); toast and jam = three beats (syllables).

I have found that some children who have difficulty with spelling have not learned to tap rhythms. Even older children can benefit from tapping out the rhythms in words. It helps to break the words down into smaller, more manageable units that are easier to read and spell. The ability to pay careful attention to the sounds within words is vitally important to proficiency in literacy.
Maria is the author of Sound Before Symbol: Developing Literacy through Music and Alphabet Book + More: A Sounds and Symbols 'literacy through music' book. Her Sounds and Symbols Literacy through Music Resource Pack (£489) is available now. It is a comprehensive, research-based and informative resource, full of engaging activities and is perfect for building foundational literacy skills in the early years (0-8 years). Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit bryantandkaypublishing.co.uk
You may also be interested in...

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Literacy Through Music: Rhythm | Learning and Development | Teach Early Years

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Teach Early Years magazine is the leading B2B title for early years teachers, practitioners and providers, offering expert advice on educating the 0-5s and operating a sustainable childcare business.

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What "universal" language promotes reading, creativity, and comprehension skills all at the same time? MUSIC!

According to neurobiologist Norman M. Weinberger, music exists in every culture. Parents all over the world sing to their babies. Music provides us with a natural and rhythmic way to learn. Do you ever wonder why children learn to sing their ABCs before they can say them? Do you notice that so many of our favorite children's books have a certain rhyme or rhythmic pattern? Many studies show that there is a very strong connection between literacy and music. Through music, children learn to:

·Understand language (we must comprehend language in order to become "true" readers)

·Experiment with rhythm, words, tempo, and melody (which are important skills in reading aloud)

·Think creatively and holistically

·Make the connection between print and spoken words

·Practice motor development and motor coordination while experimenting with various instruments and dancing

·LISTEN (we sometimes forget that listening is an important literacy skill)

Does this mean that we pipe classical music into the background all day and expect preschoolers and kindergarten children to miraculously begin reading at a third grade reading level? Of course not! Here are some more reasonable and practical ways to assimilate music into the lives of young children:

1.Expose children to a variety of music from a young age. Different music has different tempos and rhythms so exposure to all genres of music, according to some experts, helps brain development.

2.Do not use music as background "filler" all the time. I have been in classrooms where music is playing non-stop. Sometimes it's ok to just let children hear their own chatter and their own thoughts! Besides, you don't want children to become immune to the music as background "noise." You want music to catch their attention rather than just be part of the background!

3.Recognize the effect music has on children's behavior. Classical music or jazz played at the right time of day can have a calming effect.

4.When introducing a new song or poem to children, write it down on chart paper. This helps children make the connection between written and spoken language.

5.Don't rely only on recorded music. Sing to your children. Recite poems and finger plays. These activities should be a part of children's daily routine.

6.Provide children with a variety of instruments. While children should have time to experiment with instruments on their own, the teacher should also provide structured time where children learn to play their instruments to a certain rhythm or they can echo a rhythm played by the teacher.

7.When listening to music, encourage children to listen and try to identify various instruments that they hear.

8.If you have parents that play an instrument, invite them into your classroom to show the children.

9.Contact your local symphony to see if they have a free or low-cost outreach programs. If not, check with your local college or high school! The members of the band may be able to visit your childcare center or school!

10.Hum a song and let the children guess what it is! This seems like a simple activity but it really encourages listening, thinking, and problem solving.

11.DANCE! Some children are kinesthetic learners and movement is important to these students!

I have a ton of favorite children's songs - too many to list here. But some of my favorite children's musicians are

· Putumayo Kids (This series has a great collection of world music.)

Here are some books that may inspire the musicians in your class:

Check your local symphony to see if their website has a link for teachers or children. For example, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has the DSO Kids Club and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has a link for
Written by Tonya Wright

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What "universal" language promotes reading, creativity, and comprehension skills all at the same time? MUSIC! According to neurobiologist Norman M. Weinberger, music exists in every culture. Parents all over the world sing to their babies. Music provides us with a natural and rhythmic way to learn.

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A "million word gap" for children who aren't read to at home

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Young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to, a new study found.

This "million word gap" could be one key in explaining differences in vocabulary and reading development, said Jessica Logan, lead author of the study and assistant professor of educational studies at The Ohio State University.

Even kids who are read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don't regularly read books with a parent or caregiver.

"Kids who hear more vocabulary words are going to be better prepared to see those words in print when they enter school," said Logan, a member of Ohio State's Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy.

"They are likely to pick up reading skills more quickly and easily."

The study appears online in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and will be published in a future print edition.

Logan said the idea for this research came from one of her earlier studies, which found that about one-fourth of children in a national sample were never read to and another fourth were seldom read to (once or twice weekly).

"The fact that we had so many parents who said they never or seldom read to their kids was pretty shocking to us. We wanted to figure out what that might mean for their kids," Logan said.

The researchers collaborated with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, which identified the 100 most circulated books for both board books (targeting infants and toddlers) and picture books (targeting preschoolers).

Logan and her colleagues randomly selected 30 books from both lists and counted how many words were in each book. They found that board books contained an average of 140 words, while picture books contained an average of 228 words.

With that information, the researchers calculated how many words a child would hear from birth through his or her 5 th birthday at different levels of reading. They assumed that kids would be read board books through their 3 rd birthday and picture books the next two years, and that every reading session (except for one category) would include one book.

They also assumed that parents who reported never reading to their kids actually read one book to their children every other month.

Based on these calculations, here's how many words kids would have heard by the time they were 5 years old: Never read to, 4,662 words; 1-2 times per week, 63,570 words; 3-5 times per week, 169,520 words; daily, 296,660 words; and five books a day, 1,483,300 words.

"The word gap of more than 1 million words between children raised in a literacy-rich environment and those who were never read to is striking," Logan said.

The word gap examined in this research isn't the only type kids may face.

A controversial 1992 study suggested that children growing up in poverty hear about 30 million fewer words in conversation by age 3 than those from more privileged backgrounds. Other studies since then suggest this 30 million word gap may be much smaller or even non-existent, Logan said.

The vocabulary word gap in this study is different from the conversational word gap and may have different implications for children, she said.

"This isn't about everyday communication. The words kids hear in books are going to be much more complex, difficult words than they hear just talking to their parents and others in the home," she said.

For instance, a children's book may be about penguins in Antarctica - introducing words and concepts that are unlikely to come up in everyday conversation.

"The words kids hear from books may have special importance in learning to read," she said.

Logan said the million word gap found in this study is likely to be conservative. Parents will often talk about the book they're reading with their children or add elements if they have read the story many times.

This "extra-textual" talk will reinforce new vocabulary words that kids are hearing and may introduce even more words.

The results of this study highlight the importance of reading to children.

"Exposure to vocabulary is good for all kids. Parents can get access to books that are appropriate for their children at the local library," Logan said.

Logan's co-authors on the study were Laura Justice, professor of educational studies and director of the Crane Center at Ohio State; Leydi Johana Chaparro-Moreno, graduate student in educational studies at Ohio State; and Melike Yumuş of Başkent University in Turkey.

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A "million word gap" for children who aren't read to at home

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Young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to, a new study found. This "million word gap" could be one key in explaining differences in vocabulary and reading development, said Jessica Logan, lead author of the study and assistant professor...

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This is a general outline of the milestones on the road to reading success. Keep in mind that kids develop at different paces and spend varying amounts of time at each stage. If you have concerns, talk to your child's doctor, teacher, or the reading specialist at school. Getting help early is key for helping kids who struggle to read.

Parents and teachers can find resources for children as early as pre-kindergarten. Quality childcare centers, pre-kindergarten programs, and homes full of language and book reading can build an environment for reading milestones to happen.

Infancy (Up to Age 1)

Kids usually begin to:

learn that gestures and sounds communicate meaning

respond when spoken to

direct their attention to a person or object

understand 50 words or more

reach for books and turn the pages with help

respond to stories and pictures by vocalizing and patting the pictures

Toddlers (Ages 1-3)

Kids usually begin to:

answer questions about and identify objects in books - such as "Where's the cow?" or "What does the cow say?"

name familiar pictures

use pointing to identify named objects

pretend to read books

finish sentences in books they know well

scribble on paper

know names of books and identify them by the picture on the cover

turn pages of board books

have a favorite book and request it to be read often

Early Preschool (Age 3)

Kids usually begin to:

explore books independently

listen to longer books that are read aloud

retell a familiar story

sing the alphabet song with prompting and cues

make symbols that resemble writing

recognize the first letter in their name

learn that writing is different from drawing a picture

imitate the action of reading a book aloud

Late Preschool (Age 4)

Kids usually begin to:

recognize familiar signs and labels, especially on signs and containers

recognize words that rhyme

name some of the letters of the alphabet (a good goal to strive for is 15-18 uppercase letters)

recognize the letters in their names

write their names

name beginning letters or sounds of words

match some letters to their sounds

develop awareness of syllables

use familiar letters to try writing words

understand that print is read from left to right, top to bottom

retell stories that have been read to them

Kindergarten (Age 5)

Kids usually begin to:

produce words that rhyme

match some spoken and written words

write some letters, numbers, and words

recognize some familiar words in print

predict what will happen next in a story

identify initial, final, and medial (middle) sounds in short words

identify and manipulate increasingly smaller sounds in speech

understand concrete definitions of some words

read simple words in isolation (the word with definition) and in context (using the word in a sentence)

retell the main idea, identify details (who, what, when, where, why, how), and arrange story events in sequence

First and Second Grade (Ages 6-7)

Kids usually begin to:

read familiar stories

"sound out" or decode unfamiliar words

use pictures and context to figure out unfamiliar words

use some common punctuation and capitalization in writing

self-correct when they make a mistake while reading aloud

show comprehension of a story through drawings

write by organizing details into a logical sequence with a beginning, middle, and end

Second and Third Grade (Ages 7-8)

Kids usually begin to:

read longer books independently

read aloud with proper emphasis and expression

use context and pictures to help identify unfamiliar words

understand the concept of paragraphs and begin to apply it in writing

correctly use punctuation

correctly spell many words

write notes, like phone messages and email

understand humor in text

use new words, phrases, or figures of speech that they've heard

revise their own writing to create and illustrate stories

Fourth Through Eighth Grade (Ages 9-13)

Kids usually begin to:

explore and understand different kinds of texts, like biographies, poetry, and fiction

understand and explore expository, narrative, and persuasive text

read to extract specific information, such as from a science book

understand relations between objects

identify parts of speech and devices like similes and metaphors

correctly identify major elements of stories, like time, place, plot, problem, and resolution

read and write on a specific topic for fun, and understand what style is needed

analyze texts for meaning

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This general outline describes the milestones on the road to reading and the ages at which most kids reach them.

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At this stage, your toddler learns about reading through everyday experiences with books. Simply through reading with adults, your toddler learns that books contain lots of interesting pictures and words and that stories show her worlds to explore.

Toddlers who have been read to will invite others to read to them. When adults stop and talk about the pictures, label objects on the page, and describe what they see, they are also promoting the child's language development. As his language develops, your toddler will do these same things when he looks at books.

Toddlers learn that books are special. Your toddler's experiences interacting with books teach her how to handle books. She learns that there is a front and a back to the book. She also learns how to hold a book and how to turn its pages.

Toddlers may use "storybook language" in their everyday conversations. For example, over a bowl of hot macaroni, you may hear your toddler say, "I'm gonna huff and I'm gonna puff." Some toddlers may also incorporate reading into their fantasy play. For example, your child may read stories to his stuffed animals as he puts them down for a nap.

Toddlers learn about the structure of stories from books. Through reading different books, toddlers learn that most stories contain the same parts: a setting, characters, a series of events that lead to a problem, and a solution to the problem. When your toddler understands the way most stories are built, it helps her to understand new stories that are read aloud to her. Years later, this will help her to understand stories she reads independently.

Toddlers often show clear preferences and will ask to have a book read over and over again. Although parents may not want to read the same book, rereading is useful for toddlers. Reading a favorite book like Goodnight Moon for the one hundredth time will actually help your child relate what he hears to the words and letters on the page.

Encouraging Your Toddler

Read a variety of books to your toddler. Toddlers enjoy books about animals, the alphabet, and children their age. Rhyming books are also popular with children this age. Just keep in mind that not every book a child becomes interested in will be a favorite of his parent or caregiver. Even if the book doesn't seem very interesting to you, your toddler may enjoy hearing the story over and over again.

Talk to your toddler as you read a book. While you and your toddler read together, try labeling objects on a page, talking about the pictures, or taking turns telling the story. As you read, remember to stop every now and then and give your toddler time to focus on pages that are interesting to her. These interactions will also provide you with a window into your child's interests, fears, and wishes.

As you read, take your cues from your toddler. It is OK if your toddler only wants to talk about the pictures or skip pages of the book. To make stories more interesting, you may want to change words or substitute the name of your child for one of the characters. What is most important is that you and your toddler have fun as you explore the world of books together.

Build reading into everyday routines. Whether it's at naptime or after dinner as a family, incorporating reading into daily events firmly establishes reading as a part of your toddler's life. An important part of reading together is the physical closeness between adult and child. Toddlers love to be read to on a loving adult's lap or tucked into their bed with their parent right beside them.

Enjoy alphabet books together to introduce letters. Keep in mind that the emphasis in reading alphabet books is not to "teach" the alphabet. Start by choosing books about things your toddler is interested in and books with engaging pictures. Reading these books together will provide you and your child with an opportunity to talk about the letters, their shapes, and familiar things associated with the letter, such as "B is for Bear." In talking about the letters, their shapes and sounds, your child will begin to learn about how letters and sounds go together.

Draw your toddler's attention to the printed words and letters he sees while doing everyday things. Simply through exposure to print, older toddlers may begin to recognize very familiar signs, labels, and names. As you bring your car to a halt at a stop sign, point and say, "Look, it's a stop sign. I have to stop. The sign says STOP!" Pretty soon, your child will recognize the sign and tell you to stop. Pointing out signs and other ways writing is used in the environment will help your child begin to develop an understanding of the uses of print and build a foundation for reading.

Next: Learn more about how toddlers prepare for literacy by writing.

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At this stage, your toddler learns about reading through everyday experiences with books. Simply through reading with adults, your toddler learns that books contain lots of interesting pictures and words and that stories show her worlds to explore. Toddlers who have been read to will invite others to read to them.

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The importance of reading aloud to children.

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Importance of Reading With Kids: 10 Great Benefits
The importance of reading cannot be emphasised enough in young children, and we as parents need to make every day reading a high priority.
Many studies show that toddlers and pre-schoolers who are read to every day have a larger vocabulary than those who aren't read to at all. It turns out that reading there are many advantages and benefits of reading.

Not only does reading enhance a child's vocabulary, and to help them understand how to read and write, but reading aloud to children also helps them to understand different topics about the world and every day life.

Recommended: 5 stages of Reading Development

The Importance of Reading

Below are some benefits and advantages that highlight the importance of reading with kids.

1. Reading to young children sets them up to succeed

The more you read to your children, the more knowledge they absorb, and knowledge is important in all aspects of life. There have many studies that show reading to babies and toddles gives them a head start and helps to prepare them for school later down the line. After all, reading with your children gives them the skills needed for when they start to read themselves.

It is important that children learn to follow words across the page from left to right, and turn pages which are pre-reading skills that benefit children and help them to become better readers later on. Children who enjoy reading not only do better in language and literacy subjects, but in all of the different subjects as well.

2. Reading is important to develop language skills

While you may speak with your children every day, the vocabulary you use is often limited and repetitive. Reading books ensures that your child is exposed to vocabulary on different topics, which means they hear words or phrases which they may not hear otherwise in their day to day lives.

The more words they know, the better. For children who speak more than one language, reading is an easy way to help their language skills and is important to develop their fluency. These skills alone show the importance of reading.

3. Exposure to reading exercises your child's brain

Reading to young children affects their brain activity and may just give them that boost they need to support and promote their early reading skills.

Research on the importance of reading shows that specific areas of the brain are affected when young children have reading exposure at home from an early age. These areas are critical for a child's language development.

4. Reading enhances a child's concentration

While you may think it is useless reading to a toddler who wants to constantly turn pages, swap books, or throw them around altogether, reading with your little one is extremely important at this age.

By consistently reading to your child every day, your child will learn to concentrate and sit still for longer periods of time, which can help later on when they go to school.

5. Reading together encourages a thirst for knowledge

Reading to your children leads to questions about the book and the information within. It gives you a chance to speak about what is happening and use this as a learning experience. It may also develop an interest in different cultures or languages. There is nothing better seeing a child who loves to learn.
Recommended:
How to teach your child to love reading
6. A range of books teaches children about different topics

Don't underestimate the importance of reading diverse books. Providing your child with different types of books on different topics, or even in different languages for bilingual kids, gives them a wide range of information for them to learn.
Recommended:
TOP Children's Story Books
There are informative books on topics such as different animals, places or objects etc, and there are also different books to help teach children about important life skills such as sharing, being kind, and diversity. There are also some amazing personalized books which make great gifts!

If you can't afford, or don't have access to many books, here are some FREE online books for kids.

7. Reading develops a child's imagination and creativity

One of the great benefits of reading with children is watching their growing imagination. When we really engage in a book we imagine what the characters are doing. We imagine the setting as reality.

Seeing the excitement on a child's eyes when they know what is going to be on the next page, or having them guess what is going to happen is one of the most amazing things to experience.

8. Reading books with children helps to develop empathy

The importance of reading can also be shown when children develop empathy. When a child can put himself into the story this can happen. They identify with characters, and they feel what they are feeling. Children begin to understand and relate to emotions.

9. Books are a form of entertainment

With so much technology these days, it is difficult not to get caught up in all the hype of it all. TV, Video games, smart phones and apps are popular among children. However, reading a good book that your child is interested in can be just as entertaining.

With all of the negative affects of screen time, choosing a book that interests your child, and either reading it together, or letting them flick through pages alone, is definitely a better option.
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Why you should read bedtime stories every night Find children's books online with FREE delivery here Are you raising a bilingual child? Subscribe for related articles. Follow Bilingual KidSpot on Facebook and join our online community and support group.

One of the main benefits that highlights the importance of reading with babies and toddlers, is that they are more likely to choose a book to read for pleasure over another activity when they are bored.

10. Reading together helps to create a bond

There's nothing better than cuddling up to your little one and reading a book or a bedtime story together. Spending time with one another, reading, and talking, can bring parents closer to your children.

For parents who work, or have a busy lifestyle, relaxing with your child and simply enjoying each other's company while reading can be a great way for you both to wind down, relax, and bond.

The Importance of Reading with Young Kids

We really do need to highlight the importance of reading. As parents, we need to prioritise reading in a child's early years to help them to succeed later in life. After all, as Dr Seuss would say "The more that you read, the more you will know, the more that you know, the more places you will go"

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The Importance of Reading for Young Children: 10 Great Benefits!

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The importance of reading cannot be emphasised enough in young children, and we as parents need to make every day reading a high priority. Many studies show that toddlers and pre-schoolers who are read to every day have a larger vocabulary than those who aren't read to at all.

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Raising a child who loves reading is one of the biggest gifts you can give children. There are many benefits of reading with kids and it has been proven over and over that children who love reading do better academically that those who only read when they need to.

But, how do you teach your child to love reading?
How do you make your child want to read, by choice, and not just because they are being told they should?

Here are 12 ways you can instill a love of reading right from the start and continue that love right throughout adulthood.

From day one read aloud to your child. Babies understand more than you may think, and although they cannot respond, they will be taking everything in that they hear. The first years of life are the most crucial to language development, and the more words children hear the better. So start reading early to reap those benefits.

Reading bedtime stories every night creates a routine that your child can get used to. By creating this routine where you read every night, it will help your child learn what to expect. Reading to your child in bed before they go to sleep can also help calm them down after a busy day, and also help you bond together. Encouraging your child to read before bed can set them in a routine that they may follow on their own as they grow older.

While reading to your child is important, reading with them is as well. Rather than rushing through the words on the pages, take time to discuss what is happening on each page together, perhaps guessing what is going to come next. Teaching your child to understand what they are reading is just as important as the reading itself.

Yes, it can be frustrating when you are reading a book to your young child and all they want to do is turn the page. When you can hardly get a few words in and they have skipped a few pages already. However it is important keep reading time enjoyable, so it will teach your child to love reading.

By constantly stopping them from turning pages, and therefore forcing them to look at a page they don't want to, it will just create problems and they may not want to continue reading at all. Talking about what is on each page can help them stay on one page for longer, but in general if they want to skip pages, just let them.

One way of dealing with it is either read the book from memory (if you know it), or make up the words as you go along. You could also read aloud another book along side them while they look at the pictures of the one they have.

A home library is important for all children. It doesn't have to be huge or anything flash, it can simply be a corner of the room where you keep their books on a shelf or in a box. The important thing is that their books are in sight, and there are a variety of books that they can read when they want to. From picture books to story books, hard cover and soft cover books, lift the flap and pop up books. Children need a variety of books to choose to keep them interested and love reading.

Recommended: TOP Story Books for Kids in English

Children will read more often if they enjoy what they are reading, so let them choose. If you have given your child a story book and they would rather read a magazine, let them. (Of course always be careful to make sure it is not anything they shouldn't be reading). But as long as it is in reason, let them read what they want to read. The fact that they are choosing to read themselves, means that you are already helping to instill a love of reading.

Making a game or activity out of the books you read together can be a fun way to encourage your children to love reading. For example drawing the characters in one of their favourite books, or acting out their favourite scene together. This can also help children understand the book better.

All children develop at different stages. While some children will be ready to read early on, many will not. It is important to let them take the lead when it comes to teaching your child to read. If they are keen, by all means encourage them, but forcing them will make reading feel like a chore and something that they have to do, rather than something enjoyable.

Teaching your child to love reading involves helping them to enjoy and want to read themselves, rather than being forced.

Just because your children learn to read themselves, it doesn't mean you have to stop reading aloud to them. Reading to children as they get older is still just as important. Usually when children learn to read they start with short simple books. However, you are still able to read them longer stories with more words and this will allow them to learn more complex vocabulary. It will also help to keep your routine and time to bond.

Even if you don't enjoy reading yourself, it is important to set an example. So, if you love reading books, read in front of them. If you don't like reading books, perhaps read a magazine, or even a children's book. In many cases you will find, if you set an example and choose a book to read yourself in front of your child, they may just follow your lead and choose a book to read themselves.

A great habit to get into is visiting the library with your children. Libraries have such a wide selection of books available to look at, and a very calm environment. Children are able to choose and look at a variety of different books that they may not have at home. This will also give you the chance to borrow different books and see which books your child enjoys reading. It is also a fun opportunity for children, being able to choose different books to borrow each time without the added cost of making a purchase.

Let's face it, it is much easier to give your child the I-pad or put them in front of a TV if they are bored or you are tired. However if children get used to using technology to cure their boredom , they will expect it more and more.

By having books where they can see them, and encouraging your children to take them out to read when they are bored, this will help them to make better choices, especially if they know that screen time isn't one of them.

Teaching your child to love to read is one of the most important things as we can do as parents. Educating them and instilling a love of reading right from the start has many benefits and can help children to become confident readers in the future. There is nothing better than watching a child who loves to read curled up enjoying a book by choice.
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Chontelle is a Certified ESL teacher, writer and mother of two bilingual kids. She offers practical advice for parents seeking to raise bilingual or multilingual children; with inspiration, support and strategies based on her experience as a parent, and as a teacher of a foreign language to children.

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Raising a child who loves reading is one of the biggest gifts you can give children. There are many benefits of reading with kids and it has been proven over and over that children who love reading do better academically that those who only read when they need to.

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This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
If you are an educator, when you read the phrase, "reading stamina," you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you are not an educator, you maybe haven't heard that phrase but can infer its meaning based on your understanding of the word, "stamina." Reading stamina is a person's ability to read for an uninterrupted, prolonged period of time. Educators have many strategies to build reading stamina in a classroom setting, but there are many ways that you can build reading stamina at home.

Why is reading stamina important?

Most parents know that the best thing they can do for their child's literacy and education, in general, is to have them READ and read a lot. Reading every day is the best thing to do for your child when it comes to cognitive growth. You can buy all the learning apps there are, but nothing replaces reading to and with your child and independent, sustained reading.

There is a very popular statistic in the education world. The graphic below (made by Kayla at Stuff Students Say-and Other Classroom Treasures) has been sent out at almost every parent-teacher conference at my school since my first year. Reading every day is SO important to increase your child's vocabulary, inference and reasoning skills, ability to process information, as well as help them on test scores in school.

Nagy, W. E., R. C. Anderson, and P. A. Herman. 1987. Learning word meanings from context during normal reading. American Educational Research Journal 24: 237-70.

Stamina falls right into this because i n order for your child to be able to read in a way that will benefit him, he has to be able to read for a prolonged period of time (ideally 20 minutes MINIMUM).

Why should YOU work on stamina at at home? Isn't it the teacher's job?

Simply put, NO. It is not the teacher's job to teach your child reading stamina. The reasoning is that by the time the teacher even meets your child, they should already have a strong reading foundation (yes, even in kindergarten).

This does not mean I expect your kid to be able to read fluently and independently. However, they should be able to read AT THEIR LEVEL for a prolonged period of time. For my son (3) that means picture reading and retelling. When he looks through a book he retells the story based on my previous read alouds with him and explores the pictures. This is developmentally appropriate and it is ABSOLUTELY part of reading. Reading stamina for him means being able to do this for 15-20 minutes (yes! A three-year-old can do this! I will show you how!). It can also mean sitting and reading with a parent for 15-20 minutes.

How to Build Reading Stamina at Home

Even if you are not a teacher, check out the book The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy in Elementary Grades. I almost want to say ESPECIALLY if you're not a teacher. Because it goes over a lot of things I feel like parents should know about literacy. We are, afterall, our children's first teachers. It also has some great strategies for building stamina and helping literacy in young readers. I read this book my first year teaching and used the strategies EVERY year. The reading stamina strategies were absolutely necessary for me to be able to implement ANY other small group or guided reading strategies.

The book is targeted for a classroom setting but the principles can be applied at home to help your child's literacy too!

How to Build Reading Stamina at Home

1. Read with your child EVERY day.

20 minutes is super easy to hit. We usually end up at around 30-40 minutes when we read together. There's always "just one more" book to read. But as you'll see later on, it's important to start where your child is. If they can only sit and listen for 5 minutes, then start with that. You want it to be enjoyable. Each night try to push it a little longer. This suggestion is not just for little kids who can't read. Read with your older kids too. Find a great adventure story that is within their interest but maybe harder than what they can read alone.

My very favorite memories are of reading with my mom. She read to me and it wasn't long before I would read to her. She would be making dinner and say, "How about you read a chapter of our book to me while I cook dinner?"

2. Demonstrate literacy.

When you send your kids to read for 20 minutes, you should be reading too! Your child should see you reading every day.

3. Make a comfy reading nook.

Reading for a longer period of time is much more enjoyable when the child is comfortable. Have a cozy little place for them to escape. Reading should feel like their special time away from the world. Create a space that has lots of books available right there, so they do not have to get up and interrupt their reading when they need new material. This brings me to the next step.

4. Have books available

Have plenty of books readily available for your child of varying levels (even ones that seem way above their level), genres, and topics. You want your child to be able to explore many genres and have exposure to hard books as well as some that are too easy. Some children start to read harder books because of high interest in the topic. Children can also benefit from reading a book that is too easy for fluency and just for enjoyment. Again, reading should be fun! If a child has a favorite that they want to go back to over and over again, let them!

5. Start small.

Your preschooler is not going to sit with a book for 20 minutes at a time right off the bat. Even your older child, if they haven't been consistently reading for stamina will not be able to stretch their time very long. Encourage your child to read independently. If they read for 2 minutes before they are ready to be done. That's fine. Only have them do it while they are enjoying it. I cannot emphasize this enough: MAKE READING ENJOYABLE! This is so important in how to build reading stamina at home. If you try to push them to 20 minutes when they are only ready for 2, then they will start to hate reading. You'll find that they will start reading for longer and longer periods.

6. Practice
Here's where the stamina building really starts. Now that your child up for literacy and made a comfortable place to read, start practicing. As said above, start small. Each day have time set aside that you will work on reading quietly. Everyone in the family should stop whatever else is going on and read.

Why everyone? Your child needs to see that reading is important. It will also encourage them to stretch their stamina as they will not be distracted with wondering what everyone else is doing. Plus, this is just a healthy practice to have as a family. With very little kids this can be reading together as a family a bedtime story. The important thing is every one is reading.

Each night or whatever time you have set aside, encourage your child to read. Let them go as long as they feel. After they have reached the end of their stamina, talk to them about their book. What were they excited about? What was the best part? Be interested! Get them really excited to read again. You could talk about how long they read and make a goal if you think this would be fun. Be careful, because for some kids, this makes it not fun like they are meeting a quota. As said before, trying to push a time goal that they are not ready for will make reading unenjoyable.

What if?...

What if I don't like to read?

In Conclusion...

What I'm saying here, is however it works for your kids, getting them to love reading and to build their stamina is important. After reading how to build stamina at home, you might realize that it's not difficult to do. The benefits of reading are hard to argue with! Yes, your teacher will do everything they can to help your child's literacy but really they can only do so much. The REAL difference is made in whether a child reads at home and whether their parents read with them.

You might also enjoy...
5 Favorite Books to Read for Bedtime

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How to Build Reading Stamina at Home - Purposeful Mommy

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This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. If you are an educator, when you read the phrase, "reading stamina," you know exactly what I'm talking about.

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No kid is born a picky eater, but there are plenty who will give you a run for your money come mealtime. Whether it's a selective eating phase or simply a natural resistance to trying something new, getting your little one to try just.one.bite can be easier said than done.

But sometimes your attitude about eating can make the most impact. A 2017 study found a direct correlation between "mealtime emotional climate" (AKA, how positive meals are for parents and children) and a child's consumption of healthy food―meaning the difference between your child trying their green beans or not could depend on how positive you make the experience.

Not sure where to start?

Here are 10 positive parenting techniques that can help overcome picky eating and lead to more peaceful mealtimes for all.

1. Make them feel special.

Sometimes just knowing you have a special place at the table can help kids eat better. Create a special place setting with dishes just for them.

Try this: We love OXO's Stick & Stay plates and bowls for creating less mess at mealtime. Not only will the kids love the fun colors and designs, but the plates also come with a suction cup base that prevents little hands from knocking plates to the floor (or in your lap). Trust us-we've tried it.

2. Take off the pressure.

Think about it: If someone kept telling you to take one more bite during lunch, how likely would you be to go along without bristling?

Instead, use the Satter Division of Responsibility of feeding, which lets parents be responsible for what, when, and where feeding happens, while the child is left responsible of how much and whether. Besides promoting a more positive environment at mealtime, this method also boosts your child's confidence and helps encourage better self-regulation of food as they get older.

3. Serve a variety.

It could be that your child is bored with the usual rotation. Keep things interesting by regularly introducing new ingredients, or reworking a familiar ingredient in a new way. The familiar setting might make your child more likely to take a bite without a struggle.

Sub in spaghetti squash with their favorite pasta sauce, or add in a new veggie to a beloved stir-fry. We love OXO's Stick & Stay Divided Plate for creating a "tasting menu" of new flavors for little ones to pick and choose or using the center spot for an appetizing dip.

4. Don't bargain or negotiate.

Many kids resist trying new foods or eating at all because it gives them a sense of control over their lives. By resisting an ingredient―even one they have tried and liked in the past―they are essentially saying, "You're not the boss of me."

Try this: Instead of resorting to bargaining tactics like, "Just take one bite!" or "You can have dessert if you try it!" lower the pressure with a neutral statement like, "This is what we're having for dinner tonight." There's no argument, so you avoid tripping their "Don't tell me what to do!" sensor.

5. Serve meals in courses.

Even adults are more likely to eat something when they're really hungry. When their tummies are rumbling, kids will usually put up less of a fight even when they're uncertain about a new ingredient.

Try this: Serve up vegetables or other new foods as an "appetizer" course. That way, you won't have to stress if they don't fill up because you can follow up with food you know they'll eat.

6. Make it a game.

The fastest way to get a toddler on board with a new idea is to make it more fun. Turn your kitchen into an episode of Top Chef and let your little one play judge.

Try this: Use each compartment of the Stick & Stay Divided Plate for a new ingredient. With each item, ask your child to tell you how the food tastes, smells, and feels, ranking each bite in order of preference. Over time, you just might be surprised to see veggies climb the leaderboard!

7. Get them involved in cooking.

You've probably noticed that toddlers love anything that is theirs―having them help with preparing their own meals gives them a sense of ownership and makes them more likely to try new ingredients.

Look for ways to get those little hands involved in the kitchen, even if it means meal prep takes a bit longer or gets a bit messier. (We also love letting them help set the table―and OXO's unbreakable plates are a great place to start!) You could even let your toddler pick the veggie course for the meal. And if your child asks to taste a raw fruit or vegetable you planned to cook, go with it! Every bite counts as training that will ultimately broaden their palate.

8. Cut out unstructured snacking.

Not surprisingly, a hungry kid is more likely to try new foods. But if your toddler had a banana and a glass of milk (or a granola bar, or a handful of popcorn, or a glass of juice) an hour before dinner, odds are they aren't feeling truly hungry and will be more likely to resist what you serve at mealtime.

Try this: Stick to a consistent eating schedule. If your child leaves the table without eating as much as you think they should, remind them once that they won't be able to eat again until X time―and make good on that promise even if they start begging for a snack before the scheduled meal.

9. Model good eating habits.

Kids may not always do what you say, but they are much more likely to follow a good example. So if you want a child who eats vegetables regularly, you should do your best to fill your own plate with produce.

Try this: Pick a new food the whole family will try in multiple ways each week. For example, if you're introducing butternut squash, serve it roasted, blended in soup, cut up in pasta, as a mash, etc.―and be sure a healthy serving ends up on your plate too.

10. Don't worry about "fixing" picky eating.

In most cases, children go through relatively consistent eating phases. At age two (when parents tend to notice selectiveness ramping up), growth rates have slowed and most children don't need as much food as parents might think.

Try this: Focus on keeping mealtime positive by providing children with a variety of foods in a no-pressure environment. And remember: This too shall pass. The less stress you put on eating now, the more likely they are to naturally broaden their palates as they get older.
This article was sponsored by OXO Tot. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Motherly and mamas.

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No kid is born a picky eater, but there are plenty who will give you a run for your money come mealtime. Whether it's a selective eating phase or simply a natural resistance to trying something new, getting your little one to try just.one.bite can be easier said than done.

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Get your child to fall in love with reading at an early age.

The Benefits of Reading

Reading is an addiction that parents should encourage well before their baby's first birthday. The bonding experience is unbeatable, says Patricia Cowan, national program coordinator for Reach Out and Read, a project that gives children books during medical checkups. When you read to children, they're getting your full attention, and that's what they just love. Nothing -- no TV show or toy -- is better than that.

Reading to babies is also a great way to immerse them in the sounds and rhythms of speech, which is crucial for language development. In a study at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island, 18- to 25-month-olds whose parents said they had been reading to them regularly for a year could say and understand more words than those whose parents hadn't. It's hard to prove whether such advantages last, but plenty of parents are convinced that early exposure to books makes a long-term difference, both boosting children's language abilities and making them more eager to learn how to read.

With that in mind, here's an age-by-age guide to getting your kids hooked on books.

Birth to 12 Months

Birth to 6 months: Since an infant's vision is still developing, choose books with little or no text and big, high-contrast pictures. Also consider books with interactive stuff, such as puppets, mirrors, or peepholes, recommends Pamela High, MD, author of the Brown University reading study and a professor of pediatrics there. The more ways you both have to enjoy a book, the better. If you'd like, read to your baby from grown-up books or magazines too. Comprehending the words isn't really the point with babies this young. For infants, reading is about the tone of your voice and cuddling up to you.

7 to 12 months: Halfway through their first year, babies may begin to grasp some of the words read to them, says Cosby Rogers, PhD, a professor of human development at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The most meaningful words are the names and things from their everyday life -- words like "doggy," "mommy," "daddy," "milk," or "bottle."

Books with just one object or person per age are best; hearing you name something he recognizes reinforces your baby's vocabulary and slowly helps him realize that illustrations stand for real things. Point to the pictures he shows interest in. And act out what you read with your face, hands, and voice. Let the baby babble back to you in return, suggests Dr. Rogers. This "conversation" helps him learn to take turns and teaches him about focusing on the same thing as someone else.

One more tip: Because babies this age tend to be hard on their playthings, stick mostly to board books, which can take rough handling and even chewing. Cloth or vinyl books are good too, though turning the pages can be trickier for a baby.

13 to 24 Months

13 to 18 months: Now you can begin to introduce books with a sentence or two per page. The sillier you are while acting out the story, the better. For instance, if you're reading about animals, make animal noises. Your baby will think it's really funny, Cowan says. Sooner or later, he will "moo" or "baa" back to you and you'll be ready to fall off the couch laughing.

Invite participation by asking questions such as "What does the dog say?" or "Do you see the cat?" Ask your baby to point to real-life examples of what's pictured, ("Where's your nose?"). At this age, you can show more pictures of things your baby doesn't encounter every day. Also, at 15 to 18 months, your baby may be able to answer questions with a word, so give her the opportunities by asking, "What's that?" If she answers, you can boost her vocabulary by expanding on her thought:" Yes, car. That's a big green car."

19 to 24 months: Many toddlers find the familiar routine of reading reassuring and calming. The same goes for familiar books. This helps explain why, starting at about 18 months, children may ask for the same book over and over and over -- and why they won't let you change your reading performance by a single "meow" or "vroom." However, this dogged repetition has a learning benefit as well: Experts think it helps children make sense of and then remember new words.

Moms' Picks

When we asked our readers to tell us their baby's favorite book, the titles that got the most mentions weren't surprising: Goodnight Moon and anything by Dr. Seuss, followed closely by Sam McBratney's Guess How Much I Love You.

Here are some other raved-about books that you might not have heard of yet:

Moo, Baa, LA LA LA by Sandra Boynton "At under 2 years, my son can recite the entire book just by looking at the pages." --Michelle Speer, Edwardsville, Illinois

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom and Time for Bed by Mem Fox "I've read to my 5-1/2-month-old since birth, and he gets so excited when he sees these books, kicking his feet and waving his arms." --Judy James, Miami, Florida

Maisy's Colors by Lucy Cousins "My daughter Grace is 11 months old, but she's enjoyed this particular book since about 4 months. I don't know if she likes the mouse or the colors, but it's already completely worn out!" --Catherine Brainerd

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown "My 4-1/2-month-old daughter, Cara, loves Big Red Barn. She even helps us turn the pages." --Sandra Schneider, Berthoud, Colorado

I'm a Little Caterpillar by Tim Weare "My 8-1/2-month-old son's favorite book is I'm a Little Caterpillar. He finds it so exciting because it has a cute little finger puppet attached." --Denise McKnight, Metairie, Louisiana

Here's some children's books that parents seem to adore for themselves!

On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier "I still get chills when I read that one." --Cindy Long, Wellfleet, MA

Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch "It's the most heartwarming book I've ever read." --Gail Denker, Bayside, NY

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

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Age-by-Age Guide to Reading to Your Baby

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Get your child to fall in love with reading at an early age. Reading is an addiction that parents should encourage well before their baby's first birthday. The bonding experience is unbeatable, says Patricia Cowan, national program coordinator for Reach Out and Read, a project that gives children books during medical checkups.

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I Am Reading: Nurturing Young Children's Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement with Any Book by Kathy Collins and Matt Glover is out now.

How do we help kids become more strategic readers before they're decoding? In the video below, Matt and Kathy argue that emergent readers are strategic before reading the words.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

In bestselling books such as Growing Readers and Already Ready, Kathy Collins and Matt Glover have shared their commitment to exemplary instruction for Pre-K and primary students. Their extensive teaching, professional development, and leadership experiences have helped them make powerful connections with other early childhood educators as nationally known consultants, speakers, and presenters. Follow them on Twitter: @Mattglover123 and @KathyCollins15.

Go to the I Am Reading page to preview the book and read a sample chapter.

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I Am Reading: Nurturing Young Children's Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement with Any Book by Kathy Collins and Matt Glover is out now. How do we help kids become more strategic readers before they're decoding? In the video below, Matt and Kathy argue that emergent readers are strategic before reading the words.

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The Power of Reading | April Qu | TEDxYouth@Suzhou

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Why we should all be reading aloud to children | Rebecca Bellingham | TEDxYouth@BeaconStreet

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"The tablet itself made it harder for parents and children to engage in the rich back-and-forth turn-taking that was happening in print books," a researcher said.

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Credit Credit Getty Images

By Perri Klass, M.D.

As a supporter of reading with children and a fan of traditional print books, I cannot say I am entirely surprised by the results of new research suggesting that print books are the best way to go when reading with young children.

Reading books is one of the great and ongoing pleasures of my life, and although I read all kinds of things on screens, I cling to the print book, the paper book, or what we all secretly call "the book-book."

I am willing to travel with a heavy bag full of books in order to enjoy the pleasure of turning paper pages on the airplane, and watching my bookmark (yes, of course, I have a bookmark fetish) move further and further through the book on the hotel night table. But when it comes to books for young children, there's a certain research imperative to figure out the role that screens can or should or might play in those first exposures to the written word.
[The topics new parents are talking about. Evidence-based guidance. Personal stories that matter. Sign up now to get NYT Parenting in your inbox every week.]

Reading is my cause, and has been for years. I am the national medical director of Reach Out and Read, a nonprofit that supports pediatricians in counseling parents and children to read together and providing books at checkups.

Written language will be only more important in our children's lives as the world becomes more and more networked, in the largest written-word-based community that has ever existed. Our children will grow up to depend on their facility with reading and writing in their jobs, their personal relationships, their ability to access information and news, and their participation in civic discourse at every level. How can we help them into the world of written language, in all its many modern manifestations?

In a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, researchers at the University of Michigan asked 37 parents to read similar stories to their 2- to 3-year-olds in three different formats (the order was varied for the different families): a print book, a basic electronic book (no bells or whistles) on a tablet, and an enhanced electronic book with animation and/or sound effects (tap a sea gull or a dog and hear the sounds they make). The interactions were videotaped and coded, looking at the number and kinds of verbalizations by parents and by children, at the amount of collaborative reading that went on, and at the general emotional tenor of the interaction.

Reading print books together generated more verbalizations about the story from parents and from toddlers, more back and forth "dialogic" collaboration. ("What's happening here?" "Remember when you went to the beach with Dad?")

Dr. Tiffany Munzer, a fellow in developmental behavioral pediatrics at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, who was the first author on the study, said the researchers had wanted to study toddlers in particular because of a concern that the toddlers might be particularly susceptible to distraction by electronic enhancements. That was why the enhanced books were compared to print books but also to nonenhanced electronic books.

"They were susceptible," Dr. Munzer said, "but the basic electronic book without the enhancements was also distracting to toddlers, and they had less engagement with their parents than with print books."

So while earlier research had suggested that the enhancements were problematic for young children, the results of this study suggested that even a nonenhanced story on the tablet screen seemed less likely to generate that parent-child dialogue. "The tablet itself made it harder for parents and children to engage in the rich back-and-forth turn-taking that was happening in print books," Dr. Munzer said.

The researchers can only speculate about why; it may be because of the patterns we are all accustomed to in using our devices. Perhaps "the tablet is designed to be more of a personal device, perhaps parents and children use it independently at home," Dr. Munzer said. There were also some struggles over who got to control the tablet, and more "negative format-related comments," like "Don't touch that button."

And a print book, with a young child, may be a better piece of technology, if the goal is dialogue and conversational turn-taking. "A print book is just so good at eliciting these interactions," Dr. Munzer said. "You're comparing a tablet with the gold standard."
[Read more in our guide: How to Raise a Reader]
I was one of the co-authors of a commentary accompanying the study, which acknowledged the many potential benefits of electronic books for children, but argued for continuing to rely on print books for the very young, including in programs that encourage parent-child reading.

My colleague, Dr. Suzy Tomopoulos, assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at N.Y.U. School of Medicine, who was the lead author on the commentary, said that whatever the medium, "parents need to read together with their child, use what they're reading, and expand on the text." With younger children, she said, there's evidence that they get distracted with e-books, and there's a lot of technology being actively marketed to parents nowadays. "You don't need a lot of bells and whistles to support your child's development," she said. "Engaging the child and talking to the child does a wonderful job of supporting early child development."

Reach Out and Read has a partnership with Scholastic, which this week released the seventh edition of its Kids & Family Reading Report, a national survey of school-age children and parents. It found that though 58 percent of the kids surveyed said they love or like reading books for fun, there has been an incremental decrease in reading frequency among the children surveyed since 2010.

And as children reach the age when they are expected to have fully mastered reading, they seem to be reading less for fun. In what the report called a "decline by 9," the percentage of kids who report reading books for fun five to seven days a week dropped to 35 percent of 9-year-olds from 57 percent of 8-year-olds.

Lauren Tarshis, senior vice president at Scholastic and a contributor to the report, pointed to the focus on third grade as the pivotal year when children are expected to achieve full fluency as readers.

The worry is that is that the pressure - and the testing - at that stage may contribute to the perception that reading is no longer so much fun.

"I keep saying to my colleagues, it made me feel sorrowful," Ms. Tarshis said. "If you have reading in your life as something you see as a way of transporting you, opening doors, it's just a wonderful, wonderful thing."

The report also highlighted the importance of "reading role models," pointing out that the children who are frequent readers have people in their lives who enjoy reading, and parents who read frequently. This is hardly a surprise, though again, in the digital era, it might raise the question of just how our children can tell what it is that we are doing on our devices.

(When my own children were young, and I had just started to investigate the literature on reading, I was delighted to discover that " sustained silent reading " was an important pedagogical technique in elementary schools. I promptly invented another important technique, which I termed "witnessed sustained silent reading," which I felt changed my parenting approach from "don't bother me now, I'm reading," to something far more laudable.)

But clearly parents play an important role. The book that stimulates the dialogue between parent and toddler is also the child's introduction to the pleasures of written language and stories. The pleasure that a parent takes in reading helps shape a growing child's attitude. And the message to parents should not be that they're doing it wrong (we all know we're doing things wrong, just as we all know that we're doing our best), but that parents really matter.

"Parents today work harder than ever," Dr. Munzer said. "Our goal is to help families reflect on activities they engage in that spark connections."

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Reading to Your Toddler? Print Books Are Better Than Digital Ones

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"The tablet itself made it harder for parents and children to engage in the rich back-and-forth turn-taking that was happening in print books," a researcher said. By Perri Klass, M.D.

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8 Followers, 85 Following, 0 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from @picturebooksblogger

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As a child, I recall my mother reading to me often, and soon enough, when I was able to read on my own, my nose was always buried in a book. I would read on the bus to school, during recess, in between classes, and, my personal favorite, when I was begrudgingly dragged along to a baby shower once. I never really considered the correlation between being read to at an early age and my subsequent adoration of books of all kinds, but a new study done at Ohio State University speculates there's a pretty direct link: Being read to at home in your first five years of life may be a key in predicting reading development and vocabulary later down the line.

Published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the study found that young children whose parents read them five books a day pre-primary school enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to. And if five books seems like a bit much, the research reveals that even kids who are read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by the time they're 5 years old, as opposed to children who aren't normally read to.

"Kids who hear more vocabulary words are going to be better prepared to see those words in print when they enter school," said Jessica Logan, lead author of the study and assistant professor of educational studies at the Ohio State University in a news release. "[And] they are likely to pick up reading skills more quickly and easily."

Researchers identified the 100 most circulated books for both preschooler-targeted picture books and toddler-targeted board books. Logan and her colleagues analyzed a bunch of these and found the picture books contained around 228 words each, and board books contained about 140 words. Based on this information, they calculated how many words a child is likely to hear from birth up until their 5th birthday. They found kids who were "never" read to as children would hear 4,662 words by the time they hit kindergarten, while kids who were read to once or twice a week would hear 63,570 words, once daily would hear 296,660 words, and five books a day would amount to 1,483,300 words.

"The word gap of more than 1 million words between children raised in a literacy-rich environment and those who were never read to is striking," said Logan.

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This Habit Teaches Your Kid 1.4 Million Words Before They Hit Kindergarten

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As a child, I recall my mother reading to me often, and soon enough, when I was able to read on my own, my nose was always buried in a book. I would read on the bus to school, during recess, in between classes, and, my personal favorite, when I was begrudgingly dragged along to a baby shower once.