Develop a Love for Books

When we read to our children, they develop a love of books and are eager to explore ways to "read" to themselves, write about what they see, and create their own stories. They learn new words and concepts and understand that written words communicate ideas and information. They are able to see the connection between the sounds they hear and the words and pictures they see. Books provide children with a sense of wonder and power as they learn they can explore vast worlds filled with interesting places, ideas, people, and things just by turning the page.

Here are some ways to encourage your child's love of books.

Setting the stage

Books really come alive when we encourage our children. Once stories are familiar, have fun by changing details and letting your child catch your "mistakes." For example, tell the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Goldfish." Or begin reading a page and let your child finish the sentence. Let her fill in sounds effects. Or substitute a word from another language and let her provide the correct translation. Encourage your child to read to herself, to friends and family, and to you and help her along by making available the books you have read aloud.

Making reading together a special time

The way you read a book may vary, depending on what you may want to accomplish, or stress. You may pause to give your child a chance to practice problem solving or ask questions and other times read without stopping so your child can hear the rhythm and rhyme of the words. No matter what your goal, you can increase attention and enjoyment by actively engaging your child.

Introduce a book by showing the front and back and reading the title, author, and illustrator. Ask your child what he thinks the book might be about. Hold the book so he can see and show each page long enough for him to notice the details in the pictures.

Be expressive. Make the characters come alive by using different voices, body language, and facial expressions.

Give your child lots of opportunities to participate. Ask her what will happen next, how she feels about the characters, or what she sees in the pictures. Help her name the things she sees. Invite her to act out the story as you read it. Before you begin reading, give your child something specific to listen for, for example, "See if you can tell when Baby Bear might feel angry."

Highlight new vocabulary. It is easier to learn to read words that are familiar, so help your child expand his vocabulary by reviewing the meaning of one or two words in a story. Try to use those words at other times during the day until your child understands their meaning.

Extend book time with other activities. Invite your child to draw pictures about the story, collect objects that were in the story, or role-play scenes from the story. Help her connect the story to her own experiences, and expand thinking and verbal skills by asking open-ended questions that require more than a "yes" or a "no" answer.

Choosing books for children

Building a book collection with lots of variety will make reading with your child enjoyable and will open his eyes to new ideas about the world around him. When choosing books for your child, here are some ideas that can help you select a variety of different types of books that will enhance your child's learning and make reading fun and educational. Although not every feature needs to be included in every book, asking the questions below can help you find high-quality, educational books.

• Will you and your child enjoy the books?
• Does your book involve things your child likes to do or things she is experiencing?
• Is the print large enough for your child to follow along as you read?
• Does the book use language that your child can understand and introduce new experiences?
• Does the book celebrate the sounds of language by using rhymes, catchy phrases, or silly sounds?
• Will the illustrations or photographs catch your child's imagination and help her to understand the text?
• Does the book introduce your child to different cultures, languages, and ways of life?
• Is there a variety of books that represent different races, genders, ages, and abilities?
• Do the relationships in the story encourage positive interactions, such as cooperation and problem solving?
• Does your book collection include a variety of books, including poetry, rhyming and non-rhyming books, folk tales, picture books, predictable books, fairy tales, song books, and informational books?
• Does your collection include books in other languages?