Going on a Book Hunt

Early Literacy | Oct 15, 2014

Susan Ramsay, Early Literacy Specialist HFL&A

I went to the library and what did I see?
Books to share with baby and me.
There were titles and authors that I didn’t know
And I wondered which books to choose from the row.
So I asked the librarian to please help me out
And she gave me some tips to alleviate doubt…

• Newborns to 3 months benefit from simple, high contrast images. Picture books such as “Black on White” by Tana Hoban help with the development of a newborn’s eyesight.

• Babies and toddlers enjoy exploring their world through all their senses. Texture books prompt children to discover books through their sense of touch as well as sight. “Dear Zoo Touch and Feel” by Rod Campbell and “Peekaboo Kisses” by Barney Saltzberg are two titles many children enjoy.

• Infants and toddlers are fascinated by photos of babies’ faces. Margaret Miller has created many adorable photo board books such as “Baby Faces” and “Baby Food” that help children learn about emotions as well as facial features.

• Anything written by Sandra Boynton will be a sure fire hit with young children who like to bounce and move. “Barnyard Dance” is just one of her playful books that children can act out while listening to the story.

• Predictable books use limited and repeated text which helps children guess words on the page before they fully understand how to read. “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” by Eric Carle, and “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen have been popular for years. Their simple yet clever story structure gives children confidence as beginning readers.

• Authors like Robert Munsch model expressive storytelling. Print in Muncsh’s books are often bolded, italicized, or shifted on the page, prompting adults to change the tone, loudness, or speed of their voice as they read. Expressive reading engages children and motivates them to want to read more.

• Stories that can be sung appeal to even the most reluctant reader. “Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes” by Eric Litwin is one example of a book that has children and adults swaying to the beat and smiling from its very first page.

• Wordless books prompt children to talk about the pictures. Parents and children can create a unique story every time they open the book. “Hug” by Jez Alborough and “Goodnight Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann are two well loved children’s books that use only a few words in speech bubbles throughout the entire book.

My arms are now filled with books galore.
I can hardly wait to share stories some more.

Susan Ramsay is the Early Literacy Specialist for Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. You can contact her at 613-354-6318 (ext 32) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.