There are so many children's books to choose from, so how do you know which ones are right for your child? Use these tips to pick a book you and your child can enjoy together.
Reading Lists
For Infants (up to 18 months)
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Books for Infants and Toddlers
Tips for Reading to Infants
Infants like to touch books and are learning to interact with books. They like books with books with:
- Nursery rhymes and fingerplays
- Simple, high-contrast pictures
- Predictable patterns and repeated words
- Pictures of babies and everyday objects
- Board books that can be easily cleaned
- Interactive books with fold-out pages or flaps
- Cloth or soft vinyl books
- Books with handles
- Books you can sing
- Animal sounds
For Toddlers (1-2 years old)
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Books for Infants and Toddlers
Tips for Reading to Toddlers
- Simple plots and illustrations
- Playful words and rhyming text
- Stories relating to real life featuring everyday objects
- Familiar characters, such as animals, children, TV characters, or adults in familiar roles
- Books that label objects
- Books about bugs and "backyard" nature
- Books that invite your child to participate in the story
- 1-2 lines of text per page
- Large, colorful pictures
For Preschoolers (3-5 years old)
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Tips for Reading to Preschoolers
- Short paragraphs on each page
- More elaborate plots and illustrations
- Folktales and fairy tales
- Factual books about the natural world
- Short picture book biographies
- Picture books without words
- Poetry and song books
- ABCs, Shapes, Numbers
- Books that invite your child to participate in the story