Books for Babies to Three Year Olds
By Elizabeth Kennedy, About.com Guide to Children's Books
Raising a reader begins with a loving adult reading aloud to a baby. Here you'll find tips on reading aloud to your young child, as well as recommended books for babies, toddlers, and beginning preschoolers.
- Tips and Books for Prospective and New Parents
- Mother Goose, Nursery Rhymes, and Poetry
- Board Books
- Picture Books
Tips and Books for Prospective and New Parents
These articles, books, and How To tips are designed to give you the information you need to make children's books and reading an important part of your young child's life.
- Baby Read-Aloud Basics
- 10 Resolutions for Parents
- Reading Magic
- The Read-Aloud Handbook
- The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children
- How to Find Children's Books at Bargain Prices
- How To Hold a Storytime For Preschoolers
- How To Find Books For Very Young Children
- How To Read Aloud to Your Child
- The International Children's Digital Library
Mother Goose, Nursery Rhymes, and Poetry
Babies and young children love the sounds of favorite Mother Goose rhymes, other rhymes, and poetry. The rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, and repetition found in many childhood favorites not only appeal to children; they also help them to begin to recognize and identify sounds, an important component in emergent literacy.
Board Books
Babies and young children are eager for children's books that they can hold by themselves. Board books are designed for very young children, with sturdy thick cardboard pages that are easy to turn and almost impossible to rip.
Picture Books
Good picture books make daily reading aloud to your child a pleasure. You'll find that one characteristic of a good picture book is that the story is told through the illustrations as well as the text. Encourage your child to retell stories you've read, using the illustrations as storytelling prompts.
