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“Something as simple to us as learning how to turn the pages of the book is a new skill for a toddler. Someone has to teach her,” says Kim Flores, head of the children’s services department at the Library Center and mother of three, including four-year-old Elena.
And that someone can be you—a parent or a grandparent or close aunt or uncle.
Learning about books is part of what educators mean when they encourage early literacy—the concept that children need to know certain things about reading and writing before they can actually read and write.
“Board and picture books have sturdy pages that easily turn. The photos and illustrations are clear and simple and they usually show basic concepts, such as colors and numbers,” said Flores. Reading these books to newborns and toddlers helps them become aware of the printed word, teaches them how to hold and handle a book and how to follow words on a page.
Flores recommends the Harper Growing Tree series of titles for its age-appropriate selection of books. The developmentally leveled books for infants and toddlers focus on the critical first three years, dividing the titles into newborn (“Baby Dance” is an example) and ages 1 (“Wrapping Paper Romp”), 1½ (“My Aunt Came Back”), 2 (“Some Things Go Together”), 2 ½ (“What Is Round?") and 3 (“What in the World?”).
Vera Florea, youth services coordinator for the Springfield-Greene County Library District, recommends several titles published by Dorling Kindersley: the over-sized heavy-duty “Baby’s Busy World” and a series of touch-and-feel books, including “My First Counting,” “My First Farm,” “My First Christmas” and “My First Puppy.”
Her other recommendations for the very young:
The librarians are happy to recommendations of titles for your children or grandchildren—go ahead and ask.
Jeanne C. Duffey, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene
County Library District, can be reached at jeanned@thelibrary.org.
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