Children adore book the pictures and the story they tell. Buying a children's book can be an overwhelming decision. Thousands of books all with different purposes, some to teach colors or numbers, stories that have meanings and morals, tales that are passed down by generations, some books that contain simple photos and words seemingly at random, and books that children love yet seem to have no meaning to adults.
When I am choosing books for children I first look at the age of the children and then the purpose of the book. Do I want the children to 'read' this independently or with an adult? Do I have a learning goal for the child?
When choosing books for very young infants 0-5 months.
I choose vibrant pictures with sharp contrast. Books like the Brown Bear series are a good example because they have one concept on most pages, you can set the book up for the children to examine the photos or you can read the story. The Brown Bear story is one of the stories that has no plot and seemingly no meaning to adults but for children they are learning from the animal on the page we are looking at what to expect next. That things exist even when you can't see them. Rhythm of hearing about something then seeing it. Books can be a great way to engage children during the difficult tummy times of the first few months.
As you get to the middle of the infant age group (the ages overlap a bit) 4-10 months. Children will begin to love reading with you as well as independently. Purchase the cardboard books so children have the opportunity to explore independently. Look for real photos rather than cartoons. During the concrete ages children can relate a real photo better to the real thing it represents better than a drawing of that thing. Meaning a 7 month old knows what their dog is and can find them at the park, a photo of a dog in a book is the first symbolic representation then a drawing. Photos and drawings of people in particularly people's faces draw children's attention. At this age children are beginning to make sounds and they like books with animals sounds, drumming, or truck sounds as well as textures. The touch and feel books are a favorite of this age group. You can also start to introduce stories, looking for books that rhyme or have a rhythm will help children to focus and understand the story. Books where there are lift the flap pages or textures can keep children engaged as you read the story.
Older infants and young toddlers will start to show interest in reading books independently. By the time children get to this age you want to have acquired and read a number of the simple stories such as Brown Bear, Goodnight Moon, or the one shown in this photo I love you through and through. Children will go to these to 'read' independently, they remember the story and can tell you it from the simple pictures. At this age we typically start introducing book that are based on children's interests. Truck stories, monkey stories, building stories, silly stories, stories about emotions, and morals.
The most important thing when looking for books for older toddlers and preschools becomes not the book but the way in which you read it. Children learn when they are engaged so ask children open ended questions; What do you think the zoo keeper should do? Questions about literacy; can you find the first word on this page? Have fun, be silly, and laugh together.
Children will rip pages, eat the binding, and throw the books but continue to talk about respecting the books, using them for reading, and repair them with your child. Over time they will learn to respect and love their books and because they were able to use books they will develop a natural desire to read. In the words of a curious four year old, "What do those words say?"
Few additional notes, multi-language learners. Some books come in two languages on each page, it is recommended you read the entire book in one language not each language on each page or alternating language.
Silly books and why children love them. If you give a mouse a cookie series: they love it because it's exactly how they think, one topic to another to another to another until finally they remember the whole reason it got started. Two year olds think just this way, with little ability to block out distractions the story may seem to make no since to the adult but this is something they relate to. Llama Llama series, it puts emotions, real feeling photos and words to the way they feel some parents are uncomfortable with the amount of emotions the Llama Llama series shows but children are experiencing these emotions and the books are acknowledging that. Remember you as a parent can acknowledge something is without agreeing with it or accepting it. Talk to your toddlers about Llama Llama being upset and what they can do when they feel that way, ie. take a deep breath.
Finally, stories we used for thousands of years to pass on history, lessons, traditions and build understanding for children, you can do that too by making up your own story.
