Babies typically enjoy:
•Listening to you read from birth on--the richness of language and warmth of your voice bring great joy to a baby. Read as long as your baby will listen, but don't force it.
•Listening while they are playing or crawling sometimes, in addition to before bedtime.
•Experiencing books in their own way. Babies like to chew, lick, sit on, stand on, and throw books--make soft and sturdy books available.
•Books with one clear image per page.
•Short stories or books about things that are familiar to them, like MY FIRST WORD BOARD BOOK by Angela Wilkes.
Toddlers typically enjoy:
•Short stories about a variety of subjects. Again, don't force a child to sit still. Let them enjoy the reading experience in their own way.
•Board books and stories that contain things from a toddler's experience.
•Poetry, rhyme, and books with repeating phrases, like DRUMMER HOFF by Barbara Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley; and READ-ALOUD RHYMES FOR THE VERY YOUNG by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Marc Tolon Brown.
•Books that cover one concept, like shapes, colors, or the alphabet.
Preschoolers typically enjoy:
•Longer and more complicated stories. Let kids listen as long or as little as they are comfortable.
•Poetry, rhyme, and books about things they know from their widening experience.
•Jokes, tall tales, and folk tales that are not scary, like MCBROOM'S WONDERFUL ONE-ACRE FARM: THREE TALL TALES by Sid Fleischman and illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Keep in mind that there is a wide range of what is typical at each age, that attention spans vary widely, and that kids can understand stories at a higher level than they can read. Above all, don't give up on a reluctant reader; keep trying new books and reading at different times of the day. You know your child best, so allow children to experience reading and books in their own way and in their own time. Choose stories that they will like and listen to, but also pick some that stretch their attention span, interest, and imagination, and perhaps yours, too.
