Straub Susan - Reading with babies, toddlers, and twos: a guide to choosing, reading, and loving books together

Copyright 2013 by Susan Straub, KJ DellAntonia, Rachel Payne

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For my dear Peter, and for Ben & Emma & Michael
Susan

To Rob, Sam, Lily, Rory, & Wyatt; and to Mom & Dad (who read to me!)
KJ

For my loves Matthew & Colin, and for Mom & Dad
Rachel

We are deeply grateful to our contributing families and to all the childrens writers and illustrators who make our lives better with their artful work. Among the many kind and book-loving friends who gave us help, wed like to especially thank Carrie Banks, Delia Battin, Pat Cummings, Michael Fusco, Kathy Kinsner, Deanna Pacelli, Holly L. L. Pierce, and the wonderful childrens librarians and materials specialists at Brooklyn Public Library.

And finally, our heartfelt thanks to Jolle Delbourgo, who believed in the idea of this book from the moment she saw it, and the dedicated people at Sourcebooks who worked so hard to help us transform it into a reality.

Before life presented you with an actual baby, you had a mental vision: a small, cuddly bundle in a blanket, sucking a finger and nodding off to sleep as she listens to you read. As you turn the last page, your voice softens, and you look downshes out like a light. With a kiss on her soft cheek, you tuck her into her crib whispering, Good night, Baby.

In reality, that is probably not quite how things played outit certainly wasnt for us. Reading with a baby, toddler, or two-year-old is not always what you imagine. The barrage of media, the demands of the child as she grows, the requests from family and friends, and the effort of just plain getting through a day mean things dont always go as planned. But reading together should be fun. Its simple, and it can make a real difference to your baby as she grows. We knowsometimes its hard to see the pleasure or the point. Our goal with this book is to reassure you that its worth it.

TIP: On average, children spend only forty-nine minutes with books per day compared with three to four hours in front of a TV or computer screen. Want above-average kids? Encourage them to read.

We all want our kids to be readers. We want them to be able to spend private time during which they can slide into another world with a book. As they grow up, we want them to develop big vocabularies, big imaginations, and empathy for other characters. We want them to enjoy reading in every format, from hardcover to paperback to wherever digital books go next. But raising a child who reads doesnt start with teaching a child to readin fact, it doesnt start with a child at all. It starts with a baby.

Ten Reasons to Read to Your Baby or Toddler

1. Its fun.

2. Reading builds vocabulary.

3. Books stimulate the imagination.

4. Reading increases the chance of later academic success.

5. Books and their characters teach empathy and understanding.

6. Reading entertains, it stimulates, and it lights up the senses.

7. Books are portable and infinitely useful.

8. Reading is an introduction to our culture and our world.

9. Its an inexpensive, richly rewarding way to spend time together.

10. Its fun.

Do you remember being read to as a baby? Most memories of the reading experience, whether as a parent or a child, begin during preschool. But the building blocks for that experience come from reading with babies, toddlers, and twos. From burpers and droolers, crawlers and cruisers, to walkers and talkers, these little people love reading, too. But, like so many other parts of their development, they cant do it without your help.

A child who is read to from infancy is a child who knows that books are a source of pleasure and knowledge. Shes a baby with a broad vocabulary and a broader experiencea city child who knows cows and a country kid who can hail a taxi. Shes an art critic and a connoisseur of rhyme schemes. In short, shes a kid whos going places, because shes a baby whos been places, all in the comfort of your lap.

Nearly every chapter of this book offers:

1. A thorough consideration of a reading topic.

2. Book listsa lot of them!

3. Anecdotes and tips from parents.

4. Ages and Stages charts that suggest activities, techniques, and other information on reading with newborns, sitters, crawlers, cruisers, and walkers.

Susans been choosing books for the READ TO ME Program (designed to encourage teen parents to read with their babies) for twenty years and has learned what grabs a babys attention. She offers some insight into why babies like what they like. KJs four children have provided her with oceans of experience of shared reading. Between their demands, her work as a childrens book reviewer, and her role as the New York Times s lead parenting blogger, she knows firsthand which books work best and whyand how to experience them with your child.

Together, Susan and KJ wrote the first edition of this book. This new edition brings Rachel Payne into the mix. Rachel, the best imaginable guide to books for this age group, is the early childhood specialist and a librarian at Brooklyn Public Library. Shes also the mother of Colin, now two years old and an excellent book-testing laboratory. She knows why some books are carried around, colored on, taken to meals, and slept with, while others are pushed away after a single page.

Rachel has sifted and winnowed through our original book choices, updating lists to reflect the ever-changing childrens section in bookstores and libraries. Too many excellent books disappear, often due to poor sales even though the reviews are stellar. Her revised lists are up to the minute, including books available in every format.

The book lists are varied and specific: New Classics, Activity Books, Pop-Ups, Bedtime Books, and Naming Books (which teach babies and toddlers the names for specific objects). We asked some parents to give us a list of their babies favorite books at that moment. Book clubs do this for older kids (If you liked Little House , you might also like Caddie Woodlawn) , and websites do it for adults (Customers who bought these selections also purchased). Were giving babies equal time. You might be guided to some new favorites.