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Researchers, educators, and early childhood professionals agree that reading to your children at an early age can be a positive influence on the child's ability to learn to read. Hearing language and associating spoken words, written text, and pictures help children to grasp the concepts needed to become an effective reader.

When choosing books for babies and very young children it is important to choose books that:

- are durable: babies put everything in their mouths. This is how they explore the world around them so books should be able to withstand this type of exploration. Board books, vinyl books, and cloth books are great choices.

- are a good size: babies have small hands so books should be small, chunky, and have pages that are easy to turn.

- have simple, colorful illustrations or photos: not only are babies very oral, but they are visual as well. They love to look at new, interesting, and familiar objects.

- have simple, predictable, and rhythmic text: these are the books that baby will bring to you to read over and over again!

I have spent several years teaching kindergarten and even more years working in a high quality child care center where we care for infants to preschoolers. Through my years of experience here are just a few books that babies, parents, and caregivers find irresistible. All of these books are available in board book format.

Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Where's Spot by Eric Hill

My First Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo

Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Chicka Chicka ABC by Bill Martin Jr

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury

The Very Hungary Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boyton

Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin Jr.

Happy Reading!

Learn more about this author, Tonya Wright.
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