STLMoms Parents As Teachers Tip: Choosing Books

How to choose quality books for your babies and young children Reading to your child from a very young age reaps many benefits, including building language and laying a solid foundation for school success. But finding the right books for your child can be harder than it looks. What may seem too simplistic for an adult can be perfect for a young child. Or a story that seems exciting for an adult many be too complex for a child.

To help you choose quality books for your young child, the National Center for Parents as Teachers suggests asking yourself these five questions:

1. Are the pictures of high quality and do they help tell the story?


2. Does the topic interest your child and allow you to have a conversation about the story?

3. Are the story and illustrations free from ethnic, racial or sex-role stereotypes?

4. Does the book have rhyming words, sounds such as animal sounds, or unique words that will draw your child's attention to the sound of language?

5. Is the type of book (board, paperback, hardback), story and illustrations appropriate for the age of your child?