This page is a product of McKinley Memorial Library to be used as a tool for parents of babies, toddlers,
preschoolers and early readers who are at a pre-reading level (approximately ages birth--6 years).
What are the Six Early Literacy Concepts?
What types of books should I read with my child?
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What is Early Literacy?
Early literacy is the building blocks that help children gain the skills they need to become successful readers when the time comes for them to begin reading independently.
Early literacy is everything a child knows about reading before he/she actually learns how to read.
At McKinley Memorial Library, we stress the importance of reading with your child from the very beginning--at birth!
We incorporate the early literacy concepts into all of our storytime programs for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
It is not the librarian's nor the parent's job to teach your child how to read--they learn how to do that in school; however, it is our jobs as the librarian and parents to make reading a fun and exciting experience for your little ones.
What are the Six Early Literacy Concepts?
There are six concepts involved in early literacy.
| Phonological Awareness | Print Awareness |
| Narrative Skills | Print Motivation |
| Vocabulary | Letter Knowledge |
What types of books should I read with my child?
Birth to One Year Old
Two Year Old
Preschooler
Phonological Awareness--Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds that make up words.
Look for books with rhyme and words that can be broken down into smaller parts.
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build phonological awareness skills.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Annie Kubler |
| Up! by Kristine O'Connell George |
| Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino |
| You Are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano Love |
| Jamberry by Bruce Degen |
| Silly Sally by Audrey Wood |
| Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan |
| Goldie Locks Has Chicken Pox by Erin Dealey |
| Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney |
| Wild About Books by Judy Sierra |
| Birthday Zoo by Deborah Lee Rose |
| Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw |
| Don’t you Feel Well, Sam? by Amy Hest |
Print Awareness--Understanding that print has meaning, noticing print everywhere (not just in books), and knowing how to handle a book.
Look for books with big, colorful, whimsical text (like it’s moving across the page), and easy-to-identify printed words.
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build print awareness.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| Red Truck by Kersten Hamilton |
| Bounce by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin |
| Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel |
| Snap! by Mick Manning |
| Animal Noises by Stephen Cartwright |
| Babies by David Bedford & Leonie Worthington |
| The Babysitter by Annie Kubler |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| The Cow that was the Best Moo-ther by Andy Cutbill |
| Bob by Tracey Campbell Pearson |
| My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss |
| Kitty Princess and the Newspaper Dress by Emma Carlow |
| Clang-clang! Beep-beep!: Listen to the City by Robert Burleigh |
| Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens |
| Food Fight! by Carol Diggory Shields |
NARRATIVE SKILLS--include the ability to describe things and events, and tell stories.
Look for books that allow you opportunities to have your child tell you what’s happening in the book.
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build narrative skills.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes |
| Pigs Love Potatoes by Anika Denise |
| This Little Chick by John Lawrence |
| Chugga-chugga Choo-choo by Kevin Lewis |
| Giggle-wiggle wake-up! by Nancy White Carlstrom |
| If you see a Kitten by John Butler |
| Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| I’m Not Cute! by Jonathan Allen |
| Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis |
| No! That’s Wrong by Zhaohua Ji |
| Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus |
| A Truck Goes Rattley-bumpa by Jonathan London |
| Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Farm by Joy Cowley |
| I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry |
PRINT MOTIVATION--Being interested in and enjoying books.
Look for movable, lift-the-flap, pop-up, textured books, and books with bright colors and vivid pictures or photographs.
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build print motivation.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| Please Baby Please by Spike Lee |
| Red Green Blue: a First Book of Colors by Alison Jay |
| Big Bug Little Bug: Book of Opposites by Paul Stickland |
| Bunny's Nursery Rhymes by Mary Morgan |
| Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday, Baby: Seussian Stuff to Touch, Spin & Sniff by Dr. Seuss |
| Is this Maisy's House by Lucy Cousins |
| My Dad and Me by Alyssa Satin Capucilli |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| The Handiest Things in the World by Andrew Clements |
| My Crayons Talk by Patricia Hubbard |
| Ape by Martin Jenkins |
| The EARTH Book by Todd Parr |
| Dinosaur Roar! by Paul Stickland |
| Zoo-looking by Mem Fox |
| Long Night Moon by Cynthia Rylant |
VOCABULARY--knowing the names of things.
Look for books that identify objects and use new and interesting words.
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build vocabulary skills.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| Your Own Big Bed by Rita Bergstein |
| Black? White! Day? Night! A Book of Opposites by Laura Vaccaro Seeger |
| Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by ll Sung Na |
| Tap Tap Bang Bang by Emma Garcia |
| Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig |
| Hello Baby by Mem Fox |
| Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker |
| Monkey Truck by Michael Slack |
| My Farm Friends by Wendell Minor |
| Flora’s Surprise by Debi Gliori |
| Mad at Mommy by Komako Sakai |
| Penguin by Polly Dunbar |
| Let’s Count Goats by Mem Fox |
LETTER KNOWLEDGE--knowing that letters look different from each other and knowing letter names and sounds.
Look for alphabet books or shape books (because letters are built on shapes).
Here are a few suggested books that help your child build vocabulary skills.
These books are available at the library:
| Ages birth-3 years |
| ABC by Brian Wildsmith |
| Awake to Nap by Nikki McClure |
| Now I Eat my ABC's by Pam Abrams |
| ABCs in my House by May Harte |
| Flaptastic Shapes (Board Book, no author) |
| Play! by SAMi |
| Skippyjon Jones: Shape Up by Judy Schachner |
| Ages 3-6 years |
| Star Wars ABC (Board Book, no author) |
| A was Once an Apple Pie by Suse MacDonald |
| Peanut butter and Jellyfishes: a Very Silly Alphabet Book by Brian P. Cleary |
| Shape Capers by Cathryn Falwell |
| Q is for duck: an Alphabet Guessing Game by Mary Elting & Michael Folsom |
| Art by Patrick McDonnell |
| I Stink! by Kate & Jim McMullan |
When reading to your baby (ages birth-1 year), select books that:
- Have a rhythmic pattern and allows opportunities to use different pitches and variations in your voice--
During the first few months of life, your baby is learning the rhythm of their native language just by listening to you speak. - Show other babies--Babies love to look at other babies, which is why they get so excited when you show them a mirror!
- Have bright, colorful pictures--Babies love bright colors, so look for picture books or board books that use a lot of color.
- Use Black and White images--Just as they love bright colors, babies love contrasting colors, like when black and white are used together.
- Can stand up to baby slobber--Board or cloth books are an excellent choice since most babies explore with their mouths and hands!
When reading to your two-year-old, select books that:
- Depict images of and name everyday items--Two-year-olds love to see pictures of things they can easily recognize, like cups, animals, blankets, toys and other items they will know by name.
- Inspire song or movement--Many board and picture books will offer songs and opportunities to "play along", which children at this age love.
- Can stand up to two-year-old fingers--Board books are an excellent choice because children can hold them and feel them without parents worrying about pages ripping.
- Have pop-up or moveable parts--Two-year-olds love the element of surprise that awaits them with a pop-up book, and they will love to manipulate books that have moveable objects within.
When reading to your preschooler, select books that:
- Offer rhyme and repition--Rhyming books allow children to hear the individual sounds that make up a whole word.
Also, they love to join in, and rhyme and repition allow them opportunities to do so. - Allow the child to "guess" what's happening in the story--When reading with your child, look for books where your child can
help narrate by guessing what might happen next, or what should a character do. - Use big, bold, noticeable text--Preschool aged children are beginning to realize that the words in a book "say" something.
When they are easily able to see the words, they will begin to understand that the text is telling the story. - Showcase the alphabet and numbers--Simply reading alphabet or counting books with your child helps them to begin to recognize
letters and the sounds that they make and numbers which will help when they learn how to read. - Use new and unfamiliar words--Reading with your child helps to enhance his/her vocabulary when you are able to use new and
different words and explain what those words mean.
For more information about early literacy, visit the following websites:
The Center for Early Literacy Learning
Bank Street College's Guide to Literacy
Early Literacy Tellecollaborative Project
Baby Center--Reading to Your Baby
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