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Suggestions for Effective Read-Aloud Time
Make reading aloud a DAILY habit.
Spend a moment Previewing the cover - Who is the author/illustrator? If you look them up ahead of time, you might have interesting information to add.
Do a picture walk before reading, talk about what you see in the pictures.
Track your reading with your finger.
Read with expression - consider changing the tone of your voice for dialogue.
Adjust your reading pace to fit the story. You don’t have to rush to the end.
Allow your child to interject their thoughts without being pushed to complete the book.
Be willing to pause and whisper to yourself what you’re wondering about while you read a certain part. “That seems like it’s an important word/part/sentence/idea.”
Ask your child to interact with the print - "Can you find a word that starts like your name?"
Invite your child to “read” repeated, predictable words/phrases.
Ask questions about the story -
"What do you think will happen next?"
"Do you think that character made a good choice? Why or why not?"
"What do you like about this picture?"
“Do you notice any patterns?”
Bring attention to sounds of words - "What sound do you hear at the beginning/end of ---"
Ask other family members to be readers so your child has many role models for reading.
Author: Gyo Fujikawa
Pat-a-Cake,” “Simple Simon,” “Rock-a-bye, Baby:” these and the many other rhymes that make up Mother Goose have become almost as much a staple of child-rearing as the rattle and the bottle. Little ones love its mix of lullabies and limericks, humor and sing-song verse, and they learn from it too.
Author: B.J. Novak
You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . .
Author: Eric Carle
A big happy frog, a plump purple cat, a handsome blue horse, and a soft yellow duck--all parade across the pages of this delightful book. Children will immediately respond to Eric Carle's flat, boldly colored collages. Combined with Bill Martin's singsong text, they create unforgettable images of these endearing animals.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Author: Eric Carle
These beloved children's stories are now available in beginning reader format.
With the important pre-reading concepts of rhyme, rhythm, and repetition, these picture books have long been used as beginning readers. Now, with a 6" x 9" trim and a classic beginning reader layout, children will have a more "grown up" version to read by themselves.
Author: Leo Lionni
Deep in the sea lives a happy school of fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger.
The Bag I'm Taking to Grandma's
Author: Shirley Neitzel
This picture book for young readers reflects a child's-eye view of what to take—including a mitt, race cars, a space ship, wooden animals, a favorite stuffed rabbit, a pillow, a book, a flashlight. It's up to mom to bring some common sense to the packing.
The story is told with many rebuses. Emergent readers will enjoy following along.
Author: Laura Numeroff
If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim....
Author: Alice Schertle
Beep! Beep! Have you heard the news? There is someone new on the farm!
All the animals are nervous and excited about meeting a new friend—what will he be like? Does he neigh like a horse or oink like a pig? Does he have fur or feathers? Does he swim? Does he fly? Making new friends can be scary at first but being kind and helping others feel welcome is always the right move.
Author: Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
Everyone's favorite dinosaurs are back--and this time they are going to school. More fun dinosaur antics await. These prehistoric pupils are in a class of their own!As in their previous books, Yolen and Teague capture children's rambunctious natures with playful read-aloud verse and wonderfully amusing pictures.
Author: Audrey Penn
School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school. Stickers at the back will help children and their parents keep their Kissing Hand alive.
Froggy Books: Froggy Goes to School
Author: Jonathan London
Froggy's mother knows that everyone's nervous on the first day of school. "Not me!" says Froggy, and together they leapfrog to the bus stop -- flop flop flop. Froggy's exuberant antics will delight his many fans and reassure them that school can be fun.
Author: Rose Robart and Maryanne Kovalski
With the same premise as Mother Goose's "This is the House That Jack Built," The Cake That Mack Ate builds on relationships and explains what goes into baking a cake in a fun, humorous way. Booklist called it "a perfect pre-school read-aloud," and School Library Journal said "will delight audiences."
Author: Margaret Wise Brown
What is the most important thing about a spoon? The fact that you can eat with it? What about an apple? Or a shoe? This bookhelps curious preschoolers notice important details about their everyday surroundings, like daisies are white, rain is wet, and a spoon is used for eating.
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