Story Time

Story Time

•Spend time looking at the cover of your book. Is it hard or soft? What is the title? Who is the author and/or the illustrator? Is there a picture of the author in your book? Have you read other books by that author? Can you guess what the book will be about based on the cover illustration? Is there a dedication? How does the author know the person to whom s/he dedicated the book?

•Take a “picture walk” through the book to preview the story and major events. Take turns describing the pages. In the first reading of stories, point out important picture clues and the key events. In subsequent readings, fill in with more information. This may help your child to process the story.

•Help your child make connections between things that happen in the book and their own experiences (e.g., talk about your own visits to the zoo if you read/watch Good Night Gorilla, Dear Zoo, or A Sick Day for Amos McGee).

•Talk about characters in the story and the setting. For example, in the traditional version of “Goldilocks,” the characters are Goldilocks, Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear and the setting is the bear family’s house in the woods.

•Help your child make connections between this book and other books you have read together. For example, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is very similar to Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? in both illustration and repeating language. Common fairy tales like Three Little Pigs or Goldilocks and theThree Bears have several different versions. You can compare character, setting, problems, and story endings.

•Help your child make connections between the book and the world around them. For example, The Very Hungry Caterpillar describes the life cycle of a butterfly.

•Don’t be afraid to read the same book several times. Children love knowing a book so well they can “read” it to an adult or sibling. Rhyming or repetitive texts are the easiest for them to learn (e.g., Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?)

•Facetime with a friend or relative to read a bedtime story to your child. This can be a nice way to stay connected while social distancing.