Tuesday, February 22, 2011

How to Pick Out Books Kids Like

What Children Like in Books

Be the Best Nanny Newsletter has been encouraging nannies and au pairs to read daily to their charges.

Here is a simple guide from Reach Out and Read on what kinds of books are most suitable for children of different age groups.

INFANTS (6-12 MONTHS) LIKE

  • Board books with photos of babies
  • Brightly-colored board books to touch
  • Books with pictures of familiar objects-balls, bottles
  • Small books sized for small hands
YOUNG TODDLERS (12-24 MONTHS) LIKE
  • Sturdy board books they can handle and carry
  • Books with photos and pictures of children doing familiar things-sleeping, eating, playing
  • Goodnight books for bedtime
  • Books about saying goodbye and hello
  • Books with only a few words on the page
  • Books with simple rhymes or predictable text
OLDER TODDLERS (24-36 MONTHS) LIKE
  • Books with board pages-but also books with paper pages
  • Silly books and funny books
  • Rhymes, rhythms, repetitious text-books they can learn by heart
  • Books about children and families
  • Books about making friends
  • Books about food
  • Books about animals
  • Books about trucks
  • Word books
PRESCHOOLERS (3-5 YEARS) LIKE

  • Books that tell stories
  • Books about kids that look like them and live like them-but also books about different places and different ways of living
  • Books about going to school, books about making friends
  • Books with simple text they can memorize
  • Counting books, alphabet books, vocabulary books
What are your favorite children's books?

6 comments:

Sherri said...

Barn Yard Dance and The Bedtime book, both from Sandra Boyton.

Caroline said...

Anything by Dr Seuss are my favorite.

Michelle said...

The parents will LOVE it if you take their child to the library! Take out picture books that are about the stages the kids are going thru, such as potty training or going to the dentist. Everyone loves nannies, au pairs, and children that read!! No parent will complain about your trying to get the child to love books and reading!

My favorite are by Lauren Child.

Fiona Littleton said...

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Anonymous said...

Too many to list..
I enjoy any books with beautiful illustrations and expressive speech.
Buzzy's Boo-Boo- Garafalo's Child, Room on the Broom and
Island of the Skog are just a few of my of my all time favorites.
~Andrea- Nanny in NJ

Ana said...

Any touchy feely book or flap book are my favorite with infants and toddlers. It doesn't matter what book but any book the child seems to like read it again and again. So important.