These new weekly posts will share books we read in storytime, highlight some of our latest children’s books, and offer early literacy tips for pre-readers.

Baby Storytime

Toddler Storytime

Preschool Storytime

Yoga Storytime

New Books – Spotlight on Visual Literacy

Visual literacy is the ability to interpret images and make meaning. Check out some of these great new books that encourage young children to answer questions using clues they can find in the pictures. These books are designed to encourage interaction with the images, but all picturebooks help with visual literacy, since the pictures often add details not included in the text.

Next time you’re reading with your child, pause to ask them questions about the pictures. The simple question “What’s happening in this picture?” works wonders! Follow it up with, “What do you see that makes you say that?” to encourage your child to explain their understanding of the image.

Wordless picturebooks are a great way to engage kindergartners and elementary students, while graphic novels are wonderful for developing older children’s visual literacy skills.

Early Literacy Tips of the Week

• Talk – talk aloud to or with your child as often as you can when you’re together.
  • For instance, when driving, narrate what is happening around you: “The light is red. We have to stop. First we have to slow down. Now the light is green and we can go. We’re speeding up and going faster now.” Making observations aloud helps children learn new vocabulary and understand how the world works.
• Sing – sing in the car, sing during bathtime, sing a lullaby, make up your own songs!
  • Music helps children learn language by breaking words into syllables.
• Read – don’t just read to your child – let your child see YOU reading for fun, too.
  • You are your child’s best role model! When children see adults they love reading for pleasure, they make positive associations with reading.
• Write – even pre-writing children benefit from “pretending” to write.
  • Encourage scribbling from an early age to help your child’s fine motor skills (playing with crayons helps children learn how to hold a pencil, for instance).
• Play – children learn so much through play!
  • Playing with blocks helps them learn about building things and the force of gravity, for instance, and pretend play helps children develop empathy.