“Why should I start reading to my baby when she can’t even understand the story?”
There is a misconception that reading to kids only revolves around the story and their understanding of it. But there are so many important reasons to read to babies, starting with the fact that they will learn from the very beginning that books are awesome! My parents read to me on my very first night home from the hospital. It was a short story out of a collection of 1 minute fairy tales. I read out of the same book on my daughter’s first night home from the hospital as well. I have read to her every night since then, and at 2 years old, she already loves to be read to and to look at books on her own.
is an old tale that has been retold for many years. There are many versions available using a wide variety of illustration styles and characters. The main character in the story is a stranger who wanders into a village looking for food, but no one in the village is willing to share what little they have. The stranger convinces everyone he can make soup from a stone, and they are all intrigued. He asks each person to add just a tiny bit of their ingredients to his pot with a stone and watch while he makes soup. The community learns that by each giving a little, they can help each other!
The Halloween season is upon us! While kids are planning their costumes and making trick-or-treat plans, don’t forget to find time to enjoy some fun and spooky stories together! There are a ton of great Halloween books for children including everything from monsters and vampires to costumes and pumpkins. Whether you are looking for lighthearted seasonal fun or books to teach a lesson or help face a fear, there are plenty of great books to meet those needs. I cannot possibly list all of the amazing Halloween books, but these are some of my favorites.
Fall is my favorite season. I start looking forward to it about halfway though the summer. I love going apple picking, drinking cider, baking pies, wearing cozy sweaters and watching football. Today’s book goes along with my love of all things apple and autumn as well!
Standard Disclosure
Throughout our lives, my parents have told my sister and I that they read to us every night from the first night we were home from the hospital. When I got to grad school and was researching literacy practices, I wasn’t surprised to find out that reading aloud to children from the very beginning is a large factor in getting children to enjoy reading. My sister and I are both avid readers (thanks Mom and Dad!). People no longer like to help us move because the amount of books is ridiculous. It was important to me that I continue this practice with my daughter. I read the same book to her on her first night home that my parents read to us (
by Shari Lewis).
Seasons are changing and Halloween is just around the corner! It’s the perfect time of year to snuggle up with some yummy treats and cozy blankets and indulge in some great Halloween books with your kids. In addition to checking out some of the awesome books out there, make up some plans with your kids and build some other memories to tie in with your reading! Kick off the spooky season right with a bunch of fun activities and traditions to start with your family.
