Loving relationships between parents and their children are nourished in
small and large ways. Reading
together is one easy path to daily loving contact. By offering another way of communicating, reading introduces
ideas and concepts in a fun way. Additionally,
reading with your child builds listening and memory. Your child can exercise her/his imagination during your
reading time together, too.
1)
The more stories you read aloud, the more words
your child is exposed to and the better s/he will be able to talk. Also, s/he is more ready to learn to
read.
2)
When you read, your child hears you express both
sounds and emotions. This helps
her/him grow both socially and emotionally.
3)
Invite your child to point, touch, and answer
questions. S/he will also begin to
imitate sounds, learn words and recognize pictures.
4)
Possibly the most important reason to read aloud
with your child? It connects her/him with what s/he loves most – closeness to
you, hearing your voice – and books.
This helps your child associate books with happiness and loving
relationships. It also creates budding
readers.
Valentines Day supplies another grand opportunity to spend time
together. Snuggle and try out any of these tales of friendship and love.
The Ring Went
Zing: a story that ends with a kiss
by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Jill
Barton
Dial, $16.99 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This
book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
“Once
upon a time, once and never again, a frog fell in love with a chicken, and
bought her a golden ring.” But when he drops the ring, the fun begins. Neither the swan in her pink sneakers,
a skateboarding rabbit, a goat on wheels, nor a sausage dog playing guitar can
get a grip on the ring. It zings
and pings, merrily, rolling away from the loving pair. The gang of creatures tries
to stop the zinging ring, like the well-known gingerbread boy.
Large
amounts of white space feature the acrobatic antics of the animals. In comic dress,
they try to catch the zing-a-ding ring.
Pencil and watercolor paintings show animals’ expressive faces. Rhythmic and rhyming text combined with
comic illustrations, demonstrate the active teamwork involved. Finally, the frog recovers the
ring, resulting in a surprise at the end.
Farfallina &
Marcel
by Holly Keller
HarperColllins, $6.99 (paperback)
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1
(This
book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch. Also may be purchased from Books &
Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
A
caterpillar named Farfallina and her best friend, a baby goose named Marcel, do
everything together. Until one day. Things begin to change.
Farfallina
climbs a tree to rest. She is gone for such a long time that Marcel, although
worried and lonely, stops coming to the tree. And when Marcel sees his reflection in the water of the
nearby pond, he notices how much he has grown and changed.
Farfallina
is also changing. When she comes
out, she opens her beautiful wings and sits on a flower to wait for Marcel. But
Marcel doesn’t come and Farfallina is tired and confused.
Bright
watercolors in mostly greens and blues match with spare but lively text. The warmth of a strong friendship glows
in the gentle illustrations. It’s
clear in the expressive faces of the two characters. It’s also visible in the movement of the two friends not
only as they play together, but also throughout the book.
Like
Marcel, Farfallina goes to the pond where the two friends used to play. Each has changed so much they do not
recognize the other. When they
finally realize who they are, delight is immediate and powerful. This strong and loving story of
friendship is one even the youngest of listeners understand. An author’s note is included about the
change from caterpillar to butterfly.
Friends
by Eric
Carle
Penguin, $17.99 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1
(This book is available to
purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
Boy
and girl are friends until she moves away. Alone and lonely, he decides to cross a river, climb a
mountain, travel through a meadow and forest to find her. In a garden he collects flowers.
The book features Carle’s trademark
artwork. He creates colorful
images, using layers of tissue paper with acrylic paint.
When
they meet up together again, the ending is a playful fantasy with the two
wearing dress-up wedding clothes.
Back matter includes a photo of the author with a friend when they are
both three years old.
Fox Forgets
by Suzanne
Bloom
Boyds Mills Press, $16.95
(hardcover)
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten
– Grade 1
(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books
online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
This
wonderful book is fifth in a series about bear and duck. Less than one hundred
words show a story of leaving and returning.
Author-illustrator Bloom once again immerses
her audience in a tale of friendship. Using her characteristic mix of deep
colored and lighter pastels, she seamlessly fuses illustration with spare text.
Goose
tells Fox she’s leaving, but she’ll “be right back.” And please, “tell Bear.”
But in Fox’s distraction with wanting to play with Bear, he neglects to give
the message. Bear, preoccupied with
wondering where Goose is, can’t concentrate on the games. Then Fox sheepishly
remembers and tells Bear, at the same time that Goose returns. The ending is a
group hug so hearty that young readers can almost feel it.
Brief
sentences and simple language make this perfect as an EZ reader. It is so much fun, early readers will
scarcely realize they are reading.
More great books to choose from:
We Love Each Other
by Yusuke
Yonezu
Minedition, $9.95 (Board
book)
Interest Level: Age 1-3 years
(This book is available to purchase
from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
Hearts
by Thereza
Rowe
Toon Books, $12.95
(hardcover)
Interest Level: Pre- Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book is
available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
Max & Milo:
The Mixed-up Message
by Heather & Ethan Long
Aladdin, $14.99 (hardcover)
Interest
Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book is available to purchase
from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)
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