Enjoying Books with Children

Enjoying Books with Children

"Looking at, reading, and talking about books with children magically transports you and the children out of your immediate surroundings to Nashville, Tennessee (Goin' Someplace Special, McKissack), the Spanish countryside (Ferdinand, Lawson), a Lakota camp on the Plains (Crazy Horse's Vision, Nelson), a restaurant in Chinatown (Apple Pie, Fourth of July, Wong), Canada in the time of the voyageurs (A Dog Came, Too, Manson), or Mali (The Hatseller and the Monkeys, Diakite). You might go to Sam-sam-sa-Mara 'where the animals and the people lived and worked together like they didn't know they weren't supposed to' (Sam and the Tigers, Lester) or the land of wooden blocks (Changes, Changer, Hutchins). You can live in the past, the present, or the future; a real place; or an imaginative world where animals talk and mingle with humans, fairies, giants and 'wild things.'

"Psychologically, these places can be safe, reassuring, scary, strange, evocative, familiar, whimsical, puzzling, or absurd. The beauty is that children can enter and leave worlds at will by opening or closing a book. They can venture forth on their own, with friends, or snuggled comfortably next to you or any other book-loving adult."

"So let us exert our selves to supply children with wonderful books and read them with pleasure all the days of the preschool year. Surely, a love of books and comprehension, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, and concepts about print will follow."

-Mary Hohman in High/Scope Extensions

And so.....

On March 3, 2008, we will start the BOOK IT! Beginners® Program, sponsored by Pizza Hut®. This is how it works:

Each week during March and April, we will read aloud as a class for at least 60 minutes. Every time we read aloud, we will write the name of the book-or amount of time read-on an interactive cutout. We will put all of the cutouts on a large colorful poster so we can keep track of what we have read.

At the end of each four-week reading period (March 28 and April 25) we will give your child a reading award certificate from Pizza Hut for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza®. Pizza Hut also has a special award that says "I'm a BOOK IT! Beginner" that they will give your child when you use the certificate.

You can participate in BOOK IT! Beginners with us by reading with your child at home and then writing the name of the books-or amount of time read-on cutouts. It's exciting to watch the cutouts cover the poster and spill out over the sides!

Research has proven that reading aloud to a child is the single most important factor in raising a reader. By working together, we can prepare children to be successful at reading and enjoy it for a lifetime. We appreciate your support!

If you're out and about and looking for a good book to promote reading skills check out:

"While most parents understand the importance of promoting literacy in their young children, they often aren't sure how to do it. This book provides guidance. Taking a "literacy-throughout-the-day" approach, the authors organize the book around spaces in the home-the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and so forth-and suggest fun, stimulating activities for building children's reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in those spaces. Filled with tips, photos, milestones to watch for, and great ideas to try today, Beyond Bedtime Stories is essential reading.208 pages"
---Scholastic Books

Tips for Reading to your Child

	Before
	*	Preview the book and practice reading it.
	*	Introduce the title, author, and illustrator.
	*	Tell briefly what the story is about.

	During
	*	Hold the book so your child can see the words and illustrations
	*	Vary your tone, volume, and pitch as you read.
	*	Pause occasionally to explain, comment, or look at the illustrations.

	After
	*	Discuss the characters and what happened in the story.
	*	Ask questions that provoke thought.
	*	Help your child relate the story to something personal or another story.

Children are children for such a short amount of time.
Enjoy every minute you spend with them!

---Miss Bonnie

P.S. Last year the Fours read over 1300 books.
Together with the Fives they read over 2750 books!!
Can we beat that this year?