reading story books to toddlers

I pick up few books every week from library to read to my kids. So far
I've been borrowing random books from the kids "easy" collection. Kids
(ages 2 and 3) and I spend about 20 min after dinner reading these
books. I want to know what you typically read to these age groups. Do

Nikki...

I read mostly picture books. Books about shapes, colors, letters, numbers
and counting. My kids liked Richard Scarry. I did random books. Luke
liked rhyming (so he was a Dr. Suess fan). Hunter didn't like Dr. Suess at
all. I had quite a few books that I had bought second hand so they could
pick out some that they knew well. They like the repitition. We moved
into story books like the Little Critter series. Things like the Three
Little Pigs etc. They aren't chapter books but are longer stories then the
picture books. The Little Golden Books are nice story books.

My kids were a little behind the curve on chapter books probably but they
weren't ready for them until 6yo. I think Charlotte's web was the first one
we read and it was a hit. Luke is 5yo now and he listens to them because I
read to Hunter but he would always pick a story book instead.

you pick books randomly or do you pick a series and complete all books
in the series? Or do you pick one big book and read one chapter a day?

Caledonia...

Depends on the kid. At that age (I have a 3 yo, but she's going to be 4
in 3 months), both DDs liked *anything* my Arnold Lobel (the Frog and
Toad, Mouse Tales, Small Pig, books), and we thoroughly enjoyed
reading them to the kids. The 'easy readers' collection is a great
resource -- there are lots of illustrations, and the stories are
generally friendly. 'Mr. Putter and Tabby,' and 'Henry and Mudge' are
also good to read, again, ime.

We read a wide variety, ranging from The Magic Schoolbus Chapter Books
to the Curious George series. I think my preference is to find a
'winning' author, and stick with them if the child is interested. For
DD1, reading long books was fine (e.g., Stuart Little), for DD2, she's
more interested in several shorter stories (the current favorite is
'The Shrinking of Treehorn.'), although we've been working our way
through Charlotte's Web.

toto...

I didn't read chapter books when the kids were 2, though at 3 or 4,
they liked some longer books.

The Harold and the Purple Crayon series is a good one (not too long,
but not really short either). It encourages the imagination. My dgd
who is just 4 found a purple crayon on the ground at the library and
decided it was Harold's crayon and he must have been at the library
too.

There are actually more stories on dvd from a series that was on tv

I wish these were out in book form too, but they are only on dvd.

Chookie...

We don't usually read to the kids at the same time, but ours are 5 and 1. At
bedtime, DH and DS1 read a story book, or a chapter/portion of a book, then a
Bible story. The story books are of DS1's choice. Sometimes it's his school
reader, and he reads that aloud. If it's the current favourite, his Horrible
Science book, DH takes the main text and DS1 the bubbles. DH reads the Bible
story: DS1 decided he wanted to read the Bible right through, so we are
simplifying and Bowdlerising the Good News version for him on the fly.

Chookie...

Wow -- sounds like there is a story there. I imagine you were not 5yo at the
time. IIRC the Good News Version is an Easy Reader Bible: meant for people
with lower English literacy skills. Doesn't quite sound like you.

I've heard about KJV cranks online -- they believe it's the One True
Translation or something. Bizarre!

emilymoberg...

I once went to a church in Scotland where the pastor asked me
which version we used back at home. I told him we usually used NIV,
and sometimes NAS. He looked at me in all seriousness and said, "We
use the King James. It was good enough for the Covenanters [17th
century Scottish Presbyterians; think John Knox]; it's good enough for
us!!!" :P I didn't have the heart to tell him that King James pretty
much couldn't stand the Covenanters... ;)

Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04

At 3, we were still reading picture books and picture Bible stories.

toypup...

I wouldn't do chapter books until they can remember more than what is
happening ATM, especially when your little one isn't even paying close
attention. I just have lots of books laying around and when I yell,
"Storytime!" they go run and pick a book.

Jen...

We always used to buy books, usually second-hand. That way we could re-read
favourites, and my DD used to pretend to read her favourites herself - it
would be really interesting hearing her, it really sounded like she was
reading - she often knew them word for word. This can help them make the
association between the spoken word and the written word - so don't ever be
afraid to re-read books, and often. Dr Seuss books were always a favourite.
There's just so much fun and silliness in them, and the rhyming helps with
word pronunciation.

Another thing I think is good is to read at bedtime. It helps to clear
their minds and relax them, and a routine becomes established to unwind at
bedtime with a book, when they're old enough to read themselves. We found
it an easy transition between us reading to her, and her reading herself
(esp. with her pretend reading so much) she could read every night, but
*we* didn't always have to do it.

My younger one couldn't care less about what I'm reading. She just
likes to roll on the floor and play while listening to my reading. The

Chookie...

Give her books that she likes and see how she comes along. Simpler picture
books and alphabet/number books might be better -- and board books!

older one is very involved in my reading (to the point that once she
almost cried when Lisa lost Corduroy in the laundromat :-). So far I've

bizby40...

We always read at bedtime because it's a great way to wind down the
day. We still read with DS(8) every night, though DD(11) reads on her
own.

At that age we didn't worry so much about a variety, because the kids
loved certain books. We read a lot of Dr. Seuss -- good because the
rythm is almost like a song -- and Curious George.

I wouldn't read anything that took more than one night to read,
because they don't really have the ability to follow a story for
multiple days at that age. I would also pick books with big, colorful
pictures because it helps to keep their interest.

been picking books that have only 3 - 4 lines per page, mostly rhyming
sentences/verses. I think I want to introduce her to the concept of
chapters in a story, how each story begins, progresses and ends.

Caledonia...

Hmmm...for the whole 'Chapters in a Story,' for a 3 yo, the 'easy
readers' are great, although I didn't make a big deal about the
components of a story. DD2 goes along for the ride when I'm reading to
DD1, who can pretty much read whatever she likes now -- hence, DD2 has
been listening to the Wind in the Willows, and seemingly enjoying it,
but it might just be the whole 'reading while snuggled in bed' that's
been appealing, not the story line nor the archaic language.

Chookie...

All but the very simplest books should have a beginning, middle and end! In
moving to chapters, you will be moving to much longer stories than you've been
reading up to now, which has implications for time and attention span. I'd
suggest starting with books with shortish chapters that each contain a
complete story: Thomas the Tank Engine, rather than Charlotte's Web or the
Little House series. This way your child will see the recurrence of
characters without needing to remember themes/incidents over several nights.

toypup...

It will all come in good time. You can certainly read chapter books to them
for your own pleasure, but it's not a problem to wait for them to be ready
to fully enjoy it. I would just go with what the kids enjoy. I think
that's the best way to foster a love of reading.

I don't know what series of books are appropriate for this age. While I
want the books to be kid oriented, they need not have only make-believe
world. Something fictional yet realistic (along the lines of little
house on the priarie) would also be fine.

Chookie...

I think the Little House books would be too old. Don't forget nursery rhymes,
Edward Lear etc, and AA Milne's verse, if you can find any. Speak to your
children's services librarian for more direction; they love people who need
their professional expertise!

Irene...

Well, my kids are 2.5 and 5. We read a pretty wide selection of stuff,
tho like Beth's kids, they like the same things over and over. We
haven't done much in the way of chapter books yet - the only one so far
is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. That was pretty tough going,
but we got through it - but the 2 yo certainly wasn't following the
plot. She still prefers me to skip through stuff if it is too wordy,
and prefers to "read" to herself while I'm reading another book out
loud. She did let me go through all of the Cat in the Hat, however.
We also like Harold and the Purple Crayon - I have a book with 4
stories in it (tho it is currently packed in a box somewhere, so we
haven't read it in a long time). We are also reading some of the
Little Golden Books. Another favorite is poems from Where the Sidewalk
Ends by Shel Silverstein, tho they like some better than others, and
some are too scary. I've got a 3 book set by him, and have found that
in the 2nd two books, they are better for older kids - some of the
poems rely on wordplay that you need to be able to read to understand,
for instance.

toypup...

Little House on the Prairie is a bit advanced for 2-3 yo's, IMO.
Personally, my kids like the silly books at that age, so that's what I read
to them. DD is 2yo and likes the Ten Little Ladybugs book. She learned to
count and recognize her numbers from it. Those little one word alphabet
board books are great for learning the alphabet. They're also great for
numbers, letters, colors and shapes.

I appreciate any suggestions.

-L....

DS loves the little Einstein board books, especially the ones with
lift-up flaps. He's read these since about 8 mos and still likes/asks
to read them. He will be 3 in January.

Caledonia...

I made a decision early on that I wouldn't abridge books, and wouldn't
omit things, so my approach may differ from others -- the girls enjoyed
(and enjoy) the Frances books (written/illus by the Hobans), the EB
White books (Stuart Little is a good starter), and (my boring default)
the 'old standbys,' like 'Millions of Cats' 'The Little House' and all
of those Caldecott winners of decades ago.

The Little House books, which I loved as a kid, left DD1 cold, and I
haven't the heart to pick them up yet for DD2. I think the real
challenge is to find books that work for the kids -- some kids find
nothing so cool as 'Ten Apples Up on Top,' whereas others are more
interested in 'I Had Trouble in Getting to Sola Solew' (my fave of the
Dr. Seuss books).

Our library allows adults to take out up to 50 books, so I'd grab some
guaranteed favorites, and then grab about 25+ 'could be good' books to
leave around for the smalls.

Hope this helps -- again, for a 2 yo, there's nothing so fun as the
Frog and Toad, ime.