Choosing Books for Children

Tips for choosing children's books.

1. Ask for advice at your local public library. Make use of the expert knowledge children's librarians have about age appropriate materials and subjects that appeal to babies and young children.
2. Don't rely on the cover of the book; read it.
3. Picture books for birth to age six should have illustrations on every page and very little text.
4. Children's books should have a simple, well-developed plot, with a logical sequence of events and a simple, but satisfying ending.
5. There should be a situation familiar to your child and a main character with which your child can identify.
6. Good illustrations should accurately portray the mood and content of the story.
7. The language should be colorful.
8. The book should include some kind of action - dramatic detail, silly sounds, songs, pointing and naming possibilities, bouncing rhymes, repetition, or catch phrases.
9. The text and illustrations should seem clear, accurate and interesting to you.

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