read aloud, read aloud review, choosing the right book, reading one-to-one, grandparents, teachers, parents, librarians, choosing the right book read aloud, read aloud review, choosing the right book, reading one-to-one, grandparents, teachers, parents, librarians, choosing the right book

At what age a child might first like to
hear a particular book read

Parents and Grandparents Reading One-to-One

Feel free to decide for yourself when you want to first read a book to your child. As a first-time mother I couldn't wait to read all the books I loved best from my childhood to our daughter, and did so almost from the time she was born. As she became a toddler she quickly developed her own favorites among them, but in no case would anyone else have advised introducing any of the books to a child that young. You will soon recognize, as I did, what books your child enjoys when, and will be surprised at how many books that you first read to your very young child will still be read-it-again favorites years later.

When reading one-to-one it's good to remember that:

  • Content follows sound, so a very young child will enjoy the sound of various words, phrases and sentences before understanding much if any of the content. For example, if a child who's a year old likes to hear words with repeat syllables, or rhythmic sentences, or very long words, it's amazing to see the books she will want to hear time and again; books which anyone else might understandably suggest to introduce first at age 2 or 3.
  • A child will almost always listen up to a story an older sibling is being read, and older children -- sometimes much older -- will listen in to a book a wee one is being read (even if the older child is hovering outside the doorway, hoping not to be seen listening to "baby" stories).
Librarians and Teachers

As you know, when choosing what to read aloud to a diverse age group or children of the same chronological age, but developmentally diverse, it can be difficult to find a happy medium. About all any of us can do is shoot for the middle and try not to lose listeners at either end of the continuum. Since hearing a story with a group is a different experience from hearing a story at home and from other school activities, often a child enjoys and benefits from hearing a book read, whether it's a bit beyond him or he thinks he is beyond it.