Choosing books for young children

What to look for when choosing books for young children

Books for babies

• Pages which are easy to hold and turn
  
• Colourful, clear pictures
  
• Photographs of familiar things
  
• Few or no words but lots to look at and talk about
  
• Tough enough to withstand rough treatment
  
• Wipe clean pages
  
  Look for Board books in your children's library

Books for under fives

• Bright realistic pictures which flow and add to the story
  
• An interesting story which will grab your child's attention. Start with simple stories graduating to more complex ones over time
  
• Large, clear print. Following the words with your finger will encourage your child to read
  
• Repetition, rhyme and rhythm within the text. Also, allow your child to hear favourite stories over and over again
  
• Books showing colours, shapes, numbers and the alphabet aid learning whilst still being fun
  
• Nursery rhymes
  
• Books to touch and feel - another learning experience!

Look for Board and Picture books in your children's library
You and your under five may also appreciate stories to help learning experiences, like potty training, going to the dentist or doctor, and starting school

Look for Hand-in-Hand books in your children's library

Beginning to read

• A small number of words and large, clear type
  
• Short sentences, paragraphs and chapters
  
• Interesting, straight-forward stories
  
• Simple vocabulary
  
• Lots of repetition
  
• Pictures which closely relate to, and give clues to, the storyline

Look for Learners in your children's library

Moving on

• More words and a wider vocabulary
  
• Longer sentences, paragraphs, chapters
  
• Smaller but still clear print
  
• Still some pictures but smaller, leaving more to the child's developing reading skills and imagination

Look for Movers in your children's library

• A special parents and carers collection with books on childcare and related issues
  
• An "All Aboard" collection for children with Special Needs

Older Children

After this, children will probably be eager to choose books for themselves. Remember to allow your child the freedom to choose and develop their own favourites. Allow older children to read picture books still if they wish to, as well as Lightning Reads (picture books for older readers) and books with a high interest age but low reading ability requirement if they need or want to. Later, they can use our Young Adult teenage collections.