I love picture books!
When I taught 1st and 2nd graders, I kept my classroom library stocked with a variety of picture books. Silent reading time was a daily occurrence that allowed my students to immerse themselves in an engaging book of their choice.
And I did the same thing at home. My son and daughter loved picture books, We read everything from the The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Thomas the Tank Engine. And story time at the public library was a regular treat.
Picture books are more than cute entertaining stories. According to www.readingpartners.org they are the building books to reading literacy. In the blog post, "How Picture Books Help Kids Develop Literacy Skills," picture books help in the following ways:
1. Picture books build language skills: "At a most basic level, picture books help kids understand that words convey meaning—connecting the pictures in the book with the words on the page. Kids will check pictures on the page for background knowledge or contextual clues for vocabulary development."
2. Picture books teach sequence skills: "Mastering this skill starts with identifying beginning, middle, and end, and summarizing key events that take place (in order) throughout the story."
3. Picture books improve comprehension: "Pictures show expressions, unwritten details, setting, and context that help us compare and contrast."
4. Picture books spark a love of reading: "Picture books do a better job of holding the attention of kids learning to read than books without pictures."
I wrote my new children's book, My Best Doll Friend, to accomplish those same goals. My talented illustrator, Avia Schelts-Brown, did a masterful job of creating illustrations that bring the story words alive. My hope and prayer is that this engaging picture book will help young readers become better readers as well as experience the joy of reading.
Get My Best Doll Friend for a child you love.
Available on Etsy here
Available on Amazon here
Read more about the benefits of picture books here.
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