1. Children’s Books

2. Storytelling
Reciting a story or reading aloud from a book

3. Importance of Storytelling
Promotes children’s intellectual, emotional, and social development

4. Importance of Storytelling
Storytelling helps young children:
Understand other people
Develop a positive attitude towards books
Develop listening skills
Build correct concepts of objects and form new ideas
Increase their vocabulary and encourage verbal expression
Associate written and spoken words
Understand that printed words carry meanings
Develop an appreciation for printed words
Develop a desire to read
Learn that people read from left to right across the page

5. Selecting Books for Children

6. Selecting Books for Children
Storytelling is an art that requires study and practice
The key to a good story is selection

7. Selecting Books for Children
** Keep the selection process in mind when creating your own children’s book

8. Selecting Books for Children
Fictional Content
Stories should reflect the children’s developmental level, backgrounds, and experiences
Familiar objects, people, and situations make stories more interesting
Stories about children with backgrounds and activities similar to their own are special favorites
Most preschool children cannot separate fact from fiction, therefore it is important to look for realistic stories
Fantasy stories are more appropriate for children over 5 years old

9. Selecting Books for Children
Illustrations
Create interest and arouse children’s imagination
Illustrations should be
Large, colorful, and plentiful
Represent the written word
Reflect actions
Avoid unneeded detail
Be realistically and attractively colored
The pictures in a book for young children should almost tell the story by themselves. Children will be more interested if they “read” the story by looking at the pictures.
Pictures should be easy to recognize and help the children make sense of the story, helps them anticipate what's next in the story.
Too much detail and shading or lack of color will confuse young children, children respond best to brightly colored pictures with large, clearly defined objects

10. Selecting Books for Children
Vocabulary
A good children’s book uses words that can be understood by most children of a certain age
Repetition of some words will increase children’s enjoyment
The rhythm of word sounds is one major reason children enjoy stories such as Mother Goose tales.

11. Selecting Books for Children
Durability
Children should be allowed to hold and carry books as well as turn pages
Covers must be sturdy and made with strong, washable material
Pages should be easy to handle
Books binding should lay flat when the book is open

12. Selecting Books for Children
Length
Varies with children’s age
Interest is reflected in the number of pages in the books
Infants and Toddlers:
Interested for a few minutes=few pages
Two-year-olds:
5-8 minutes
Three-year-olds:
6-10 minutes
Four-year-olds:
8-12 minutes
Five-year-olds:
10-15 minutes
Fill in the amount of time interested on notes sheet

13. Reading Stories to Children

14. Reading Stories to Children
Good oral reading takes time and effort
The success of the story lies in your ability to be interesting and enthusiastic

15. Reading Stories to Children
Preparing to Read
Read the story several times so you know it well
Practice reading in front of a mirror
Record yourself reading
This makes a quick glance at the page remind you of the text leaving your eyes free for contact with the children
A comfortable setting is required for successful reading time, children must be free from distractions and sitting in a group to listen

16. Reading Stories to Children
Introducing the Story:
Briefly set the mood
Ask questions, make personal comments, or show the book cover to get children involved in the story
Props
Ask children to predict what the story is about
Personal comment example: This is a story my grandmother told me as a child
You can use props
Peter Rabbit: a live rabbit or stuffed rabbit
The Red Balloon: a red balloon
Harold and the Purple Crayon: a purple crayon

17. Reading Stories to Children
Reading the Story
Read stories with pleasure and feeling
Maintain eye contact with children
Read in normal speaking voice, you can add interest my whispering, shouting when appropriate, mimicking sounds, and changing pitches
Think of your voice as a tool
Project yourself into characters
Example: Goldilocks and the Three Bears- high pitch for baby bear and low pitch for papa bear

18. Reading Stories to Children
Concluding the Story
Clear
Ask a question about the story
“Thank you for listening”
The children need to know when you are finished
What did you like best about the story, or ask about the setting, plot, characters