Books!

Books have been an exciting and important part of our family. Benjamin started chewing on books at 4 months old and then staring at them since he was old enough to sit. I have also loved buying books and stocking our library with a variety of books for each stage. Being part of the International school here in Eindhoven and having access to their wonderful collection thanks to Lynne. Ben has been enjoying the wonderful language of Lynley Dodd, Margaret Mahy's "Simply Delicious",Curtis Jobling's "Cheeky Monkey",Graeme Base's "The waterhole" and many more. I was surprised one day , when he asked me to read Max Lucado's "Hermie" , I said I was busy doing something. He got cross and said he was going to read by himself. AS he began, I was amazed at how he was telling the story to himself. Constructing similar sentences and following the storyline perfectly. Mind you, he is 3.5 years old.

Elijah has also accomplished his own successes. Two books of Mem Fox were a present from Lynne too. "Hello Baby"and "Ten little fingers and ten little toes". Those were his first books that he was actually captivated by and just looked at the big pictures all over the page. Studying it and looking at me intermittently. He also listens to me when I read to Ben.

Starting to read to children, doesn't have a particular age. How much they grasp we do not know. But those few moments with a book in any form, reading to or chewing them are the foundational steps to early literacy.

Pick a book a read to them.....