No, that's not an indication that there is a book of mine to read. Instead, that is what my mother says my first sentence was, at the tender age of 2 or so.
While on Baby Watch 2009, I've been gathering books for the Z-Baby. At one point, someone actually questioned why I would buy books so early for the child. I wasn't planning to read to the baby when she can't even grasp a book, was I?
The answer? Yes!! From day one. Okay, maybe day one we'll just concentrate on sleeping and breastfeeding. But that day 2, I tell you, there's a copy of Guess How Much I Love You that's just waiting for her.
A 2006 study conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and published in the journal Child Development showed that parents who started to read to their kids from a very young age had toddlers with higher language comprehension and better vocabulary and cognitive skills.
But that's not why I'm looking forward to reading to the Z-Baby. I love books, and I want to share that love with our child. Books are a gateway to imagination and knowledge. They're a comfort on lonely days when you feel no one understands you. They're a path to discovering new universes and exploring the unfamiliar. Whether you're reading on an e-book reader or paper, stories help us make sense of our world, connect to others and think outside of ourselves.
Here are five of the books I am most looking forward to sharing with the Z-Baby in her first year.
- The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. Princess Elizabeth's adventures saving Prince Ronald from the dragon was one of my friend Anne's favorites.
- Miss Spider's Tea Party: The Counting Book by Kirk and Weatherby. Miss Spider's search for friends combines with fun rhymes that teach counting.
- Fifteen Animals by Sandra Boynton. There are so many Boynton books to love, from But Not the Hippopotamus to Barnyard Dance, but this book about pets named Bob is just so cute and silly!
- Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Not all of the poems in this book will be appropriate for the Z-Baby's first year, but surely "Love" and "Listen to the Musn'ts" are worth sharing.
- Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex. No, that's not a misprint. I actually am not fond of the original Goodnight Moon and much prefer this version with its Monsters and Martians and Black Lagoon. It was the first book we bought for the Z-Baby.
Photo courtesy of ukslim.
1 comments:
I Like It When by Mary Murphy is a big favorite around here. The Little Dude knows it by heart and will "read" along with us.
Also, The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing(which is told in the same way as Night Before Christmas) is another good one.
I've been reading to the Little Dude since he was in residence in my uterus. Later, I'd strap him in the Bjorn and read to him while walking around the house. He's never been one for sitting still.
Now at three and a half, he picks up books on his own and "reads." It's very satisfying as a parent to see him do that.
Happy reading!
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