Diane Ramsay, a Youth Services Librarian whose techniques help parents draw children into books, suggests you:

• Use board books
• Name and point to objects on page
• Find books with big pictures
• Choose high contrast books for infants
• Start reading right away
• Link activities to books
• Read about familiar objects

Lyman Phillips, a dad who suggests you allow a little extra read aloud time with your kids to get the benefits he’s now enjoying, introduced these techniques:

• Choose books with attractive covers
• Slow down when reading
• Discuss pictures first – ask what's happening
• Consider child's experience and interests
• Skim beforehand – hold surprises until reading

Laurie Joy Haas, Executive Producer of Words that Cook!™ and co-author of Read it Aloud! A parent’s guide to sharing books with young children, and Honey the Cookie-Bookie Bear tell why children benefit from reading the same book over and over, but understand you may need a change. One step is to:

• Read more books by the same author

Rita Chang and Anya, who are at home with books and read for information, suggest you:

• Help kids find books on their interests
• Read with children who can already read
• Build a home library

Heidi Chait of the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Council helps families learn how to:

• Prepare for outings by reading
• Encourage questions and discussions
• Compare likes and differences
• Enable dramatic play
• Use children's suggestions
• Read each day
• Try related activities
• Ask for help in the kitchen

Elizabeth Duquette, an Early Intervention Specialist in Speech and Language, says you build bridges of communication when you:

• Introduce gestures for action words

Diane Ramsay adds these tips for engaging toddlers in stories:

• Find fingerplay books
• Make up fingerplays together
• Talk and interact with your baby

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