I love books. If fact I’m a bit obsessed. Andrew has always said the most valuable “card” we own is our library card, because I would bankrupt us on the number of books I buy if I didn’t use the library as well.
I started buying Fallon books before she was born. I sat her in my lap when she was first born, and would read newspapers, magazines, and my books out loud to her. I would hold up picture books, read the stories, and point to all the different things on the pages, naming them for her.
As you can imagine, she picked up reading early. We never went through the simple “Dick and Jane” style books. When she was 3, she could pick up any chapter book and read it without issue. I had trouble finding her things to read because her comprehension skills didn’t match her reading ability. So we turned to picture books at the same time, and started making up stories.
Have you ever seen the Carl books? We could look through those and spend hours making up all kinds of stories. What they were doing. What they were thinking. The imagination would fly.
That’s why I was so concerned when I read an article about the current trend of not buying picture books. Parents want their kids to reach beyond simple books. After all, you have to start thinking of “Harvard” at the age of three, right?
Wrong. Picture books allow you to build creativity with your child. They showcase imagination. It allows you to build relationships, and put the focus where it is due – on inspiration skills and ingenuity.
Time will come quick enough for studying and moving into more concrete items. For now, grab a picture book and start dreaming with your child.
