What Should I Read Aloud? —
Abstract of

Chapter 3
Best-Selling Books for Infants and Children Ages 1–2

Nancy A. Anderson

In 2004, the National Early Literacy Panel identified characteristics of children (birth-age 5) that are most closely linked to later achievement in literacy, and oral language development was at the top of their list. Parents can enhance children's oral language acquisition by reading to them from the time they are infants. This chapter annotates 56 books appropriate for children from birth through age 2. These are primarily board books that consist of 14 to 28 thick cardboard pages that are laminated. These books typically do not contain a story, but rather they present concepts such as the alphabet, colors, and numbers. Books are presented in themed groups: bedtime books; animal characters; parental love; baby's first words; alphabet; colors; numbers; shapes; miscellaneous concepts; devotional books; and participation books, in which children can interact with parts of the pages such as lift-up flaps, pull tabs, textured or scented pages, and center pop-ups.

Anderson, N.A. (2007). Best-Selling Books for Infants and Children Ages 1–2. In What Should I Read Aloud? (pp. 30-51). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.