Book Recommendations
If a child is read to daily, they will have heard approximately 296,660 words by the time they are 5 years old.
-Literacy Trust UK
According to the National Literacy Trust, regularly reading to a child for the love of it provides a connection between parent and child from the very early days and helps build strong family ties. Lines from favourite stories enter the family lexicon. Families who enjoy reading together have more opportunities for discussion, developing empathy and attachment. Reading to their infant is one of the greatest gifts parents can give. By starting the journey of building a lifelong love of reading for pleasure, parents are giving their child the opportunity to be the best they can be: children who read for pleasure do better in a wide range of subjects at school and it also positively impacts children’s wellbeing.
At KatieB Kids, we incorporate ‘story time’ into every day, for children of all ages. Stories open up discussions, develop the imagination, and often invoke comments and questions from even the quietest of children. We often observe echos of children’s favourite stories in their roleplay with friends, or in the drawings they create; they really can permeate all areas of a child’s life. We rotate our book selections weekly so that children have access to a wide range of books covering different topics and developing different areas of learning. You may have heard your children talk about some of these at home, so now we’re sharing them with you!
If you have any favourites at home you’d like to share with us, please let us know.
There’s An Octopus Under My Bed by Dawn Apperley- emphasising the importance of tidying up.
Molly, Olive and Dexter- Three Best Friends by Catherine Rayner- helping children to understand that even when they can’t see their loved ones, it doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten them, and they always come back!
Dog’s Colourful Day by Emma Dodd- for colour recognition.
Our Skin by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli- opens opportunities for discussions of race with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way.
Someone Bigger by Jonathan Emmett and Adrian Reynolds- promoting children’s self-esteem and confidence.
Zel, Let Down Your Hair, by Trish Cooke- teaching children to be proud of their physical features.
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love- explores identity, relationships, acceptance and love.
Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison and Daniel Wiseman- teaching children about personal space and consent.
Who’s Making That Noise? by Jenny Tyler and Philip Hawthorn (and other books in the Who’s Making That… range).- a lift-the-flap book featuring a young child trying to track down the culprit who is making a noise.
There’s a House Inside My Mummy by Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban- helping children anticipate the arrival of a new sibling.
Yoga Babies by Fearne Cotton- an introduction to yoga for babies and young children.