When looking at pictures in a book or album, children making connections between words and objects and people. Additionally, they learn new vocabulary through interaction with adults. Strong oral-language development contributes to later reading success and happens most naturally through this kind of interactive, language-rich play.

Photographs and wordless books are particularly useful in teaching children how a book works because most children recognise, interpret, and express themselves through pictures long before they master print.

Babies’ environments influence their learning. To promote emergent literacy, babies’ first books should be very durable: touchable, bendable, and safe for babies to mouth. Such books may be made of nontoxic laminated cardboard, vinyl or cloth. Effective infant and toddler books are simply designed and brightly illustrated. They are often concept books with plain, uncomplicated backgrounds and brief, simple illustrations and texts.

These may include such things as rhythmical-language books, point-and-say books, touch-and-smell books, board books and early picture storybooks.

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4. Kupetz, B., & Green, E. (1997). Sharing books with infants and toddlers: Facing the challenge. Young Children, 52(2), 22–27.

5. Zeece, P. D., & Churchill, S. L. (2001). First Stories: Emergent Literacy in Infants and Toddlers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 101–104.