One of my favorite parts of being an early childhood educator is being up to date on all the new, creative and funny children’s books.
Some of my current top picks to read to my young students include the “Pete the Cat” series created by James Dean, Mo Willems’ witty books about a mischievous pigeon, and any new pop-up or 3-D books, such as “ABC3D” by Marion Bataille. “Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes” is a book we read and sing along to quite a bit in my classroom. The students enjoy the colorful pictures and catchy songs that come along with the stories. Also, Pete ends each story with a good message, such as, “It’s all good,” reminding us to take a deep breath and keep our composure. This reminds me of the saying, “Everything you need to learn in life you learn in kindergarten.” Isn’t that the truth?
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” by Mo Willems is so witty and smart it makes me wish I wrote it. I love how one little arch in the eyebrow or squint of the eye changes the pigeon’s entire demeanor. The pigeon books highlight the temptations children have to want everything, from staying up late to needing a puppy. Creatively, the author gets the children involved and has them be responsible for the pigeon, giving the children an opportunity to do exactly what they want: Be in charge. Often, the pigeon will throw a big, ridiculous, feather-flying fit that even makes the adults crack up. There is a lot of humor adults can find in children’s books as well. The new pop-up books also are incredibly well-made and unique, causing me to stop and gaze at them in wonder along with my students.
A memorable quote I once read is “no app can replace a lap: Read to your child.” Young children gain the use of words at a rapid rate. Such books as “Go Away Big Green Monster!” by Ed Emberley use color, shape and size words along with rare words like squiggly. Teaching young children that stories have a beginning, middle and end will help them organize thoughts and ideas. Being able to recall what comes next also is an important skill. “The Mitten” retold by Jan Brett uses pictures to show children what comes next and to help them look for clues. I love “The Mitten” because it is not only a great winter story, but also it introduces students to animals and old folklore, humor and academic words, such as burrow.
Reading to young children helps them understand how to treat books, such as by turning the pages slowly so as not to rip the pages. Returning books to the library also involves responsibility. I love seeing young students interested in books, seeking them out during free time. There is something vital in being able to wait for an adult to finish reading a page before you turn it. Many of my young students want to rush through a book, but reading takes patience, calmness and readiness.
Sharing my favorite books with young children and seeing them enjoy the books as well has been a true highlight in teaching. One of my main goals as an early childhood educator is to inspire a love for reading and learning. Books can take you all around the world and lead you to meet all sorts of people. I hope my students go on lots of adventures through stories. Today, children are offered all sorts of visuals via the media, but there is something special about the world we create in our own minds after reading a story. It’s a place no one can take away.
Brittany Muller lives in Peru and works as a special education teacher at Lighted Way in La Salle. She enjoys writing and has worked on small school newspapers for much of her life.