Reading to young children has been such a joyful activity in my life! As an elementary teacher I learned quickly how pictures in a book could captivate early readers and how spoken text could bring even MORE excitement to their imaginations! Pictures paired with a voice can be enchanting!
Whether snuggling up to your child at bedtime or reading in front of a group, the interaction between young minds and really engaging books is phenomenal. Reading a book on a screen or computer is fun and a useful tool for parents and teachers alike but holding a book and being able to flip the pages over and over again is a valuable experience for children. Rhyming texts and repetitive books allow children to develop oral reading skills because they can chime in with the reader. They like to take picture walks and looking for picture and letter clues that can help them predict what is happening in a story. Re-reading familiar works also helps them develop comprehension and retelling skills. Learning to read is a necessary part of a child’s education but instilling the LOVE of reading is the ultimate goal for parents and teachers alike. That joyful anticipation in children is what makes writing so rewarding for me!
My first published work, “Ice Cap” was written with the little one in mind who would like the fun-loving character but also be able to fill in the rhyming words with enthusiasm. Last winter, my 4 year old granddaughter and I brainstormed the main character that was more modern but still had the lovable traits of a snowman. We brainstormed and then she wrote a simple three sentence story using her own inventive spelling and pictures of him. Later I created the published version and got her approval! She was able to chime in without any pictures, just using her own verbal knowledge of rhyme which made me confident that this would be a story I would read if I were still teaching in my own classroom! Testing out my stories without pictures is the best way to see if they will resonate with early readers. Of course when a talented illustrator can bring the character to life, the result is magical! So in October, when ICE CAP hits the market, please get a copy and bring it home to your children! My book isn’t available for preview yet but when you see how the talented illustrator (TBA) captures ICE CAP’S cool yet charming personality, you’ll be delighted!
Cheers for now!
J Epp
