Developmentally-Appropriate Books for Storytime

June 5 - July 2, 2023 | Four-week course

There’s more to choosing books for storytime than just knowing the collection. It’s also important to understand how to choose books that foster school readiness and literacy skills, as well as books that cultivate an understanding of diverse cultures and traditions. In this class, you will get hands-on practice connecting current and classic children’s books to the developmental ages and stages of infants, toddlers, two-year-olds, and preschoolers. We will focus on intentionally choosing books based on their connection to the early literacy skills and five best practices of Every Child Ready to Read®; their connection to fostering school readiness skills; and their connection to diverse family cultures and traditions.

After taking this class, successful participants will be able to:

• Explain the characteristics of developmentally appropriate books for children, infants through preschool
• Identify developmentally appropriate books for infants, toddlers, two-year-olds, and preschoolers
• Intentionally connect storytime book choices to fostering early literacy and school readiness skills
• Explain the importance of choosing diverse books and materials to which children and families who attend the storytime program can relate
• Intentionally choose a wide range of books that relate to different cultures and traditions that children who attend a storytime program may experience at home
• Make book recommendations to parents and caregivers based on the age and developmental stage of their children

Expectations: This class is four weeks of content. There WILL be homework during the fourth week which will be due by the end of the fifth week. Although there are individual differences, you may expect each week to take 3 – 4 hours of work which includes the readings, watching the presentations, participating in forums, and submitting assignments.

Instructor, R. Lynn Baker, is an early literacy consultant and credentialed early childhood trainer. She leads face-to-face and online trainings for early care and education professionals and librarians. Lynn is a former early childhood librarian and author of library program guidebooks, published by the American Library Association, including Counting Down to Kindergarten: A Complete Guide to Creating a School Readiness Program for Your Community and Creating Literacy-Based Programs for Children: Lesson Plans and Printable Resources for K-5. Lynn has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education. Lynn holds her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education and a minor in Special Education. She received her Master’s in Library and Information Science, with an early childhood focus, from San Jose State University.  

CALL Training Partner for this Event: Library Juice Academy