Reading chapter books

We usually think of chapter books as appropriate only for children who can ready independently.  In fact, the preschool years are the ideal time to introduce young children to chapter books.  Up until about eighth grade, most children's listening levels are much more developed than their reading levels, usually by about two years.  

Chapter books give children a chance to listen at higher levels of vocabulary and sentence structure.  They provide a comprehension challenge as children listen and remember the story without the support of pictures.  The ability to make connections and inferences are higher reading skills associated with good readers. To build comprehension, a child does not need to know how to read, only how to listen. Reading chapter books to young children can build these higher reading skills several years before they are able to read written words.  Chapter books encourage imagination and creativity and spark discussions, just as the picture books we are all used to choosing for our young children.  

We love picture books, too, so keep enjoying those, but consider introducing chapter books to add to your child's repiotire.  The Scientist class is currently reading Polar Bears Past Bedtime from the Magic Treehouse series (otherwise know as the Jack & Annie books).