Reading to your child is invaluable

A study recently released by the University of Washington (Journal of Pediatrics, September 2007) suggests that infants who are exposed to "smart baby" DVDs and videos to promote early childhood language development actually have a lower vocabulary than children who have books read to them. Vocabulary and letter recognition at an early age are essential building blocks for reading. Librarians and early childhood educators have long advocated that infants and toddlers be introduced to books, stories and alphabet games - not on television but in person, in the home or library.

At the Chicago Public Library, we recommend that parents start reading to children at birth, and the library provides books, educational tools and lap-sit storytimes free of charge to help reinforce that message. Twenty-five percent of a child's brain is formed at birth and from that moment on, talking, singing and reading aloud to the child develops the remaining 75 percent. Without a foundation in books and letters, children start formal schooling already behind their peers and struggle to catch up.

Read to your child for as little as 20 minutes a day, and your child will enter preschool and kindergarten ready to read. Armed with only a library card and the desire to spend a few quiet moments each day with your child and a book, you can ensure that reading will become a lifelong habit and a pleasure for your child and for you.

Mary A. Dempsey

Commissioner

Chicago Public Library