"Rattle, shake, screech, roar - who's knockin' at my door?" Matthew tears through the house, a sheet over his head. "Boom, boom, in my room!" he yells. "A witch is flyin' on her broom!"

For the past month, Matthew has immersed himself in a world of Halloween books. Although he does not yet know how to read text, he spends time every day looking at books with spooky ghosts, goblins, and skeletons. He recites lines he has memorized from the many times his parents have read them aloud. And he makes up his own, like the ones above. All this adds up to one thing: Matthew is becoming a reader.

Moving Toward School - and Reading

Your preschooler knows a lot of things he or she didn't as a baby. Preschoolers don't read independently, but if they've been read to a lot, they know a thing or two about reading.

• They know books are read from front to back.
• Pictures should be right-side up.
• Reading is done from left to right.
• The language of books is different from spoken language.
• Words have different sounds in them.
• There are familiar and unfamiliar words.

All of these are emergent literacy skills - important building blocks toward the day when your child will read independently. How can you encourage your child to further develop these skills? Just keep reading aloud.

Choose lots of different books to read aloud to help your preschooler increase his or her vocabulary, acquire knowledge about many different topics, and understand how stories are structured and what characters do in them. Your child also will learn that:

• Text is words written down.
• Letters in a specific order form a word.
• There are spaces between words.

Understanding these basic concepts will help when your child starts formal reading instruction in school.

When and How to Read

Many children this age have moved beyond the small world of your household to child care or preschool. They may even be enrolled in lessons or classes. Read-aloud time can be a chance to slow down and spend time together.

Try to have set times to read together. Before bed works well, as do other "down" times in the day - when your child first gets up in the morning, or after meals. Your child will enjoy cuddling with you, hearing your voice, feeling nurtured, and receiving your undivided attention.

Children between the ages of 3 and 5 are eager to show off what they know and love to be praised. Continue to choose some books with simple plots and repetitive text that your child can learn and retell. Encourage your child to "read" to you and praise the attempts.

Here are some additional tips:

• Yes, you should read that book for the millionth time - and try not to sound bored. Your child is mastering many skills with each re-reading.
• When you are looking at a new book, introduce it. Look at the cover and talk about what it might be about. Mention the author by name.
• Ask your child why a character may have taken a specific action.
• Ask what part of the story your child liked best and why.
• Talk to your child about the parts of the story - how did it begin? What happened in the middle? What did he or she think of the ending?
• Move your fingers under the words as you read to demonstrate the connection between what you are saying and the text.
• When you come to familiar or repetitive lines, let your child finish them. ("I do not like green eggs and....I do not like them, Sam....")
• Ask your child to point out letters or words he or she might recognize. You might also occasionally point to words and sound them out slowly while your child watches.

But even as you ask your child more complicated questions, your top goal should be to enjoy reading and have fun. Don't make reading a book like a test your child needs to pass. Look at the pictures, make up alternative words together, and be playful and relaxed.

Also, remember that reading comes to different kids at different times. Some children fall in love with books earlier than others. So if your child is one who doesn't seem as interested right away, just keep reading and showing how wonderful it can be.

The Best Books for Busy Minds

Preschoolers like books that tell stories; they are also increasingly able to turn paper pages and sit still, so longer picture books are a good choice for this age group. Continue to read your child books with predictable texts and familiar vocabulary, but include those that have a richer vocabulary and more complicated plots. Consider reading chapter books that take more than one session to finish.

Your child is curious and likes reading books about kids who look and act like him or her, but also will want stories with kids who live in different places and do different things. Expose your child to many characters and talk about how they act and what decisions they make. Make sure that there are talking animals, monsters, and fairies in the mix to stimulate your little one's vast imagination.

Reinforce your child's positive feelings about something he or she has learned to do (kick a soccer ball, paint a picture) by reading books about children who have done the same thing. And pick books that will challenge your child and help further developing skills. Alphabet books, counting books, or books with lots of new vocabulary are all good choices.

Books about going to school - especially when your child is about to start preschool or kindergarten - are a great choice for kids this age. So are books about making friends.

Pick nonfiction books that talk about a single subject of interest to your child - owls, the ocean, the moon, Borneo - especially if they have great illustrations. And don't forget poetry - preschoolers still love rhymes. This age group is starting to enjoy jokes, so silly poems or songs will be a huge hit.

Wordless picture books that convey meaning through the illustrations are also a good choice. Once the two of you have been through a wordless book a couple of times, your child will most likely begin telling you the story - and may even be found "reading" the story to favorite stuffed animals or dolls.

Try homemade books too - photo albums with captions and scrapbooks captivate preschoolers. When your child makes drawings, ask him or her what they are, label them, then assemble them into a "book" that you and your child read together. You can even laminate the pages and have fun creating book covers so that they will last for years to come.

Books aren't the only things your preschooler will love to read - magazines with lots of pictures and catalogues also are appealing. And ask people your child loves to send letters or postcards. Read these together and keep them in a special box where your child can look at them.

Other Ways to Encourage Book Time

Read-aloud time isn't the only opportunity your child should have to spend time with books - preschoolers love to choose and look at books on their own. Keep books in a basket on the floor or on a low shelf where your child can reach them easily and look at them independently. Keep some books in the car and always have a few handy in your bag for long visits to the doctor or lines at the post office.

At this age you might choose to foster independent reading by putting a reading lamp by your child's bed and letting him or her look at books for a set period of time before going to sleep. And kids who have just given up naps can be encouraged to spend "quiet time" looking at books on their own.

Most important of all: Remember to let your child catch you reading for enjoyment. Turn off the TV, pull out a book, and curl up on the couch where your child can see you - and join you with his or her own favorite book.

Reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: October 2005