• Resources

  • For Parents: Literacy Websites and Great Children’s Literature

  • Reach Out and Read

    Reach Out and Read prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals incorporate Reach Out and Read’s evidence-based model into regular pediatric checkups, by advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving developmentally-appropriate books to children. The program begins at the 6-month checkup and continues through age 5, with a special emphasis on children growing up in low-income communities.

  • LD Online
    A user-friendly website for parents who need information on the special needs of children with learning disabilities.

  • National Children’s Literacy Website
    - Provides resources and tips for literacy activities
    - Provides information on reading to children at home and going to the library
    - Provides research on reading in America

  • PBS
    - Provides information and activities based on your child’s age and stage of development
    - Provides educational games for young children
    - Provides book lists and activities and much more

  • Read to Grow Book Lists

  • Read to Grow is frequently asked to provide guidance to parents and providers on developmentally appropriate books to read to and share with children. Using our expertise, we have put together three separate lists of suggested authors and titles to help you choose books for infants (under age 1), toddlers (1-3 years old) and preschoolers (age 3 and above).

  • For Providers

  • American Library Association

  • - Provides information on all facets of library services
    - Promotes Library Card Sign-Up Month (September)

  • The Children’s Book Council

  • - Sponsors National Children’s Book Week (May)
    - Sponsors Young People’s Poetry Week (April)

  • For Parents & Providers

  • The Children’s Literature Web Guide
    – Provides comprehensive links to Internet resources related to children’s books

    Colorin Colorado
    – Provides literacy information in English and Spanish
    – Provides book lists in English and Spanish

    Early Childhood Educators and Family Web Corner
    – Provides a “Children’s Book Corner” with a list of appropriate reading materials for children ages 1-8

    Esme Raji Codell
    website of author Esme Raji Codell (How to get Your Child to Love Reading)
    – Provides subject-themed book lists
    – Provides suggestions for reading aloud

    Guys Read
    created by author Jon Scieszka (Time Warp Trio series)
    – Encourages boys to read
    – Provides book lists for boys

    Jim Trelease Home Page
    Website of read-aloud expert Jim Trelease (The Read-Aloud Handbook)
    – Provides extensive book lists for all ages
    – Provides essays and articles on education issues relating to literacy
    – Provides excerpts from his book

    LD Online
    – User-friendly site for parents who need information on the special needs of children with learning disabilities.

    National Children’s Literacy Website
    – Provides resources and tips for literacy activities
    – Provides information on reading to children at home, going to the library, and so on

    National Institute for Literacy
    – Provides information on literacy issues
    – Provides publications that can be downloaded

    National Network for Child Care
    – Includes a section with links to help parents choose books
    – Provides links to general literacy information

    PBS Kids
    – Provides separate sections for parents and teachers
    – Includes motivational educational games/stories that young children can play at home

    Reading Is Fundamental
    – Provides book lists
    – Provides literacy games and activities
    – Provides printable parent guides
    – Provides computerized “read alouds”

    Raising a Reader
    – Educators (or parents) can order a Reading Kit to motivate new readers, ages 0-6

    Reading Rockets
    – Provides information for parents/ teachers on teaching reading to kids who struggle
    – Provides articles and research related to children with reading challenges

    Rosemary Wells Home Page
    website of author Rosemary Wells
    – Provides activities and coloring pages
    – Provides information for parents/ teachers and promotes “the most important twenty minutes of your day”

    Starting Out Right
    – Provides the text of the book ’Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success ’
    — Includes detailed information about promoting reading success, examples for parents to learn from, and additional Internet resources.

    United Through Reading
    – Programs (Military Program, Inmate Program) designed to unite families facing physical separation by bonding through reading
    “reading together unites families”