Skip to main content
close
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.

Reading with kids makes them more likely to succeed in school

Reading Aloud & Early Literacy

Reading helps children learn:

  • Letters and their sounds

  • Phonological awareness (rhyming; breaking down words into sounds)

  • Narrative skills and comprehension

  • Background knowledge (learning about the world around them)

  • Vocabulary

  • Print awareness (the way a book is organized; learning that print has meaning; loving books)

In other words, reading aloud can teach children all the oral language components they need to know in order to become successful readers. But perhaps the most important thing reading out loud can teach children is a love of reading. If the reading aloud experience is fun and pleasurable, a child will want to learn to read and will work hard to learn, even if it is sometimes a struggle. So...

HOW we read with young children is every bit as important - or more important! - as how often we read with them.Reading with your child makes reading fun for them!

For example:

  • If children are actively involved in the reading aloud experience, they learn more early literacy skills - and it's more fun!

  • Talk, talk, talk - about the story and the pictures. Encourage your child to participate with repeated phrases, animal sounds, and so on. Ask your child what is happening in the pictures or to predict what will happen next. If something in the story or the pictures prompts a memory in your child's life, talk about it! Have a conversation around the book and always keep it fun!

Here are three great ways to read aloud with a child:

Dialogic Reading

Shared Reading

Picture Book Walk

This Month's Featured Reads!

LCPL staff have selected these books because kids love them and they help build important pre-reading skills. Check them out today!

Want more hand-picked kids' books? You can request a surprise bag of kids' books for curbside pickup! 

book cover Title:
This is the Planet Where I Live by K.L. Going, illustrated by Debra Frasier

Skills:
• Narrative Skills
• Background Knowledge

Practices:
• Reading

Extend the book with an alien in a spaceship craft!

 

Book Cover Title:
There's an Alien in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

Skills:
• Print Awareness
• Phonological Awareness

Practices:
• Playing

Extend the book with an alien in a spaceship craft!
Preschool Events
Sat, Sep 14, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Sep 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Sep 16, 10:30am - 11:30am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 17, 10:15am - 10:45am
Munster - Large Meeting Room
This event is full

Tue, Sep 17, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Tue, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 17, 11:00am - 11:30am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 17, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 17, 11:30am - 11:50am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Sep 17, 12:00pm - 12:30pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Sep 18, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Sep 19, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Children's Program Room
This event is full

Thu, Sep 19, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Sep 19, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Sep 19, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Sep 19, 11:15am - 11:45am
St. John - Children's Program Room

Thu, Sep 19, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Thu, Sep 19, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Meeting Room

Thu, Sep 19, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Mon, Sep 23, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 24, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 24, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 24, 10:30am - 11:15am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 24, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Sep 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 24, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 24, 11:30am - 11:50am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 24, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Munster - Children's Program Room

Wed, Sep 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Sep 26, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room
This event is full

Thu, Sep 26, 2:30pm - 3:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Fri, Sep 27, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Hobart - Children's Area

Tue, Oct 01, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Children's Program Room

Tue, Oct 01, 10:15am - 10:45am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 01, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Oct 01, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Oct 01, 11:00am - 11:30am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 01, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Oct 01, 11:30am - 11:50am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Oct 01, 12:00pm - 12:45pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Oct 02, 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Oct 03, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Oct 03, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Oct 03, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Oct 03, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Oct 03, 11:15am - 11:45am
St. John - Children's Program Room

Thu, Oct 03, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Oct 03, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster Branch Library - Children's Area

Sat, Oct 05, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 08, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 08, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Tue, Oct 08, 10:30am - 11:15am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 08, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Oct 08, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Oct 10, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Munster - Children's Program Room

Family Events
Sat, Sep 14, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Sep 14, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Sep 17, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Department

Wed, Sep 18, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Merrillville - Meeting Room A

Wed, Sep 18, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Sep 19, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Meeting Room

Thu, Sep 19, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Sat, Sep 21, 9:00am - 9:30am
Griffith-Calumet - Woodland Park

Sat, Sep 21, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Dyer-Schererville Branch - Children's Area

Wed, Sep 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Sep 25, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Department

Thu, Sep 26, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Sep 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Lake Station-New Chicago - Large Meeting Room

Wed, Oct 02, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Merrillville - Meeting Room A

Thu, Oct 03, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster Branch Library - Children's Area

Sat, Oct 05, 10:00am - 10:30am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Sat, Oct 05, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Mon, Oct 07, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Highland - Meeting Room A

Wed, Oct 09, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Meeting Room