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.

picture book walks are another way of reading a story

Take a Picture Book Walk...

...and help children learn important early literacy skills - especially background knowledge and vocabulary!

A Picture Book Walk helps develop your children's language and pre-reading skills. Have a conversation with your child around a book before you read it. Talk about the pictures keeping in mind what is needed to understand the story when it is read.

  • A Picture Book Walk is not reading the book: it's talking about the pictures - getting to know the book together

  • A Picture Book Walk works best with books that have a predictable sequence or story.

  • When using this reading technique, speak in the language that is most comfortable for YOU!

What to Do:

  • Look at the cover.

  • Point to and say name of author and title.

  • Looking at the cover, ask your child what he thinks the book will be about.

  • Without reading the words in the book, encourage your child to turn the pages one at a time.

  • Point to a picture and ask "what" questions

    •   What do you see on this page?

    •   What is happening?

    •   What is this picture telling you?

    •   What do you think will happen?

  • When you talk about the pictures

    •   Take turns talking

    •   Introduce new words; explain what they mean

    •   Add a bit more information to what your child says

    •   Rephrase what your child says adding more words or ideas

    •   Help your child make connections to past experiences and future events.
      Examples:

      • When did you  . . . ?

      •   How did you feel when. . . ?

      •   How would you feel if . . . ?

  • Guide your child so he will understand the story

    •  What words might he need to know?

    •  What does he need to know to understand the story?

Guidelines from: Saroj Ghoting, www.earlylit.net

What Books?

Many books are perfect for picture walks. Choose something you haven't read with your child before and make sure the pictures help tell the story. You might want to try Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig; Not a Box by Antoinette Portis; Snip Snap, What's That? by Mara Bergman; Too Many Toys by David Shannon; or I Went Walking by Sue Williams.

Read more about this great way to share a book and teach early literacy skills:

Taking a Picture Walk from Reading With Bean


Preschool Events
Tue, Apr 02, 10:15am - 10:45am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 02, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 02, 11:00am - 11:30am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 02, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 02, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Apr 03, 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 04, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 04, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Apr 04, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 04, 11:15am - 11:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 04, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Apr 04, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster Branch Library - Children's Area

Sat, Apr 06, 10:00am - 10:45am
St. John - Children's Program Room

Mon, Apr 08, 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Apr 08, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Mon, Apr 08, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Munster Branch Library - North Parking Lot

Mon, Apr 08, 5:30pm - 6:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:15am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:15am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:30am
Hobart - Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Munster - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 09, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Hobart - Programming Room

Tue, Apr 09, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Highland - Children's Programming Room

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

Wed, Apr 10, 12:30pm - 8:00pm
St. John Branch Library - Circulation

Wed, Apr 10, 2:30pm - 3:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Wed, Apr 10, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Merrillville Library - Children's Department

Thu, Apr 11, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Lake Station-New Chicago - Large Meeting Room

Sat, Apr 13, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Apr 13, 11:00am - 11:40am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Apr 15, 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:15am - 10:45am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 16, 11:00am - 11:30am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 16, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 16, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Apr 18, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 18, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 18, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Apr 18, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 18, 11:15am - 11:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 18, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 23, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:15am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Tue, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:15am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 23, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 23, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Apr 23, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Munster - Children's Program Room

Wed, Apr 24, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Apr 24, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Wed, Apr 24, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 25, 2:30pm - 3:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 25, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Fri, Apr 26, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Lake Station-New Chicago - Large Meeting Room