If someone told you that you hold the key to unlocking your
baby's academic potential, improving the probability that she
will stay in school, increasing her lifespan, nurturing her
emotional development and self esteem, and stimulating her
imagination, wouldn't you respond by asking, "How?" How can
these goals be accomplished? The object that enables you to give
these gifts to your child is as close as your nearest bookshelf.
The importance of reading aloud to children has been proven in
thousands of studies by the US Department of Education. No
single factor has been as directly linked to academic
achievement as whether a child has been read to. It's as easy as
ABC to translate all the research into success for your child.
Libraries offer excellent sample reading lists, and children's
librarians love to recommend age-appropriate books. Rose Fuller,
a library specialist in Bear, Delaware, stresses the emotional
importance of reading to young children. "It creates a bond,"
she says. "You can teach them things