Early Literacy

Louisiana's public libraries and other organizations in the state offer many programs to encourage reading from a young age.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

This national nonprofit organization encourages parents and caregivers to read 1,000 books to their children before they start kindergarten. Many Louisiana libraries participate. Visit the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten website to find a participating library near you.

Big Books at the State Library of Louisiana

The State Library has a big book collection of more than 500 titles. These are great for story time or classroom use as well as for the individual reader who simply needs larger print and pictures to read a story. The State Library’s big book collection is available through Interlibrary Loan at your local public library.

Every Child Ready to Read@ your library® (ECRR)

Every Child Ready to Read is an early literacy initiative developed through the Public Library Association and Association for Library Service to Children that focuses on educating parents and caregivers. ECRR provides turnkey toolkits and resources for libraries to be able to teach parents how to nurture and develop early literacy skills in their children. The State Library offers ECRR toolkits for checkout and also conducts free training annually on the program.

PRIME TIME, Inc.

Created by the Louisiana Endowment of the Humanities in 1991, some Louisiana public libraries partner with PRIME TIME, Inc. to offer the six-week program that engages families and children in literature and reading.

Contact your local library to find out more about what early literacy programs they offer.

Tips for Sharing a Book with a Child

1. Tell a child about the pictures in a book using your own words. Point to the pictures as you describe them.
2. When you read the book to a child, point to the words as you read. This helps the child to know that you are saying the words on the page and not just talking about the pictures.
3. After a child has become familiar with the rhyme, when you read it, stop before the last word on the page and let the child say the last word.
4. Encourage the child to tell YOU about the pictures. This will help the child to learn new words.
   1. Pick out something in the picture that you want the child to notice.
   2. Ask the child, “Where’s the _____?” and wait for the child to point to it.

If the child points correctly:

• Say, “Yes! That’s the _____!”
• Say something else about the object in the picture, like, “Yes! That’s the lamb. The lamb is smelling the flowers.”
• When you can, show the child a real example of things in the pictures.

If the child points to something else:

• Say, “That’s the _____” and tell the child what it is.
• Then say, “Here’s the _______” and point to the thing you wanted the child to notice.
• After a little while you share the book with the child, ask again, “Where’s the ______?”