Recently, I brought home a few children’s picture books from the biography section of our local library. As I read them out loud to my son (who is 6) we were hooked! It was 15 minutes of back-porch evening magic. The illustrations were beautiful, the stories were compelling, and we both learned so much. Many of the books even led to big questions and discussions about historical events, life choices, and societal conflicts. 

I think many people believe that picture books are too “babyish" after a certain age and do not play a role in helping children learn to read. But, this could not be further from the truth! Children’s books contain a large number of rare words that children are not exposed to in everyday speech. In fact, the words found in children’s books are more rare than any type of oral language other than courtroom testimony! As you read children’s books out loud, you are exposing children to words they would not otherwise be exposed to, and, therefore, boosting their vocabulary. 

Furthermore, we know from research that vocabulary and background knowledge contribute to successful comprehension. Children’s books - especially non-fiction - can also help build background knowledge. Many of the books I read with my son would be great compliments to other subject areas like science or math. 

In summary, classroom read-alouds of children’s books are a fun way to work on comprehension before children are fluent readers. They can boost vocabulary and background knowledge in an engaging way. Check out some of our favorite children’s books below!

Some of our recent favorites: 

• Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon (AD730L) - this was my son’s favorite!
• Dragon Bones (AD890L)
• Blips on a Screen: How Ralph Baer Invented TV Video Gaming and Launched a Worldwide Obsession (AD1000L)
• Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books (AD850L)
• The Brilliant Calculator (AD860L)

To locate great children's books like the ones above, books that include vocabulary words and definitions, or books with Lexile measures by chapter, visit the Lexile & Quantile Hub and the Find a Book tool. You can search by topic, author, grade level, Lexile measure, or areas of interest.

Check out our page For Educators or For Parents to learn more about Find a Book, the Lexile & Quantile Hub, or our Frameworks. We are the location for tools and resources from the creators of the Lexile and Quantile Frameworks!