Invite an infant to sit on your lap to read a book. Introduce the book by pointing to the cover and encouraging the infant to look at the picture with you. Example: “See the picture of the owl? The owl is going to hide. Our book is about animals that are hiding. We can touch the flaps and listen to crackling sounds. Let’s the read the book and find the animals!”

Open the book and begin looking at and talking about the pictures with the infant. Encourage the infant to help you turn the pages and touch the flaps. Use strategies, such as the following:

• Point to and name objects pictured. Example: “We found the owl! Peekaboo owl! The owl was hiding under the leaf. See the moon in the sky? It is nighttime.”
• Invite the infant to touch the flaps and listen to the sounds. Example: “Here, you can touch the log. What do we hear? Let’s see what animal is hiding under the log! Peekaboo!”
• Describe what the infant is looking at. Example: “You are looking at the yellow moose. The moose has brown antlers. The moose has a smiling mouth. I think the moose is happy!”
• Spend a little more time talking about pictures of particular interest to the infant. You may wish to provide additional context or information. Example: “You are tapping the fish. The fish are swimming in the blue water. I wonder what animal is hiding by the fish. You can open the flap and see!”
• Describe and respond to gestures or vocalizations. Example: “You are smiling and cooing at the owl. The owl has big eyes. You are touching the leaf the owl was hiding under! Do you hear the leaf crinkling when you touch it?”
• Help the infant connect book information to their experiences and developing knowledge. Example: “The mama bear is sleeping with her baby bears. The bears are going night night in their den. Where do you go night night?”
• Use your voice to add interest and enjoyment to the book reading. Create anticipation as you slowly lift the flap, and then show enthusiasm as you say “peekaboo!” and reveal the animal underneath. Example: “Are you ready to lift the flap and see what animal is hiding? What do you think we will see? Please help me lift the flap!”
• Follow the infant’s cues about the pace of looking at pictures. Turn the pages as slowly or as quickly as the infant seems to prefer. Depending on the infant’s interest, you may read the text as written or you may simply talk about the pictures on each page. Watch the infant’s cues to know when to stop the book reading.
• Conclude the session by recognizing the infant’s participation in the book reading. Example: “We had fun reading this book together, Kamilah. You smiled and kicked your legs when we found the animals that were hiding! You had fun helping me lift the flaps. You listened to the crackling sounds! I think you liked this book.”

Invite an older infant to read a book with you. The infant may wish to sit next to you or prefer to stand close while you read. Introduce the book and invite the infant to hold the book, turn the pages, and/or lift the flaps.

Once the infant is comfortable and ready to read, point to the raised picture on the book cover. Example: “Look at the picture of the owl. The owl is going to hide in our book! Our book is about animals that are hiding. We can play Peekaboo with the animals and find them under the flaps! When we touch the flaps, we can listen to the crackling sounds they make! Would you like to help me turn the page?” The infant may help you turn the page or turn the pages independently. Use strategies, such as the following to share the book:

• Point to and label objects in the pictures. Example: (Point to each.) “This is the moon in the night sky. Do you see the lightning bug flying? The lightning bug has a tail that lights up! Look, here is a ladybug on a leaf. Let’s see what is hiding under the leaf!”
• Invite the infant to point to objects that you label. Example: “Look, what do you see sitting on the log? I see a green frog! Can you point to the green frog?”
• Describe what the infant is looking at and provide additional context or information. Example: “You are pointing to the owl. The owl has big eyes and an orange beak. The owl says ‘whoo, whoo.’ Please say ‘whoo, whoo’ with me!”
• Describe and respond to gestures or vocalizations. Example: “You said ‘peekaboo!’ You found the raccoon! Would you like to play again? You can lift the flap. Peekaboo raccoon!”
• Help the infant connect book information to their experiences and developing knowledge. Example: “The mama bear is sleeping with her baby bears. Bears sleep in a den. People sleep in houses. Do you sleep in a bed?”
• Encourage the infant to say “peekaboo” with you. Example: “Are you ready to lift the flap? You can say ‘peekaboo’ with me! Here we go. Let’s see what we find!” Also, encourage the infant to repeat the name of the item found under the flap.
• Follow the infant’s cues as to how quickly or slowly to turn the pages.

Conclude the session by recognizing the infant’s participation in the book reading. Example: “You helped me hold our book, Sergio. You lifted the flaps and helped me say ‘peekaboo!’ You listened to sounds the pages made when you touched them. You pointed to the green frog! We had fun reading this book together.”