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: “Look, do you see the sheep? This is a mama sheep. This is her baby lamb. It is time for the baby lamb to go to bed. Our book is about animal mommies saying goodnight to their babies. I wonder what animals we are going to see in our book!”

Watch the infant’s response to the book introduction. The infant may show interest by gazing at the cover picture, vocalizing, and/or reaching toward the book. Some infants may grasp the book and attempt to turn the pages. Use the following strategies to engage the infant in the book:

• Point to and name pictured objects. Example: (Point to each object as you say its name.) “This is a mama mouse. The mama mouse is saying goodnight to her baby mouse. Look, the mama is hugging her little mouse tight. What else do we see?”
• Encourage the infant to help you turn the pages.
• Describe what the infant is looking at. Example: “You are looking at the baby cat snuggling with the mama cat. It is time for bed. The little cat is sleeping. The mama cat is licking her little cat. Do you see the mama cat’s pink tongue?”
• Spend more time talking about pictures that appear to be of particular interest to the infant. You may wish to provide additional context or information. Example: “You are looking at the mama snake. The mama snake is big. Look, here is her baby snake! The baby snake is small. It is time for the little snake to go to sleep.”
• Describe the infant’s gestures or vocalizations. Example: “You are touching the picture of the little goose. You are smiling! The little goose is yellow and fuzzy. I think you like this picture.”
• Help the infant connect book information to his/her experiences and developing knowledge. Example: “The animal mommies said goodnight to their babies. Look at the little boy! It is time to sleep. His mommy is saying goodnight. You go to bed at nighttime. Your parent says goodnight to you!”
• Use your voice to add interest and enjoyment to the book reading. The infant may enjoy hearing some of the rhythmic, rhyming, repetitive text read in a sing-song voice. Emphasize the repeated phrases at the beginning of each page.
• Conclude the book sharing by describing the infant’s participation. Example: “We had fun reading this book together, Isaac. You looked at the pictures of the animal mommies and babies. You touched the picture of the little goose. You smiled at the picture of the mommy saying goodnight to the little boy. You helped turn the pages of our book!”

Invite an older infant to read a book with you. The infant may wish to sit next to you or stand close while you read. Introduce the book and invite the infant to hold (or help you hold) the book and turn its pages. Example: “Look, do you see the mama sheep and baby sheep? It is time for bed. The mama sheep is saying goodnight to her little sheep. Our book is about animal mommies saying goodnight to their babies. Would you like to help me turn the page to read the book? Would you like to hold the book?” A sitting infant may help you hold the book and turn the pages. A standing infant may want to use one hand to help turn the pages.

Use the following strategies to engage the infant with the book:

• Point to and label pictured objects. Example: “This is a mama horse. This is her baby horse. Look at the baby horse’s long legs!”
• Invite the infant to point to objects that you label. Example: “This is the mama dog. Where is her baby puppy in our picture? You can point to the puppy!”
• Encourage the infant to turn the pages as you read the book. Provide assistance, if needed, by keeping all the pages in your right hand except for the page to be turned. This will help the infant to turn one page at a time. Follow the infant’s cues as to how quickly or slowly to turn the pages. Some infants may turn pages forward and backward, and others may want to return to a favorite page several times.
• Describe what the infant is looking at and provide additional context or information. Example: “You are looking at the mama fish. Let’s look for her baby fish. There is the little fish! (Point.) The mama fish is talking to her baby. She is making bubbles. Let’s point to the bubbles!” Spend more time talking about pictures of particular interest to the infant.
• Describe and respond to the infant’s gestures or vocalizations. Example: “You said ‘night night!’ Yes, it is time for the little cat to go to sleep. Goodnight, little cat!”
• Encourage the infant to connect book information to his/her experiences and developing knowledge. Example: “The little bird is going to sleep with the mama bird. Birds sleep in a nest. Where is the birds’ nest in the tree? We don’t sleep in a nest! Where do you go to bed and sleep?”
• Show enjoyment as you read the rhythmic, rhyming, repetitive text. Emphasize the repeated phrases “it’s time for bed” and “it’s time to sleep” throughout the book.
• Conclude the session by recognizing the infant’s participation in the book reading. Example: “You helped hold our book, Maddie. You pointed to the little snake. You said ‘night night’ when you looked at the little cat. You turned the pages to see what was next! We had fun reading this book together.”