Alphabet books are a great way to help your child with letter knowledge. Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham is a particularly fun book! Zebra is directing all of the objects as they appear in this alphabet book, but he forgets about Moose. Moose decides this is not going to work and tries to appear on as many pages as possible. As you read this story to your child, talk about all the letters you see and the sounds they make.

–Tip by Barb M., Youth Programming and Outreach Assistant

Before children learn actual letters, they are aware of shapes. Learning differences in shapes will help them later when they are learning the shapes of letters. In books like Spot Looks at Shapes by Eric Hill and Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban, children can talk about how some shapes are alike or different. Have them trace them and find the shapes in things and letters all around!

–Tip by Carol C., Youth Programming Assistant

Reading any book can teach your child letter knowledge. Before you read a book together, ask your child to pick a letter. Draw the letter together and practice making its sound. Then as you read the story, have your child find words that contain that letter.

–Tip by Mary S., Youth Services Department Head

Children actually start learning about letters before they even know the alphabet. Letter knowledge means knowing that letters are different from each other and that the same letter can look different ways (such as upper and lower case), as well as knowing that letters relate to sounds. Focus on the first letter in your child’s name—talk about its shape, how it looks in upper and lower case, and what sound(s) it makes. And remember to have fun!

–Tip by Brad J., Youth Technology Librarian

Many alphabet books do not have a story that goes in order. When you share that kind of alphabet book with your child, you do not need to read it from beginning to end. Farms ABC: An Alphabet Book by B.A. Hoena and Alphabet Animals: A Slide-and-Peek Adventure by Suse MacDonald are two examples of alphabet books without stories. Let your child choose a page that looks interesting to him or her. Let them trace the letter with their fingers and talk about the letter and the pictures that go with it.

–Tip by Carol C., Youth Programming Assistant

Before children learn actual letters, they are aware of shapes. Playing with shapes helps children see the differences in letter shapes. You can have your child look for shapes in the pictures of books like these: Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert and Round Is a Pancake by Joan Sullivan Baranski. See how many circles you can find together!

–Tip by Barb M., Youth Programming and Outreach Assistant

Alphabet books are one way to help children become aware of letters, how they look, and what sounds they make. It is best not to quiz your young child on the letters, but rather to mention them in the context of something that they enjoy, like a book.

–Tip by Erin E., Youth Programming Coordinator

My Beak,Your Beak by Melanie Walsh explores sameness and differences—concepts that will help your child get ready to read. Knowing that letters look similar but are different from each other is part of the early literacy skill of letter knowledge. Gaining knowledge about letters is important long before your child actually learns the letters of the alphabet. Letter knowledge also includes knowing that letters relate to sounds. Focus on the first letter in your child’s name—talk about its shape, how it looks in upper and lower case, and what sound(s) it makes. And remember to have fun!

–Tip by Brad J., Youth Technology Librarian

Look for a couple of same-shaped items that are familiar to your baby. Use various words to compare how the items differ from each other. You might say, “Look at these crackers. This one is a square cracker. This one is square but it is brown. Look how this square cracker has little holes in it. And here is one with a bite out of it!” These introductory experiences with differences in objects may help your child later as he or she discovers what is the same and what is different about letters. All of this adds to your child’s letter knowledge, which is part of early literacy. 

–Tip by Jan P., Preschool/Childcare Liaison

Research indicates that children benefit most from learning both the sound and the letter name at the same time. When you work on their letter knowledge, explain that the letter is called “S” and makes the sound “sss.” One fun way to help learn the letter “S” is with Stretch by Doreen Cronin. After pointing out the letter, have children stretch every time they hear an “S.” You can even say the word really slowly emphasizing the “s” sound.  For extra fun see if your child can stretch into an “S” shape! 

–Tip by Keary B., Youth Collection Specialist