We all know about the importance of teaching children to love reading– not only does it teach language skills, but it is an excellent way to bond together.

Lately, reading to our toddler has become more of a chore than a pleasure. Sure, we all enjoy the time together and some of the stories are quite good, but getting her to sit down and pay attention is turning into a losing battle. Instead of fighting, we’ve given in to her toddler whims and gone with them. Here’s what has worked for us.

• Make reading fun. We try to read fun books to her (anything by Dr. Seuss will work). Not only are the illustrations wildly colorful and imaginative, but the rhyming verses also capture her attention. Also, instead of reading the same few books every night, we try to mix it up and rotate her books. That way, she isn’t hearing the same stories and looking at the same illustrations every night.

• Read interactive books. “Pat the Bunny” and lift-the-flap books are amusing for toddlers – not only are there a story and illustrations, but the child is able to take part in the book instead of passively listening.

• Allow play during reading time. Instead of sitting down and reading to our daughter, we let her play with the books. Not only does she have fun turning the pages and pointing to some of the drawings, she also seems to be making up her own story to go along with them. (A note to the type A moms like me: it’s OK to keep reading the story while your child turns the pages back and forth and skips pages – since you have the story memorized anyway, go ahead and “read” it from start to finish.)

• Make up a new story. Turn one of your child’s books into a new story – instead of reading the story, look at the pictures and make up something else. Instead of “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?“, maybe it’s a trip to the zoo or someone’s house pets. “Guess How Much I Love You” could be a series of sporting events.

• Act out the story. Instead of just using different voices for different characters (which is also a good way to make reading fun), involve yourself and your kids in the story – act out certain scenes or just do what the characters are doing. Have your child jump up and down when a character does, or just make the same facial expressions.

Reading is an important step in your child’s development – making reading more fun can be a good way to enjoy story time together with your toddler.

I’ve been reading to my daughter since a few days after she was born. I even packed a few picture books in my hospital bag, but we were too busy trying to get the breastfeeding thing working that I didn’t read to her in the hospital.

Just the other night, my 15-week old daughter realized that the stories I’ve been reading to her come from books. She noticed that there are neat, colorful pictures to go with the words. I first caught her looking at the pages when I read the classic bedtime story, Goodnight Moon.

Bibliophile that I am, this milestone was even more significant to me than when she rolled over for the first time. I was so intrigued by her reaction to the connection between the pictures and the words that I read her four bedtime stories that night!

Now, as I read her the same stories I’ve been reading to her for four months, she is seeing them for the first time. And it makes story time so much more fun for both of us.

So, I’d like to share with Babies Online readers a list of my daughter’s favorite picture books. The criteria? She likes short, snappy sentences with not too many words per page. She seems to prefer animal characters, and a story where I can really put some enthusiasm into the lines, meaning they are fun for me to read, too!

And yes, I can tell her favorites already by her reactions and how long the story will keep her attention. Maybe I’m raising a book review blogger!

1. Goodnight Moon – This classic by Margaret Wise Brown is the perfect bedtime book, and because it was the first book my daughter “noticed,” it goes first on our list. It’s got a great rhythm and simple pictures that hold a child’s attention—even an infant’s. By the time I am whispering “Goodnight noises everywhere,” my daughter knows it’s time to go to sleep.

2. The Foot Book – This interactive story by Dr. Seuss is shorter than many other Seuss books, making it perfect for infants and young readers alike. My daughter loves when I grab her foot to show her “left foot, right foot.” The cats don’t like it so much when I use their paws to demonstrate “fuzzy fur feet.” Best of all, you can get two free Dr. Seuss books, and a tote bag, right here through Babies Online’s special offer.

3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Author Laura Numeroff has an entire series of “If You Give…” books, and each one is a great addition to any children’s library. The adorable mouse, cat, pig and moose characters endear Mom and baby alike. With one fun sentence per page and great illustrations filled with details, these books just don’t get old, even after the hundredth or so reading. Watching the smile on my daughter’s face when I ask her, “What happens next…?” simply melts my heart. I’m sure when she’s older she’ll begin to narrate the books along with me.

4. The Hat – I’ve always been a Jan Brett fan, and The Hat is one of my favorites. It’s a lot of fun to read, and the ironic ending will make adults chuckle. Brett’s detail-rich illustrations bring every page to life, and the plot progresses with just enough repetition that children love it but parents won’t find it tedious.

5. The Monster at the End of this Book – Originally published in 1971, The Monster at the End of this Book (starring lovable furry old Grover) was one of my childhood favorites. When I found a beat-up copy at a garage sale while I was pregnant, I pounced. Then my aunt bought Ashley her own, brand-new copy, and I can’t think of a more perfect gift. This title is fun to read with enthusiasm and always makes my daughter giggle. Yes, we all know Grover IS the monster at the end of the book, but that doesn’t make it any less suspenseful for little ones.

There are so many other great books available to foster a love of reading for your child, this list is just a very small sampling. I know I’ve left out many notable authors, including Karen Katz and Eric Carle.

Really, there’s no excuse not to read at least one book a day to your child. When your baby gets to the “grabby” stage, sturdy board books are a great investment and are priced lower than their hard cover counterparts.

Readers, what are you favorite children’s books? Please share!

One of my favorite board books is The Rainbow Fish, a story about a fish with beautiful, shiny scales. I love the message in this tale: the other fish in the sea admire the Rainbow Fish?s scales and are envious of him. The Rainbow Fish gives many of his scales away, to the other fish. The pictures on the pages towards the end, are of a sea filled with fish, each with one beautiful, shiny scale. What a great lesson about sharing! Sure, the Rainbow Fish is beautiful but having friends and sharing are even more beautiful.

Another favorite of mine is The Runaway Bunny. The child bunny asks his mom what she would do if he runs away. There are a number of scenarios:

?If you run after me, I will become a trout in a stream and I will swim away from you?, the little bunny says. ? If you become a fish in a trout stream, I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you?, his mother says.

?I will be a bird and fly away from you?, says the little bunny. His mother?s reply: ?If you become a bird and fly away from me, I will be a tree that you come home to?.

The scenarios continue, and in all of them the mother finds or rescues her baby. I love the message about moms always being there, no matter what, for their children. It is about the strength and unconditional nature of a mother?s love. Not that a baby or toddler would quite get that from the book, but why not end by saying ?And I will always be here for you, too, my little bunny!? (Okay, corny?but mommies are allowed to be corny).

A third favorite baby/toddler book of mine is Eating the Alphabet. It?s just an “ABC” book but it is about fruits and vegetables. What a fun way to teach kids about their letters and healthy foods! The colors are brilliant; my six month old already responds to them with a smile! Maybe when he is older, we can attempt to ?eat the alphabet? (A is for avocado, B is for broccoli?., and so on).

What are some of your favorite board books?

I don’t know if it’s global warming, but we are still playing outside and it’s November. The weather seems to be planning to return to it’s regularly scheduled broadcast, and there’s snow for later this week. So as is much more normal for this time of year, it’s time to find inside activities for my son.

We’ve been visiting the library since he was a baby. When he was a tiny baby, he loved to sit on my lap during the story time. I was always nervous of borrowing books for a little baby, knowing they had been chewed and drooled on by many many other babies and that board books don’t get cleaned. But now he’s older and into everything, germs and all, I’m not as worried about dirt, and we take home a heap of books almost every week.

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been reading to him almost since he was born, but he’s always loved books. Typically for a toddler, he’ll want to read one book 32 times in a row then be bored of it. So the library is perfect source of ever-new books.

And even returning the books is fun, he loves to post the books into the chute to return them.

Today, as well as a pile of picture books, I checked out a heap of the latest CDs for me, and optimistically, a couple of books which I admit, I won’t find the time to read, but I’m an optimist!

Benefits for mom, for baby, educational and all free. I love the library!

This book offended the most library users in 2007 – and the year before too. Was it a political book? An explicit novel? An ultra-violent thriller?

Nope – it’s about penguins. And Tango Makes Three is a children’s picture book based on the true story of two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who lived as a couple at the New York zoo. The zoo-keepers noticed that the penguin couple were trying to hatch an egg-shaped rock. (aww.) So the zoo-keepers gave them an egg from another penguin couple who had too many to hatch by themselves. The penguin parents took great care of the egg, (double aww) which hatched into a baby girl penguin, Tango. (triple awww!)

But gay penguins really seem to offend some people. Hundreds of parents have complained to libraries and schools, and the book has been withdrawn in some cases.

I think this is a really sweet story, and critics agree, as the book has won several prizes for children’s literature. The pictures are adorable. (Who’s a sucker for fluffy chicks? Yeah, me) It’s a lovely, touching story that’s a marvellous way to show young children that families come in all shapes and sizes. It’s a beautiful testament to fatherhood, and reminds us of what’s most important in a family is love – not what gender the parents are.

So would you read this book to your child?

Here I was feeling that my 3-year old was brilliant with his ability to sound letters from before he was two or read many words by his 3rd birthday ? but little Elizabeth Barrett made me realize that is really nothing great. This amazing little girl at just 17-months old not only reads script, but to her parents? amazement, cursive writing as well.

Elizabeth had an early introduction to language with both of her parents being speech pathologists, but they said they did no coaching of little Elizabeth. She was introduced to sign language from day one, which is now a common enough practice among new parents. Like many parents, Elizabeth?s also read to her quite often. According to her mom, Katy Barrett, the first indication that Elizabeth could read was at age 13-months when she read the word ?corn? on a cereal box.

Parents generally want to have brilliant kids ? some will go to the various lengths to achieve this, while for others ? it just comes naturally. That is, some children are special and apparently little Elizabeth is one such. There is no doubt about Elizabeth?s ability to read as Ann Curry on NBC?s Today Show used flash cards with different words and sentences and she read them without hesitation.

Her parents said that although they are amazed by her abilities, it also scares them. Their main concern is that it makes her different and this in itself can pose problems for her later on. But, from what I saw and heard, the Barretts will be able to provide all the coping skills Elizabeth will need as she grows up.

However, parents can also help to stimulate their child?s abilities by doing just what the Barretts did ? read a lot to them, limit the number of hours they spend watching TV and engage them in meaningful activities. You may be just as surprised as the Barretts at what your little one can accomplish.

Do you too have amazing stories about the amazing abilities of your child? If yes, why not share them.