Early Literacy Book Selection Guide (Birth – 5 Years)
Use this guide to help select high-quality, engaging books for babies and young children from birth to five years of age.
Audience: Families and Caregivers
Early Literacy Book Recommendations (0–5 Years)
Explore books selected by the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation for children from birth to five years of age. These recommended titles support shared reading, early literacy development, and positive interactions between children and their caregivers.
Letters and Sounds Adventure Map
Download our Letters and Sounds Adventure Map, a fun, play-based resource to support early language and sound awareness at home. This two-sided tool gives families simple ways to build early reading skills through everyday play. One side features the Adventure Map, with activities like noticing words that start with the same sound, making rhymes, and […]
Bringing Books to Kids: Olivier’s Story
By OmarSiddiqui
Last month, six-year-old Olivier Cormier was given a unique project at his school, École internationale de Montréal (Primaire): find an organization that helps others and share it back with his class. One cause had recently become close to Olivier’s heart: “I really like to read,” he explained. “I think every kid deserves a book!” His […]
You can use the same book no matter how old the child is!
By Nicole
Adjusting how you engage a child with a book based on their age, keeps them interested and learning! Canada Animals by Paul Covello is full of great pictures for lots of ages. If a child is….. 0 to 12 months: Name and point to pictures. “Goose! Nest! Grass! Lake! Clouds! 12 months to 2 years: […]
Babies love faces!
By Nicole
Babies notice faces before they notice other types of objects. This is why they love games like peek-a-boo and looking at themselves in mirrors. Babies also love seeing pictures of real faces in printed photographs and books!
Books and Diversity
By Nicole
Science tells us that babies’ brains notice race in the very early months of life. Preschoolers have lots of questions about the people they see around them as they shape their view of the world. One of the best ways for children to learn about diversity is through books.
Even if a book is in a language you don’t speak, you can still cuddle up and share it with your little one!
By development
Sharing books with children is a great way for them to hear lots of words. And you don’t even have to be able to speak or read the language that the book is written in. Choose any book, cuddle up with your child and look at the pictures together. You can talk about what you […]
Little ones love book sharing when the adult is being playful and having fun!
By Nicole
When reading books aloud to children, try using different voices, adding actions, singing parts of the book, and talking about words that rhyme! Here’s an idea. In the book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom it says: “Chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room?” The adult can say: “Boom and room sound the same at […]
Snuggle, kiss, tickle and playfully touch your little one when sharing books together!
By Nicole
When cuddling up and sharing a book with your little one, be physically affectionate and playful. You can even relate your own actions to the book. For example, point out body parts on characters in the book and touch or tickle your little ones. “Here are his knees. Here are yours!” “He gets a kiss […]