Reading to your infant today promotes good reading habits tomorrow. There is a difference in the attention spans of children who have been read to regularly, says Bernice Cullinan, Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at New York University and a highly acclaimed reading specialist. Who Love to Read and Invitation to Read . As infants are particularly responsive to the sounds of language, the best books for babies emphasize rhythm, melody, and repetition, such as nursery rhymes and books with patterned language. Rhythm, rhyme, repetition and familiar language sequences will captivate babies.
Infants enjoy looking at pictures of other people, especially other babies.
They recognize facial features and expressions. Babies and small children love seeing familiar objects like a stuffed bear or a rubber duck, or people doing things that they have had some experience with in their daily experience, such as getting dressed or taking bath. Infants see books as toys. For these reasons, small durable board books, designed for small fingers and to endure harsh treatment by babies, are the most appropriate for young book lovers. Babies, like adults, are entertained by books.