Make her sound like Dorothy's nemesis in The Wizard of Oz . Imitate the sounds they make. But hearing Mommy or Daddy talk like a horse is guaranteed to make your child smile and engage him more deeply in the story. If you're reading Esphyr Slobodkina's classic Caps for Sale , pile old hats on your head. If your choice is Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal , have a bowl of berries nearby.
Props help make a book seem real.
Incorporate songs and puppet play. If you and your child know a song that's related to the theme of a book, sing it before you start reading, or make up a new rhyme together. It's okay to pause in the middle of a story to answer your child's questions or to let him get up and move around a little. Reading sessions should never be a chore for either of you. Kids love to be involved in reading aloud, whether it's by turning pages, supplying sound effects, or filling in missing words in familiar stories.