A picture book opens doors for a young child.
While being read to as an infant, she feels the close warmth and touch and love of a parent or grandparent. She begins to understand the world beyond herself, her home. Line and color intrigues her imagination. The stories lull her to sleep, calm her for a rest, and sprinkle her life with new sounds, words, and ideas. Values and cultural references anchor her life.
Gaining independence, she pretends to read. She learns the joy of art and expresses herself. In preschool, she shares picture books and experiences with friends and teachers. She learns pre-reading skills: that reading goes left to right, that letters are sounds to make words, and that words are the keys to really reading.
Growing into her school life, picture books are an inspiration to go other places. She learns to read and write. Stories in picture books provide bridges for her learning. She opens more doors all on her own. And when needed, picture books are a port to linger in, where words and art leave space for her thoughts. Picture books are her touchstones, for laughter, for sadness.
A picture book opens the mind for every age.
A PICTURE BOOK by Linnea Heaney (Hunger Mountain, 2011).
http://www.hungermtn.org/passion-for-the-picture-book/
