How to Pick Out Picture Books for Nannies and Au Pairs

Make Reading to Children Your New Year's Resolution

Children can fall in love with books long before they can read the words. Good picture books are an important part of your child's development, but how do you choose from the thousands of titles available?

1. Try to find books that will hold the child's interest. If the child loves trucks, find a book about a construction site. If the child loves horses, hundreds of horse books are available.

2. Look at the quality of the illustrations. A picture book is primarily a visual experience for children, especially pre-readers.

3. Read the text. Is it a good story? Is the topic appropriate? Will it hold the child's interest? Is the content consistent with your employer's parenting style?

4. Decide how much text is right for the child ' how many words per page should there be? This will depend on your child's age, comprehension level, and attention span.

5. Think about how many times you will probably have to read any given book. Will the story still be interesting to the child after you have read it at least thirty or forty times in one week?

6. Talk to a children's librarian. He or she will be able to point you toward the most popular and highest quality children's picture books, and can help you choose something that is just right for the child's age group.

7. Search for award-winning books. There are many organizations ' most notably the Newbery and Caldecott awards ' that reward excellence in children's books and illustrations.

Read more: How to Choose Picture Books for Your Kids eHow.com