Reading in Township Crèches

Look for:

Children of color
African setting
Books the children can relate to that show African culture in a positive light
Lively pictures that show something different on every page
Large pictures that are easy to focus on

Avoid:

Culturally North American or European books
Books that caricature Africa or Africans
Funny rhymes that get lost in translation
Too many words on a page (unless you are planning to tell the story with the pictures instead of reading all the words)
Busy pictures that are confusing to little ones
Format too small for everyone in the group to see
A ‘cute’ storyline designed to appeal to older children or adults rather than little ones

When you read:

Use lots of expression
Point out interesting things in the pictures
Interpret the story through the pictures
Ask questions about the picture

Invite the children to participate by:

Identifying something in the picture
Finding something you ask for
Counting
Making animal noises
Mimicking an action
Repeating a key phrase together
Identifying with something ‘just like me’ or different from me
Reviewing lists or steps in the story