An Interview with Jen Robinson

Jen Robinson writes at Jen Robinson's Book Page, a wonderful website about children's books and read-aloud. She kindly agreed to answer questions about her almost-two-year-old's experiences with reading. Thank you Jen!!!

How old was your daughter when you first started reading to her?                         
We started reading to her in the womb. I would read to her during the daytime, and my husband would read to her before we went to sleep. Because she was born 10 weeks early, we didn’t have any books with us when we went to the hospital. It took us a day or so to start reading to her there. Her first book out in the world was Judith Kerr’s One Night in the Zoo. Her first chapter book, which I started reading to her in the NICU, was The Secret Garden.

During those first few months, how did your baby signal that reading time was over? 

She would just get restless, or look away. When she was very small she couldn’t signal much at all. However, even when she was very small, it was clear that she found hearing us read to be calming. We would often not stop until she fell asleep.

You noted on your blog that when your daughter was six months old she liked the cloth book Who Do You See? Do you recall any other cloth book favorites? Does she show an interest in cloth books now? 

She adored Begin Smart Animal Faces (which comes with an attached animal rattle). It was literally the first thing that she ever reached for. She occasionally still plays with that one, and with Who Do You See. But she sees them more as comfort items than as books.

Can you recall a funny read-aloud moment that you'd like to share?

The other day I was reading The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear to her. We got to a particular page, and she said “Boom!”. I said “oh yes, the mouse feel down. Boom.” She didn’t respond. Then I turned the page, and the text at the top of the page was “Boom! Boom! Boom!” My response “Yes, Baby Bookworm, you do know this book better than I do.”

What's on top of your read-aloud stack at this very second?

We have read aloud stacks (and baskets) all around the house, so that question is impossible to answer. I would say that the top 3 right now, in terms of her requesting them, are Goodnight Gorilla, The Lady with the Alligator Purse, and Buzz Buzz, Busy Bees (by Dawn Bentley), all board books. The other night she demanded The Lady with the Alligator Purse (which she refers to as Lulu) at 5 am. I read it to her in the dark (which I could do, since I certainly know it by heart).

Does your daughter's book choice depend on who is reading to her?

Sometimes. She likes to read Bosco’s Busy Morning (a pop-up book) with her daddy because he makes it more interactive than I do. But usually it’s more that she wants a particular book, and she’ll want whoever is available to read it to her. She’s very picky about which books she reads right now. If you try to read her a book that she’s not interested in, she’ll just close it right up and drop it on the floor. During the day, when I’m trying to work, she’ll often try to lure me away from the computer by bringing me a book to read. But she’ll usually accept her babysitter reading it to her instead.

What titles does she choose to look at on her own?

She likes lift-the-flap books for reading on her own. She has several of the DK Peekaboo series, and she’ll flip through those. We often take them to restaurants. She’s also enjoying Karen Katz’s Where is Baby’s Birthday Cake? and Princess Baby on the Go. She adores Roger Priddy’s Bright Baby oversized board books, especially First 100 Words. She’ll look at that on her own, but also likes to look at it with us, so that we can tell her what the pictures are. At 22 months, she’s just starting to name the pictures on her own.

I see from your blog that you have shared all sorts of books with your baby from day one, including picture books and chapter books!!! Do you have any general thoughts on what age is the best age to switch from boards to soft and hardcovers?

I actually think that it’s easier to read picture books (whether soft or hardcover) and chapter books to babies when they are small. Once they can grab hold of the book, tear the dust jacket, etc., I think it’s safer to stick with board books. You don’t want to have to be constantly chastising the child to not damage the book. Lift the flap books are rewarding for toddlers, as long as you can find nice sturdy ones (and are willing to stock up on scotch tape). I’ll usually only read hardcover picture books to my daughter these days when she is eating, and has her hands otherwise occupied. I would imagine that we will gradually switch to more picture books as she gets a bit older, and a bit gentler on the books.

Is there one particular question you get asked a lot by moms about books and babies?

Not really. But I have been asked more than once what to do when a  young toddler doesn’t want to sit still to be read to. My answer is, just read aloud anyway, while the child is playing with something else. There’s definitely a stage where you end up reading at the child more than to the child. I don’t think it’s a good idea to force the issue or be confrontational. But I think it’s good for kids, even when they resist sitting down and hearing a story, to still hear lots of words, and still see that Mom or Dad likes to read books.

Is there a question you wish I'd asked?

I fleetingly thought that it would be nice if you had asked what books I enjoy reading aloud. But then I realized that there are too many to name anyway ;-)