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Listen Up


What Can I Hear? (2011)
Author/Illustrator: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play
Length: 12 pages
Size: 6.25 by 6.26 inches
Format: Board

Today's review led me to an article about noise called "Effect of background noise on listening effort in normal hearing 9-11 year olds" by Clare Howard, Chris Plack and Kevin Munro. I learned what SNR means: Signal to Noise Ratio. Regarding read-aloud and little ones, the signal is your voice and the noise is the sum of sounds around you--TVs, timers, telephones, talk, and so on. Quiet voice, quiet place? High SNR. Loud voice, quiet place? Higher SNR. Quiet voice, loud place? Low SNR.

Howard and her team were interested in the effects of classroom noise on listening ability. Not surprisingly, the sample of 31 nine, ten, and eleven year olds had to work harder at listening in loud test conditions. They also made more listening mistakes.

Do babies and toddlers find it harder to listen in a noisy room compared to a quiet one? Probably. Do you need absolute quiet for read-aloud? No. A Silent room is Not Realistic. Minimize noise if you can. Turn off the TV. Try for the high SNR.

What can I hear? The whirring, click, click of a computer tower, the hum of an outside air conditioning unit--February in Louisiana--and my fingers tap-tapping on the keyboard.

What do babies hear in What Can I Hear? The clitter, clatter crashing of pan lids; happy clap, clapping; rumble tumble blocks falling, a ROARING baby pretending to be a tiger, and much more. An altogether awesome alliterative text tickles the ears. There is no story, instead, a parade of babies noisily at play.

In the spirit of I Went Walking by Sue Williams, scoop up your baby and listen ... What can you hear?
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