It’s been a week and people are still talking about the New York Times article titled "Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children," which ran on October 7, 2010. From the more than 350 comments posted on the New York Times site to the various other blog posts that have popped up, the author of the article sparked a lot discussion and debate. As a children’s librarian, I’m glad to see that so many people are talking about reading and sharing what reading means to them. For anyone out there concerned that the Free Library of Philadelphia is giving up on the picture book, you can ask the children’s librarian at your local branch to recommend one of the new or classic stories that fill our shelves. Children’s librarians are happy to work with a child and caregiver to find a good read in the format that is the perfect fit. 

There is no one size fits all to instilling a love of reading and learning in a child, but as a librarian I encourage parents and caregivers to start building the foundation when a child is born. Check out these books for babies and the calendar of events for infant storytimes. Looking for more? The staff has put together some great links for parents.

Keep checking back for additional blog posts by our diverse staff of children's librarians!