Jumpstart your child’s literacy

Anyone – Anywhere – Anytime

Find development tools and connect to resources by county below.

Antrim
Benzie
Grand Traverse
Kalkaska
Leelanau

Molly Wright

“What if I was to tell you that a game of peek-a-boo could change the world?” asks seven-year-old Molly Wright, one of the youngest-ever TED speakers. Breaking down the research-backed ways parents and caregivers can support children’s healthy brain development, Wright highlights the benefits of play on lifelong learning, behavior and well-being, sharing effective strategies to help all kids thrive by the age of five. 

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Nancy Grote, PhD, created this chart based on the extensive research done by Elizabeth Sulzby on young children and their writing and reading development during their first few years of life.  Her findings have been summarized in this chart.

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Reach Out and Read is a national early literacy organization working directly with pediatric care providers.  The Milestones of Early Literacy Development has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Milestones Chart – English-Spanish 2-sided

 

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STEM readiness, kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading test readiness, college readiness, career readiness, …

We all agree there is a readiness crisis in our country.  There are tens of thousands of organizations working to answer the question at its heart:

How can we prepare our children to make the transition from home, to school, to career?

The answer, start at the beginning.  Read aloud to your child 15 minutes a day…every child…every parent…every day.

 

 

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Why is reading out loud to your children so important?  Spend 11 minutes learning what this mom discovered when she dove into the research.  Much of what she shares comes from well-known author Megan Cox Gurdon and her book The Enchanted Hour.

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Read To Me

Read to Me is a regional collaboration of organizations working together to help your earliest learners to be READING READY. These organizations provide resources and literacy resources as well as family events and other services.

We strive to provide: 

  • Accessible Information
  • Fast Resources
  • A Connection point to regional literacy opportunities
Ready for resources?

Starting as early as possible.

One short impactful sentence that is important to reading in 0-2 year olds.

Wondering about 0-2 development levels? 

Milestones Sheet
More Resources

High-contrast black-and-white art for babies who are beginning to look and learn.

Count to Love

This charming board book from the New York times best-selling and award-winning duo celebrates sweet baby love with bouncing, rhythmic text and whimsical illustrations.

Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses

"Everyone has kisses for Baby, from Mami and Papi to perro and gato. Using simple Spanish words, this charming read-aloud proves that love is the same in every language!"--P. [4] of cover.

From the Garden

Introduces the numbers from one to twelve as family members pick a variety of vegetables from the garden. Readers are invited to find hidden numbers on an illustrated activity page.

The Going to Bed Book

An assortment of animals on a boat take a bath, put on their pajamas, brush their teeth, and exercise before going to bed.

I Like Myself

In rhyming text, a child expresses her self-esteem and exults in her unique identity.

Whose Knees Are These

Takes a loving look at knees from a mother's vantage point

Read To Your Baby

It’s never too early! Your baby learns language and early literacy skills as you read to them, so snuggle up and read books often. Make sounds, point to things in the pictures and create positive reading experiences. 

What do babies like in books?

  • Books with high contrast, black-and-white illustrations for first months of baby’s life
  • Board books with photos of babies or bold, clear pictures of familiar items in baby’s world
  • Books with rhythm, repetition and sounds
  • Touch-and-feel books, lift-the-flap books, bath-time books, and toy books
  • Yummy books. Babies learn by exploring objects with their mouth, it’s normal to nibble!

    Continuing through growth.

    Tools and opportunities for your children 2-3 years of age.

    Wondering about your child’s reading level? 

    Milestones Sheet
    More 2-3 Resources

    I Spy With My Little Eye

    Asks young readers to identify the animal based on their color, including blue for a blue whale, white for a polar bear, and green for a frog, in a book with die-cut spy holes.

    We All Play = Kimêtawânaw

    "Join celebrated artist Julie Flett on a joyful romp with animals. From chasing, chirping birds, to swimming, squirting whales, this book for young readers reminds them how animals play just like them. This picture book, with gorgeous images and...

    Llama, Llama, Red Pajama

    "At bedtime, a little llama worries after his mother puts him to bed and goes downstairs."

    Big Bug

    Beginning with a bug, various objects are revealed as being big and small in comparison with other objects on a farm under the big, big sky.

    Thank You, Neighbor

    This picture book invites readers to join the narrator and her dog on their daily walk through their neighborhood as they greet, help, and talk to everyone along the way.

    One, Two, Grandma Loves You

    In this rhyming picture book, a little girl and her grandmother count up to their next visit and then do all of their favorite things together.

    Have You Seen Elephant?

    Elephant wants to play hide and seek. See if you can help the others find him? he's very good! Have You Seen Elephant?

    Read To Your Toddler

    Toddlers are ready to learn new words at a rapid pace! You can help by talking and reading to them whenever you can. Ask questions while you read, repeat their favorite stories and follow their interests. Make it fun!

    What do toddlers like in books?

    • Simple rhymes
    • Stories with familiar items (pets, toys, farms) or familiar routines (bedtime, bath time, meals)
    • Books with very few words or with repeating words
    • Books with facts about their interests (trucks, animals, etc.)

    Encouraging through adventure.

    Find resources for children
    4-6 years of age.

     Wondering about 4-6 year old reading levels?

    Milestones Sheet
    More Resources

    Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

    Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds...

    We Are Growing Up!

    "Walt is not the tallest or the curliest or the pointiest or even the crunchiest. A confounded blade of grass searches for his 'est' in this...

    Up and Down

    Even though the penguin and the boy are close friends and do many things together, the penguin decides that he wants to fly and he wants to do it on...

    The Rabbit Listened

    "When Taylor's block castle is destroyed, all the animals think they know just what to do, but only the rabbit quietly listens to how Taylor is...

    Jabari Jumps

    "Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so...

    There’s a Bear on My Chair

    Poor Mouse! A bear has settled in his favourite chair and that chair just isn't big enough for two. Mouse tries all kinds of tactics to move the...

    Marta! Big & Small

    In this story that incorporates Spanish words, Marta explores the world of opposites and animals.

    Read To Your Beginning Reader

    Read to your beginning readers as often as you can! Let them choose their own books and retell the stories in their own way. Point to different letters on the page. Ask questions about the characters. Have fun enjoying books together!

    What do pre-readers like in books?

    • Simple folktales, funny stories
    • Simple text they can memorize
    • Books with playful or rhyming language
    • Alphabet books and counting books
    • Books about the real world – trucks, dinosaurs, insects…