Storybook reading and storytelling benefit children both cognitively and emotionally. Cognitively, storybook reading and storytelling make a critical contribution to developing literacy through building vocabulary and reading for meaning (Hart & Risley, 2003). A robust vocabulary improves all areas of communication — listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Children in low-income families or with uneducated parents, but in a home with more than 25 books, are more likely to gain two more years of schooling than children in homes with no books. (Evans, Kelly, Sikora & Treiman, 2010). Children in homes where there are books and adults who listen to them and tell or create stories with them, are more likely to become readers. A home with a rich literacy culture does not require adults to be literate.
Emotionally, storybook reading and storytelling in a safe, familial environment promotes family cohesion and intimacy, which boosts children’s self-esteem and contributes to them becoming confident students (Hoyne & Egan, 2019). Deep discussion of the texts and expressing emotional reactions to the turns of the story, develops children’s empathy and ability to self-regulate (Aram & Shapira, 2012). Story books expose children to social situations, introducing moral dilemmas, relationships, conflicts and problem solving (Fine, Aram & Ziv, 2011). Social-emotional skills development at an early age predict positive adult outcomes include good mental health, a low chance of substance abuse and a higher chance of employment. (Mahasneh, Raomanowki & Dajani, 2017).
What could possibly happen when a starving cow is left alone with three fluffy little chicks? And what would happen when the cow comes home and finds a big pile of hay? What if she ate and ate and ate …
