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Now that the temperatures are dropping, it’s a great time to grab a hot chocolate and curl up with a good book. Reading with your child introduces important literacy concepts and helps build children’s understanding of story. Specifically, regular reading experiences expose children to important concepts of print such as reading from left to right, from top to the bottom of a page and from the front to the back of a book. In addition, reading great children’s literature supports print awareness helping children attend to letters, beginning sounds, words and learn that the printed word carries meaning.

Emergent readers need frequent exposure to quality children’s literature and benefit from enjoyable reading experiences. Jan Brett is a talented author children enjoy. Her wonderful stories and detailed illustrations capture kids attention and entertain! Be sure to look closely at the borders she draws on the pages of her books. They have an interesting story to tell as well. Jan Brett also maintains an amazing website featuring free terrific printable pictures to color, number and word learning activities along with interesting information about the many children’s books she has written and illustrated. Check out these wonderful stories by Jan Brett.

The Mitten
This fun-filled story is about a child who drops his mitten and the animals that crawl in and take advantage of a new place to gather and warm up in the snow. Look closely at the borders on each page. They tell another story of the child who lost the mitten enjoying an adventure in the snow.

The Hat
Hedgie the Hedgehog is a favorite Jan Brett character. In this story, Hedgie comes across a stocking that has fallen off a clothesline. He pokes his nose in the sock, but when he tries to pull away he finds his furry prickles are stuck to the sock and so is he! Read this charming children’s book and find out what happens to Hedgie! Check out the borders on the pages of this book, they tell a great story too.

Gingerbread Baby
This treasured tale captures a family baking gingerbread men. One little gingerbread baby decides to have some fun and challenges the family in the form of a crazy chase through town. I encourage you to look closely at the borders on each page of this story as they tell a wonderful tale as well. You and your little ones will giggle and spend loads of time pouring through the pages of this story!

Gingerbread Friends
The Gingerbread Baby sets out on another fun filled adventure in search of friends. He ends up in a bakery but does not find the friends he is looking for and then encounters a whole crew of hungry critters on his way home. Fortunately, Gingerbread Baby makes his way home safely and finds a special surprise from his friend Matti. Look closely at the borders of this story to uncover Matti’s surprise.

The Three Snow Bears
Jan Brett’s wonderful twist on the well-loved tale "The Three Bears" is sure to be a hit. In this Arctic version, a little Inuit girl stumbles upon an igloo and some inviting yummy smells as she looks for her missing sled dogs. Be sure to pay attention to the detailed borders and little stories they tell on each page of this classic story.