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Early Literacy
Get tips on how to prepare your child to learn to read.
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Join Us for Storytimes
Register now for upcoming Zoom events. Due to current health concerns, in-person events have been postponed as of January 7.
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Dial-A-Story
Check this page each week for a new story read for you by one of our MCPL staff members. You can hear the story by visiting this page or calling 816.701.6904.
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1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Hearing books being read gives kids a great start to learning to read. Track your books to reach 1000 books.
Online Resources
Award Winning Books!
Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award Nominees
Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award Winners
Get Every Child Ready to Read!
- Narrative Skills: Encourage your child to describe things and events in books. Help them to pretend and be a storyteller.
- Letter Knowledge: Show your child that letters are different from each other, they have different names and sounds.
- Print Awareness: Help your child to notice print everywhere. Help them to hold a book, turn pages, and follow the words on a page.
- Vocabulary: Teach your child the specific names of things. What kind of vegetable, what kind of dog, what kind of flower, etc.
- Print Motivation: Find books with pictures and words that appeal to your child. Pictures with children, moveable, texture, bright colors, etc.
- Phonological Awareness: Help your child hear the smaller sounds in words. Through songs, rhymes, and games, help them break down the words.
This information is from a joint project of the American Library Association and the Public Library Association. For more information, visit Every Child Ready to Read .