Happy International Literacy Day! To celebrate reading, below are some tips for choosing age-appropriate books for kids. All tips are from the Cultivating Readers parent magazine (click here for a free download in English or Spanish).

Here are some tips about books to share with your child from birth to age 2. Look for books that:
• Have bold pictures in black or bright colors on a white background.
• Have no words or only one or two words on a page.
• Have stiff pages that are easy for young children to turn.
• Have songs, rhymes and repeating phrases that are fun to listen to.

For kids 2-5, look for books that:
• Are about ideas or concepts-numbers, colors, letters, shapes.
• Have simple stories.
• Are about familiar subjects-family, animals, seasons.
• Have interesting characters, like young children or animals, who solve problems and get along with each other.
• Have clear, colorful pictures that match the story.

And for children 6-8, look for books that:
• Have clear, easy-to-read print. As your child’s reading ability grows, look for books with more challenging text.
• Play with sounds and language, like books that rhyme or include chants and songs. Read poetry together, too.
• Present a realistic picture of the world.
• Are non-fiction, like books about science, history, or real people.