There's a right way and a wrong way to read a novel to a toddler

....Beleive it or not. I've been reading novels to Calvin from the beginning. It was easy when he was a newborn, because he just sat in my lap, serenely soaking up chapter upon chapter. He never tried to escape. I read the BFG, Peter Pan and the box set of Captain Underpants that way.

But now he's fast, and if you try to read anything longer than Green Eggs and Ham he acts like you're trying to force him to read Proust before he can have dessert. So when I try to read novels to him, I just get on my hands and knees and follow him around while he plays. I don't get too hung up with whether he seems to be listening, but I make sure that I read with gusto so that he will be entertained.

Right now I've been reading Little House in the Big Woods. I show him the pictures, but what really surprises me is some of the words he picks up on because they sound funny. Words like "cracklins," and "patty pan."

And he stopped what he doing to listen to the story of how Pa's got stuck in the Big Woods after dark.

"My bare legs were scratched by the briars, and when I ran through the bushes their bare branches struck me. But I kept on, looking and calling, 'Sukey! Sukey!'
"'Sukey! Sukey!' I shouted with all my might. 'Sukey!'
"Right over my head something asked, 'Who?'
"My hair stood straight on end.
"'Who? Who?' the voice said again. And then how I did run!
"I forgot all about the cows. All I wanted was to get out of the dark woods, to get home.
"That thing in the dark came after me and called again, 'Who-oo?'
"I ran with all my might. I ran till I couldn't breathe and still I kept on running. Something grabbed my foot, and down I went. Up I jumped, and then I ran. Not even a wolf could have caught me.
"At last I came out of the dark woods, by the barn. There stood all the cows, waiting to be let through the bars. I let them in and then ran to the house."

Even though this section only had a few pictures, it kept Calvin's interest because of the spooky mood and the owl noises and how funny Sukey sounds. He loved it.

I don't think you should spend all your time reading novels to babies. But a little every day or so can't hurt. It helps kids get used to listening to your voice to get the story, and to start to feel like a novel is an entertaining thing.