Books for children to strengthen their communication skills
Published on: 10 October 2024
We recommend these books because they help to develop early communication skills. They encourage children to join in with their voices, learn new words and have fun with shared reading.
Why are books key to building communication skills?
1. Expanding Vocabulary
- Why it matters: A broad vocabulary allows children to express themselves more clearly and understand others better.
- How books help: Books expose children to a variety of words, phrases, and sentence structures that go beyond everyday conversations. The more diverse language they encounter in stories, the more words they can incorporate into their own speech.
2. Improving Listening Skills
- Why it matters: Communication is a two-way process. Being a good listener is essential for understanding and engaging in meaningful conversations.
- How books help: When children listen to stories being read aloud, they practice focusing, absorbing details, and understanding the flow of information. This active listening strengthens their ability to comprehend and respond to spoken language.
3. Modelling dialogue and social expression
- Why it matters: Effective communication includes understanding conversational cues, such as taking turns to speak, responding appropriately, and interpreting social context.
- How books help: Books often depict conversations between characters, providing children with examples of how people talk to each other. They observe back-and-forth exchanges, how questions are asked, and how emotions or intentions are conveyed through dialogue.
Check out our recommendations below to discover books that you can use to support communication with your child or the child you look after:
1. Holey Moley by Bethan Clarke and Anders Frang
A very funny book which plays with rhyme and encourages language skills. A mole lives in a hole and a goat could live on a...?
2. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
A timeless classic featuring repeated refrains and active sound making. Look at the mud! Can you make the sound of feet walking through squelchy mud?
3. Are You a Monster? by Guiherme Karsten
An interactive monster story which encourages role play and using your voice. What kind of monster would you be? Can you make a monster noise?
4. Bun on the Run by Smriti Halls and Chris Jevons
A fun twist on The Gingerbread Man with lots of chances to join in. The dog looks hungry! How will the bun escape?
5. Whisper Shout Let It Out! by Madhvi Ramani and Anuska Allepuz
An energetic book about finding your voice with lots of call and response interaction. Can you whisper like the wind? Can you roar like a lion?
6. Britannica’s 150 First Words by Claire Laties Davis and Kasia Dudziuk
A clear book which introduces important, everyday words and phrases. Look at the children in the park. What can you see around them?
All books should be available from a public library or a good bookshop.