From Cover to Cover

While English is read left to right, some languages are read in different directions. Image: Mohamed Abdelghaffar via Pexels

Learning to read isn't just about memorising letters and sounds. It's also about learning the culture of reading, and this varies depending on where you live and what language you speak. If you've ever tried reading Japanese manga, you'll already know that not all books are read left-to-right like English books. Some languages are read right-to-left, some are read top-to-bottom. Some open along the right side of the book, and some open along the left. Not all books are the same!

This is why it is important for children not only to learn what a book is, but also how we use it. It's also why early literacy tests don't record the number of words a child can read or how many sounds they know. Instead, educators are looking to find out how much a child understands about what a book is and how it works.

The Parts of a Book

Early literacy tests ask children to identify the parts of a book. These tests are given across a range of ages, from around age 3. By around 5 or 6 (during their first year of formal schooling) children are expected to understand these concepts. Different tests ask different questions, different educators have different standards, and some children want to learn more than the basics! Here are a few examples of book parts your child may be tested on.

The Outside of a Book

The cover of "Pig the Pug" by Aaron Blabey

• Front Cover, Back Cover, Spine

  • Your child should be able to point to the front cover of the book, the back cover of the book, and the spine. They should know which way to hold the book, with the spine on the left and the opening on the right, and know that we start reading from the front.

• Title

  • Your child should know that 'title' means the name of the book. They should be able to point to it when asked.

• Blurb

  • The blurb is the text on the back cover that gives a summary or preview of the book. It's not often included in testing, but it's still good to know.

• Author, Illustrator

  • Your child should be familiar with the words author and illustrator. They should learn that 'author' means the person who wrote the book. They should know that 'illustrator' means the person who drew the pictures. The names of the author and illustrator are usually included on the front cover, so it's good to be able to point them out as well.

The Inside of a Book

The copyright and title pages of "Up and Down" by Oliver Jeffers

• End Covers

  • Children's books often have colourful or illustrated end covers. These are used to connect the pages of the book to the cover. They can be fun to look at, but they're not part of the story.

• Title Pages and Half Title Pages

  • Depending on the length of the book, a picture book may have one or two title pages. These usually display the title of the book, the names of the author and illustrator, and the publishing company's name and logo. Your child should be able to identify a title page, and understand that this page appears before the story begins.

• Copyright Page

  • This page may appear at the beginning or the end of the book. It has all the legal information about the book, like the year of publication, copyright information, and cataloguing data. Your child should understand that this is not a part of the story.

The Anatomy of a Page

A double-page spread from "BUSTING!" by Aaron Blabey

• Text

  • The text is the words that are used to tell the story. Your child should be able to point to the text. They should understand that the text stays the same no matter how many times the book is read.

• Illustrations

  • The illustrations are the drawings or paintings that accompany the text. These can be used by readers to give clues on what's in the text. They can also be used to enhance the story and add extra details. Your child should understand that while we don't read the illustrations they're still an important part of a book.

About Directionality

A double=page spread from "BUSTING!" by Aaron Blabey

English text is read from left-to-right, and from top-to-bottom. Your child should be able to slide their finger along the text as you read, following the correct order. At this stage it doesn't matter if they move too fast or too slow, or if they don't tap each word individually. That skill will come later, when they learn to differentiate individual words. For now, just focus on directionality.

A page from "The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!" by Mo Willems

Some picture books, like the one above, use panels (boxes that divide the page into parts) or vignettes (small illustrations spaced around a blank page). Your child should be able to follow the correct order of panels or vignettes, beginning in the top left corner and finishing in the bottom right corner.

If your child has a good understanding of all of the skills mentioned above, congratulations! They're well on their way to becoming a confident reader. Next week, I'll share a few of my favourite ways to help children learn the parts of a book.