Babies Need Books in the Critical Early Years of Life

This article presents an overview of current research on the importance of access to language and story in the early years and highlights the critical influence of story, rhyme, and song in the development of babies’ early language. It highlights positive book and language experiences taken from the author's personal research and observation of parents, grandparents, babies, and toddlers during 2011–12. The conclusions suggest that we underestimate the impact of the early years on children's future development: all babies are born equal, but research shows that their experiences in the early months of life affect their life chances.