Early Literacy

Parents are children’s first and best teachers. Help your child enter kindergarten ready to read. Strong reading skills form the basis of learning in all subjects and Lakewood Public Library provides the support you need to help your child to be ready to read. We invite you to explore Lakewood Public Library and all of the paths that you and your child can take to be ready for school.

Independent Reading

Independent reading fosters the love of books and reading by providing a bonding opportunity between parent and child. The Library’s Beginner Reader book collection consists of a wide range of titles for our newest readers.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten – Help your child, age birth to five years old, enter kindergarten ready to read. Author Mem Fox, in her book Reading Magic, states “Experts tell us that children need to hear one thousand stories read aloud before they begin to read for themselves.” Three books per day for one year add up to 1,095 books!
Register for the program online or by visiting Lakewood Public Library. Registered participants receive a folder, bookmark and first reading log upon registration. Read together and write the titles of the books you read on your reading log. Bring your reading log to the Library every time you read 100 books to get a new reading log, record your progress, stamp your reading log, and build your caterpillar on the cover of your folder. Upon completion of 1,000 books children will receive a certificate of completion and a Lakewood Public Library book bag.

Digital Tools

The Library’s website provides access to several reading resources for you and your child to use in the Library or at home including TumbleBooks and TumbleMath.

TumbleBooks – Animated, talking picture books teach kids the joy of reading. TumbleBooks adds music, narration, games, puzzles, quizzes and movement to classic fiction and nonfiction titles to create a new book experience that children can read or have read to them. Search books by grade level, Lexile level or Accelerated Reader level. Explore the Common Core Portal and even create your own playlist.

TumbleMath – TumbleMath is a comprehensive collection of animated, talking math story books and nonfiction math books available in the TumbleBook format. They align with the Common Core math standards and every title includes practice quizzes. Books can be searched by concept and Common Core standard.

Day by Day Ohio
Parents and caregivers can use the Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar to support early literacy skills. With a perpetual calendar featuring songs, activities, book suggestions and videos, Day By Day Ohio helps young children get ready for school.

Virtual Story Times

Engage young children by listening to local authors read their pictures books.

  • Meet The Author—Raquel M. OrtizMeet The Author—Raquel M. Ortiz
    Local author Raquel M. Ortiz reads her bilingual picture book When Julia Danced Bomba / Cuando Julia bailaba bomba in Spanish. Watch children from Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center show what they have learned about the Afro-Latino tradition of bomba music and dancing. Enjoy!
  • Meet The Author—Mary Cole WatsonMeet The Author—Mary Cole Watson
    With her book Wisdom Warriors, educator and author Mary Cole Watson made it her life goal to ensure the next generation of learners understand their designated place in African American heritage.
  • Meet The Author—Jane GordonMeet The Author—Jane Gordon
    Based on a true story, Jane Gordon shares the story of two rescued dogs, along with the experience and the love of having a dog.
  • “Why I Love Lakewood” by Luke"Why I Love Lakewood" by Luke
    Watch Lakewood City Schools 4th grade student, Luke, read his 2021 winning essay Why I Love Lakewood
  • Meet The Author—Margaret BernsteinMeet The Author—Margaret Bernstein
    Local author Margaret Bernstein talks about her dream of making every child’s home a reading-friendly environment. Listen along as she reads three of her inspiring storybooks designed for fathers to read with their children.
  • Meet The Author—Jerome T. WhiteMeet The Author—Jerome T. White
    Jerome T. White, professional artist, teacher and author, talks about his book Red Tail Dreamer, a tribute to White’s late grandfather and the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen.
  • Meet The Author—Sequoia BostickMeet The Author—Sequoia Bostick
    Enjoy watching local author and illustrator Sequoia Bostick read her children’s book Bridget & Bot.
  • Meet The Author—Caron WykleMeet The Author—Caron Wykle
    Watch local author Caron Wykle read from The Last Green Leaf, her first book which features Petey, a green leaf, who despairs when he is the last green leaf left on the trees in fall.
  • Meet The Author—Kathleen StefancinMeet The Author—Kathleen Stefancin
    Watch author Kathleen Stefancin, a registered dietitian, raw food chef and plant-based food adviser, read three of her books that encourage children to have nutritious diets.
  • Meet The Author—Michael J. ArmstrongMeet The Author—Michael J. Armstrong
    Enjoy watching local author Michael J. Armstrong with help from co-worker Lauren Redding-Jackson, read his children’s book Best Day Ever about a boy on the search to have fun on his last day of summer vacation.

In-Person Programs

Tail Waggin’ Tutors – With Tail Waggin’ Tutors, children are introduced to the wonderful, magical world of books in a positive and unique way. Children who are experiencing difficulty reading or children who want to practice their reading skills experience increased confidence when they bond with a dog over a shared story. Kids can bone up on their reading skills by reading to a very special canine, certified by Therapy Dogs International to be gentle, patient and a good listener. For school-age children. Selected Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Main Library Multipurpose Room.

In addition, Ohio Ready to Read and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten provide tips for parents to help with early literacy development.

Youth