Read from the Start – Current Month

by Brittany Hall

Read from the Start

Read from the Start – Quality Start LA has teamed up with the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) System, the LA County Library (LACL) System,  the Pasadena Public Library and Sesame Street in Communities to bring you “Read from the Start.”

Each month, QSLA and your local library systems will work together to develop a themed booklist, reading tips, and family activities all designed for families with children ages birth to five. Click on the Read from the Start booklists below to download a PDF of the list.

December 2020: Kindness and Gratitude

Monthly Booklist: To print out and share!

Click on the the images below to download the PDF of the booklists, or scroll to the bottom of the page to find every book at your local Los Angeles Public, LA County Library, and Pasadena Public Library.

Monthly Activity: Give Thanks

Helping our little ones develop an “attitude of gratitude” is an important part of raising children who are kind and empathetic. As a family, share your gratitude for the small and large things in life with the reflective activity below.

  1. Take some time with your child to practice showing thanks by share a few things you and your child are each grateful for.
  2. Using crayons and markers, draw what you and your child are thankful for, or reasons you love each other.
  3. Help your child label each gratitude picture.
  4. When you are done, encourage your little one to further decorate their drawings or create new gratitude pictures for other family or friends.
  5. Place these thankful reminders in a spot where everyone can see them and be reminded to give thanks for what they have every day.
This activity is inspired by Sesame Street in Communities’ activity “Thankful Hearts.”

For more activities related to literacy, click on the links below to further engage children in stories and keep their little minds and bodies active.

25 Reading and Writing Activities

Click the links below for more books available for read aloud from:

Reading is Fundamental: Some of your favorite stories available for children pre-k through 6th grade!

ASL(American Sign Language) Stories and Activities

Storyline Online: Watch as some of your favorite actors and actresses read their stories aloud to your little ones!

Read Conmigo: Free bilingual children’s books and literacy resources for children in preschool through fifth grade

Monthly Family Reading Tip: Tell Me About It

After reading a story, have your child tell the story in their own words. Try starting at the beginning and using the pictures to help guide their ideas. Retelling stories can help to promote reading comprehension and vocabulary development. If your child is struggling with this skill, try rereading the story and asking them again. Over time, their retelling skills will continue to grow stronger!

Check these books out at your local library!

Find this month’s books available for digital download at your local library or for read-aloud on YouTube.

Access more Booklists from our Read from the Start Archive

Looking for more great resources?

Browse Quality Start LA’s collection of booklists, child-friendly activities, coronavirus resources, and holiday activities guides.