Again, Again

Who hasn't prolonged the last few pages of a good book, hoping it would somehow never end? When she begs, "Again, again," your child is doing the same thing. She wants a few more minutes in the world of her book, a few more minutes on your lap, a few more minutes until bedtime.

For her, that second—and third, and forty-third—reading still remains fraught with possibility. Will the baby find the teddy bear hidden beneath the flap again? Will the words stay the same, will the pictures change, and will she still love it as much this time around? And when she's finally convinced that nothing at all about this book will change, that becomes the charm of it. Her world is different every day. This world, even if it's read by someone new, stays the same. It is a comforting reminder for young children to have some things stay constant no matter what happens around them.

Sometimes, rereading a book has real emotional resonance for a child. If she's suddenly focused on a book where a character is afraid of the bathtub, you might want to handle your bath time routine a little more gently. Listen to those words you've read so often. If her favorite book is one where every animal leaves—and then comes back again—she might be answering some of her own worries about separation. Or she might just really like the picture of the dog's tail disappearing out the door.

But what about you? No matter how delightful you found Mommy and Me the first time, its appeal may fade after a few months of nightly repeats. Once a book has crossed the threshold into beloved favorite, it's ok to monkey a little with tradition. Instead of "Mama Duck and her babies," read "Mama Potato and her babies" and give your child the joy of correcting you. Stubbornly hold the book upside down as you read. "Read" the book without ever opening it. She'll be amazed that you know the words, and she may realize she knows them too.

A book you both know by heart has all kinds of uses. As she gets older, she can "read" the book to a doll or baby sibling. She can illustrate her own version. You can whisper it in her ear at night, in an unfamiliar room, while on vacation. And remember —don't put the "again, again" books away, even when they seem outgrown. A book she's brought you night after night, a book that you've used for so many games, a book that's taught her so much about what books are and can mean—that's not just a book, it's a friend.