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Find a time when your child is well rested and alert. Invite her to look at the front cover of the book and encourage her to tell you what she sees.

“Let’s look at this book. What do you see on the front cover? Yes, I see a girl and a boy. The name of this book is No Biting! Let’s find out what happens!”

Look at the first picture in the book and talk about what you see.

“Look at this picture. There is the little girl again. What do you see her doing now?”

Read with a dramatic voice to emphasize the message. Encourage your child to suggest solutions to the question.

“Should the little girl bite her mother? Should she bite a friend? What is something the little girl can bite?”

Show her how to lift the flap. Talk about the illustration and relate the text your child’s life. Create a movement and a sound to engage your child. For example:

“You like to bite carrots. They are crunchy! We can pretend to bite a carrot. Crunch! Crunch!”

Continue relating the illustrations to your child’s own experiences.

Let your child hold the book as you talk about it. Look at the front or back cover and remind her of what happened in the story. For example:

“Look at the back of the book. What do you see the little girl doing? Yes, she’s hitting a drum. What other things can you hit?”

Sing a verse or two of If You’re Happy and You Know It! Encourage your child to tell you what she can do if she is feeling a certain way. Change the words to relate to your child’s responses. For example:

“If you’re mad and you know it, hit a pillow — boom, boom.
If you’re sad and you know it, get a hug — mmm, mmm.”

Find more recommended children’s books for toddlers 12 to 17 months, or find an easy at-home activity designed to strengthen pre-reading skills in your toddler.