Information Books in Early Childhood

he Mitten, Little Bear, Caps for Sale—What do these and so many other books in early childhood classrooms have in common? They are stories or narrative texts. Research indicates that storybooks are indeed the most common type of text found in early childhood classrooms (Duke, Bennett-Armistead, & Roberts 2002). Literacy research and theory both provide lots of good reasons for including so many storybooks in young children’s lives (e.g., Snow, Burns, & Griffin 1998). However, research and theory suggest that other kinds of books, in particular information books, also belong in early childhood classrooms. Contrary to what many believe, there are numerous indications that informational text is appropriate for young children and can have significant benefits for them. Informational literacy can be developed from the very beginning.