THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTING AND TAKING PICTURE BOOKS HOME ON THE AT-HOME READING BEHAVIORS OF KINDERGARTEN-CHILDREN

This study investigated the influence of selecting and taking home hig h quality picture books on the at-home reading behaviors of kindergart ners. The sample consisted of 75 kindergartners in treatment and no-tr eatment comparison groups representing two socioeconomic levels. Over a twelve week period treatment group children selected from their clas sroom collection a book to take home daily. No-treatment comparison gr oup children did not take books home. At-home picture book reading beh aviors of both study groups were assessed through weekly random teleph one surveys. Findings indicated that the number of books and the amoun t of time treatment group children read and/or were read to by family members significantly increased over no-treatment comparison children, especially for boys.