You think the vocabulary in my picture book is challenging? Thanks for the compliment. By Cindy Williams Schrauben

I recently received a review of my new book, This Could Be You, that stated, in part, “... the vocabulary is advanced for a typical read-aloud picture book audience. 7-8 year olds may enjoy.” After initially scoffing at the 3 out of 5 rating, I smiled and thought, “Perfect! I am stretching little minds. I’m okay with that.” 

As a former educator and growth mindset fanatic, I love to challenge kids – both in their educational endeavors and their everyday lives. I want kids to know that it is important to dive into the unknown, to make mistakes, and to try again. Do we, as adults, only read novels that contain words we are familiar with? That would be a short reading list – for me, anyway. Do we only speak words to a baby or toddler that they already understand? I hope not. Growth mindset principles teach us to replace an “I can’t” attitude with a “not YET, but I’m still trying” outlook  – in other words, to strive and persevere. Bravely facing the unfamiliar, experiencing failure, and learning from our errors are valuable assets. 

I agree that Easy Readers and Chapter Books shouldn’t be packed full of difficult words – we don’t want to discourage children when they are just beginning to read independently. However, picture books are different in a number of ways.

• Illustrations help with context. One of the first comprehension skills we teach is to ‘read the pictures’. To use them as clues to unknown words and to assist in decoding. 

• In most cases picture books are read to the child first, or at least in the presence of an adult. The adult can guide, encourage observation, and define unknown words when necessary. 

• Picture books are often read multiple times, which makes them the perfect tool for building vocabulary. Recollection and retention of new language is supported through repetition, and with each subsequent reading, the adult can decrease their involvement and encourage the child’s own memory and decoding skills.

Though the word ‘persist’ may be difficult, seeing it in the following context makes all the difference:

Empowering children to tackle challenging vocabulary will also help them to be more comfortable doing so in the future. There is no question that they will encounter newspapers, directions, and other informational text that requires extra effort – they need to know that’s OK. 

I am surprised every day by the moxie and curiosity that kids possess – so don’t underestimate them. Go ahead and use challenging vocabulary in your picture books. A teacher will thank you.

Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in Michigan where she writes books for kids that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly and is currently working on a Partners in Literacy Program to get books in the hands of kids - especially in low-income areas. Before embarking on this path, Cindy held positions as a preschool administrator, teacher, and assistant director of a children’s museum -- always striving to empower kids. When not writing or honing her craft, she might be found dissecting her grandsons’ shenanigans for story ideas, reading on the floor in the bookstore, or eating ice cream… ideally all at once. 

You can connect with Cindy at www.cindyschrauben.com  

For more information see www.direct.me/cindywilliamsschrauben