Developed in partnership with Education Services Australia

Libraries are great places to develop your child’s love for books, and introduce them to the different types of books they can read. So next time you visit, try:

• show them how the books are separated into fiction and non-fiction
• explore the fiction section and show them how the books are organised
  
  These books are organised alphabetically by author, so it's easy to find a book by your favourite writer.
  
  Let's see if they have any Mem Fox books. Can you find the F shelf?
• talk about the kinds of books you find in fiction
  
  Look at all the different kinds of books – fairy tales, picture books and stories about anything a writer can imagine, from pirates to princesses to talking dinosaurs. Let's borrow one to read at bedtime tonight!
• explore the non-fiction section and look at how it is organised
  
  These books are organised by subjects, like science and nature, travel, sport, health. Let's look at the cooking section and see if they have a recipe book for birthday cakes.
• show your child where they can find books on topics that they are interested in, and let them explore. Visit the main non-fiction section as well as the children's section – many books for adults have great pictures and diagrams that children find just as fascinating
  
  Let's see, what kind of books would you like? How about butterflies? 
  
  That's a great book about travelling in Africa, would you like to borrow it? You don't have to read all the words. Just enjoy the pictures and the maps!