With an active child I think that lift the flap board books are best, get them turning the pages, and lifting the flaps. A good starter is "Dear Zoo"
When reading:
- use the rhythm of the book with a tuneful rhythmic voice,
- make all the animal sounds,
- react to the words so when it says grumpy put on a grumpy voice and facial expression, when it says jumpy use a squeaky bouncy voice and if the child happens to be on your lap gently jiggle them bouncing on your lap!. EG use gestures (including facial) to interpret the words phyiscally.
- Encourage your child to lift the flaps and to turn the pages, getting them actively involved,
- show enthusiasm and surprise at what is under the flap or on the next page (fake it if you don't feel it!!!!).
Practical things:
To start with they may turn backwards as well as forwards with the pages, go with the flow! Read whichever page they turn to, they may like a particular page, being read to them. Don't force them to go through the book page by page if they don't want to, let that be a part of the fun later.
Just handling the books and having fun with mummy or whoever is reading is the key, rather than the story per say. The full story bit will come as the books change as they get older.
Also if you have a very reluctant child to sit with you to read, just sit yourself nearby on a comfy chair, with a fun book (like dear zoo) and read it out loud to yourself making all the noises and lifting the flaps showing that you are enjoying yourself (but not showing the book to the child). It is amazing how this works to pique the interest of a child to come over to see what you are looking at and having fun with......!!!!!!! Good old reverse psychology at work!
Most important is to find a book that you enjoy reading too, the more fun you have reading it, the more the child will have fun.
A rough guide to books to choose:
under 6 months board books stood up on view while they are on the floor looking around. soft books for looking at together (chewing on them is the usual reaction!)
6 months to a year, it is essential that the books have rhythm and something for the child to do, turning pages, touch and feel, lift the flap. Ideally things that they can learn to recognise too, animals, vehicles, and especially everyday objects in some books.
Children around the 12-18months mark, love doing books where they have to find things in the pictures. I have found "duck in the truck" a great book for this age after they start to enjoy listening to stories.
by around 2 years children are starting to show an interest in particular characters (often tv characters) so a few books in this line become popular, but it is sometimes hard to find them with good stories. But there are plenty of "silly" stories that they will love, in terms of "aliens love underpants" or "everyone poops"
The older children get the more preference they have to particular books / authors.