"...there is growing research that nonfiction or informational literature are also needed to provide children with quality vocabulary building experiences in the early school years." (Teacher Use Of Interactive Read Alouds Using Nonfiction In Early Childhood Classrooms by Gayle Bortnem, 2008)

There are lots of reasons to read non-fiction aloud to preschoolers and happily there are more and more good titles for this age group. Reading non-fiction aloud builds a child's vocabulary and teaches the comprehension skills needed when he or she starts reading non-fiction. Text used in nonfiction is different from the text in fiction stories. Reading these informational texts aloud will expose children to a richer language and background knowledge than found in fictional works alone. Sandra Markle's How many baby pandas? provides large beautiful photos of pandas in China's Woolong Giant Panda Breeding Center. Check this book out to see the fascinating pictures of these animals from birth to the age of two.

To see some live action videos of pandas, check out the "panda cam" at the Smithsonian National Zoo