BILLIE THE BRAIN LEARNS TO READ

Hutton’s picture book explores how the brain’s language learning center develops.

A dark-skinned baby listens to a bedtime story while her brain, named Billie, is “relaxing in her cranium.” As the baby gets older, Billie learns more and more about language—from mastering “Early Print Concepts” and letter sounds to learning to read and achieving fluency, Billie’s journey also introduces concepts like “Dialogic Reading” (which emphasizes talking) that are aimed at helping adults teaching children to read. Interspersed with Billie’s story are charts, graphs, and illustrations highlighting the parts of the brain in use. A timeline from birth to the eighth year helps readers keep track of when particular concepts typically develop. Vagnoli’s cheerful, cartoonish illustrations manage to make even a brain look adorable with Billie’s turquoise glasses and matching bow. Each page is crammed full of both text and visuals, which will likely prove overwhelming for very young readers. But for parents, this treasure trove of information (including resources for those with learning difficulties like dyslexia) will certainly prove helpful. Hutton’s cute rhymes (“If words were made of letters… / and letters all made sounds… / Billie could take words apart— / the reading code was found!”), paired with clear explanations of how language and literacy develop, result in a children’s book that will captivate both kids and adults.

Bright illustrations and simple rhymes deftly guide readers through complex concepts.