In this article, the author stresses the importance of welcoming preschoolers and babies into school libraries. She states that when read to from birth, a baby becomes used to the cadences and rhythms of spoken language, at the same time responding to the bright pictures and the presence of a loving adult. The baby associates books and stories with pleasure and there is an attitude and expectation that this will be a good time. Through the language of books, the child learns the syntax and semantics of the language, as well as listening and concentration skills. As the child gets a little older, discussions about the story help to develop vocabulary and an understanding of how books work.