Parents should read aloud to infants every day, pediatricians say

Kelly Wallace, CNN
5 minute read
Updated 8:48 PM EDT, Wed June 25, 2014
Looking for great reads for young people? "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures," written by Kate DiCamillo, is the 2014 Newbery Medal winner. Click through the gallery to see the rest of the American Library Association's Youth Media Award 2014 winners for children's and young adult literature.
2014 Newbery Medal —
Looking for great reads for young people? "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures," written by Kate DiCamillo, is the 2014 Newbery Medal winner. Click through the gallery to see the rest of the American Library Association's Youth Media Award 2014 winners for children's and young adult literature.
courtesy American Library Association
"Locomotive," illustrated by Brian Floca, is the 2014 Caldecott Medal winner.
2014 Caldecott Medal —
"Locomotive," illustrated by Brian Floca, is the 2014 Caldecott Medal winner.
courtesy American Library Association
Authors Patricia and Fredrick McKissack are the winners of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Coretta Scott King Virginia Hamilton Award —
Authors Patricia and Fredrick McKissack are the winners of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
courtesy American Library Association
"P.S. Be Eleven," written by Rita Williams-Garcia, is the Coretta Scott King author award winner.
Coretta Scott King author award —
"P.S. Be Eleven," written by Rita Williams-Garcia, is the Coretta Scott King author award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me," illustrated by Bryan Collier, is the Coretta Scott King illustrator award winner.
Coretta Scott King illustrator award —
"Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me," illustrated by Bryan Collier, is the Coretta Scott King illustrator award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop," illustrated by Theodore Taylor III, is the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner.
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award —
"When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop," illustrated by Theodore Taylor III, is the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Midwinterblood," written by Marcus Sedgwick, is the 2014 Printz Award winner.
Printz Award —
"Midwinterblood," written by Marcus Sedgwick, is the 2014 Printz Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin," written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for children ages 0 to 10.
Schneider Family Book Award —
"A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin," written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for children ages 0 to 10.
courtesy American Library Association
"Handbook for Dragon Slayers," written by Merrie Haskell, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for middle school readers ages 11-13.
Schneider Family Book Award —
"Handbook for Dragon Slayers," written by Merrie Haskell, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for middle school readers ages 11-13.
courtesy American Library Association
"Rose under Fire," written by Elizabeth Wein, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for teens.
Schneider Family Book Award —
"Rose under Fire," written by Elizabeth Wein, is the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for teens.
courtesy American Library Association
"Brewster," written by Mark Slouka, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Brewster," written by Mark Slouka, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"The Death of Bees," written by Lisa O'Donnell, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"The Death of Bees," written by Lisa O'Donnell, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Golden Boy: A Novel," written by Abigail Tarttelin, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Golden Boy: A Novel," written by Abigail Tarttelin, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Help for the Haunted," written by John Searles, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Help for the Haunted," written by John Searles, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Lexicon: A Novel," written by Max Barry, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Lexicon: A Novel," written by Max Barry, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Lives of Tao," written by Wesley Chu, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Lives of Tao," written by Wesley Chu, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Mother, Mother: A Novel," written by Koren Zailckas, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Mother, Mother: A Novel," written by Koren Zailckas, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"Relish: My Life in the Kitchen," written by Lucy Knisley, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"Relish: My Life in the Kitchen," written by Lucy Knisley, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel," written by Katja Millay, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel," written by Katja Millay, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
"The Universe Versus Alex Woods," written by Gavin Extence, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
Alex Award —
"The Universe Versus Alex Woods," written by Gavin Extence, is one of 10 books to win the Alex Award for best adult book that appeals to teen audiences.
courtesy American Library Association
Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard, producers of "Bink & Gollie: Two for One," are the Carnegie Medal winners.
Carnegie Medal —
Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard, producers of "Bink & Gollie: Two for One," are the Carnegie Medal winners.
courtesy American Library Association
Markus Zusak, author of "The Book Thief" and "I Am The Messenger," is the 2014 Edwards Award winner.
Edwards Award —
Markus Zusak, author of "The Book Thief" and "I Am The Messenger," is the 2014 Edwards Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Mister Orange," written Truus Matti and translated by Laura Watkinson, is the 2014 Batchelder Award winner.
Batchelder Award —
"Mister Orange," written Truus Matti and translated by Laura Watkinson, is the 2014 Batchelder Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
Brian Selznick, author of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," will deliver the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture.
May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture —
Brian Selznick, author of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," will deliver the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture.
courtesy American Library Association
"Scowler," produced by Listening Library, is the 2014 Odyssey Award winner for audiobooks.
Odyssey Award —
"Scowler," produced by Listening Library, is the 2014 Odyssey Award winner for audiobooks.
courtesy American Library Association
"Niño Wrestles the World," illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales, is the Pura Belpré illustrator award winner.
Pura Belpré illustrator award —
"Niño Wrestles the World," illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales, is the Pura Belpré illustrator award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass," written by Meg Medina, is the Pura Belpré author award winner.
Pura Belpré author award —
"Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass," written by Meg Medina, is the Pura Belpré author award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Parrots Over Puerto Rico," written by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore and illustrated by Roth, is the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award winner.
Robert F. Sibert award —
"Parrots Over Puerto Rico," written by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore and illustrated by Roth, is the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Beautiful Music for Ugly Children," written by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, is one winner of the 2014 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award.
Stonewall award —
"Beautiful Music for Ugly Children," written by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, is one winner of the 2014 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award.
courtesy American Library Association
"Fat Angie," written by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, is the second winner of the 2014 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award.
Stonewall award —
"Fat Angie," written by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, is the second winner of the 2014 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award.
courtesy American Library Association
"The Watermelon Seed," written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, is the Theodor S. Geisel Award winner.
Theodor S. Geisel Award —
"The Watermelon Seed," written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, is the Theodor S. Geisel Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"Charm & Strange," written by Stephanie Kuehn, is the 2014 William C. Morris Award winner.
William C. Morris Award —
"Charm & Strange," written by Stephanie Kuehn, is the 2014 William C. Morris Award winner.
courtesy American Library Association
"The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi," written by Neal Bascomb, is the 2014 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults winner.
YALSA award for nonfiction for young adults —
"The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi," written by Neal Bascomb, is the 2014 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults winner.
courtesy American Library Association
ALA Youth Media Awards

Editor’s Note: Kelly Wallace is CNN’s digital correspondent and editor-at-large covering family, career and life. She is a mom of two girls. Read her other columns and follow her reports at CNN Parents and on Twitter.

Story highlights

The American Academy of Pediatrics announced new guidelines on early literacy

Doctors should encourage parents to read out loud to infants and children, group says

Research: Low-income children hear fewer words than kids from higher-income families

President Barac