Books have parts, just like our bodies do. Today we learn the parts of a book and how to read a page.
The front cover
This is a pretend book. Look at its front cover.
The title is the name of the book. The author wrote the words. The illustrator drew the pictures. The spine is the edge that holds the pages together. The back cover is at the end.
Inside the book
We start reading at the top left. We read from left to right. At the end of a line, we go back to the left and down to the next line. We turn pages one at a time.
Letters and words
A letter is one mark, like b. A word is a group of letters, like bird. Words have spaces between them.
b · bird · t · tree
Caring for books
Try it
TRY ITBook explorer
Pick a game. Then tap the right part.
Let’s practise
Point, say or draw. Open each answer after trying.
1. Find a book at home. Point to the title on the front cover.
Show answer
The adult checks the child points to the title.
2. Who draws the pictures in a book?
Show answer
The illustrator.
3. Show where you start reading on a page.
Show answer
At the top left.
4. Which is a word?
(a) s
(b) sun
(c) m
Show answer
(b) sun.
Quick check
Try these three on your own first. An adult may read the words.
1. Who writes the words in a book?
- The illustrator
- The author
- The reader
Show answer
The author. The author writes the words.
2. Where do we start reading on a page?
- Top left
- Bottom right
- In the middle
Show answer
Top left. We start at the top left and read to the right.
3. Which is a letter?
- dog
- k
- cat
Show answer
k. k is one letter.
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English lesson 5: How Books Work — worksheet
Point, draw or tell an adult. An adult can write for you.
- Draw the front cover of your own book. Draw a title box, a picture, and a box for the author name.
- Draw an arrow showing which way we read: left to right.
- Circle one letter and one word in a book or magazine. Show an adult.
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
English words
Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?
front cover · back cover · title · author · illustrator · spine · page · letter · word
Try it at home
- Before a bedtime story, point to the title, the author and the illustrator.
- Let your child turn the pages and point to the first word on each page.
- Make a little book by folding paper. Your child draws and you write the words.
For parents and teachers
After this lesson, your child should be able to:
- point to the front cover, back cover, title, author and illustrator of a real book
- show where to start reading and track left to right and top to bottom with a finger
- tell the difference between a letter and a word and handle a book carefully
Use real books for this lesson: the screen activities are only practice. Let your child hold the book and turn the pages.
Accept pointing, speaking, signing or communication aids. An adult can scribe. Observe the hands-on work as well as the Quick check; the badge records supported completion only.
Previous: Lesson 4: Creole and Standard English
Next: Lesson 6: The ABC (coming soon)
Back to Infants 1 English
Updates
2026/11/11
– First version of this lesson.
– Linked the previous lesson.
Attributions to media used in this post:
Children’s books (Unsplash).jpg – Robyn Budlender robzy_m – CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons; image resized only)
The pretend book cover and page are original teaching drawings made for this lesson (no photo used).
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.