Inspiring Young Readers
Beyond the Book is a literacy program designed to support children who are developing their reading skills, and those who are below the "decoding threshold" — the point at which students can read text accurately and efficiently. When students fall below this threshold, they often struggle with reading comprehension at grade level. Beyond the Book helps bridge that gap by introducing vibrant, engaging stories that showcase the wonders of children's literature, making reading an exciting and accessible adventure.
At DC Public Library, we are uniquely positioned to spark curiosity in young readers and empower families with the tools they need to support their child's growth as a confident reader. Through this program, children discover the joy of reading in a supportive, nurturing environment, which not only enhances their reading skills but also builds their confidence and love for learning. Beyond the Book encourages both children and caregivers to explore the vast resources our library offers, creating a community where children can thrive as readers and lifelong learners.
Your Beyond the Book membership includes:
- A Beyond the Book Club membership card
- A monthly newsletter with tips and tricks for developing readers
- A free copy of the seasonal Featured Book and fun, educational activities
- Exclusive invites to author talks and other fun family events
- BONUS: Does your family have a library card? If not, caregivers can get a DC Public Library card when their child signs up for Beyond the Book!
To register, visit your neighborhood library, or use the online registration form then stop by your neighborhood library to pick up your membership card.
Sign Up For Beyond the Book
Spring 2026 | Blue Sky Morning
About The Book
You're not in a hurry today.
Stop for a moment, and look up.
The sky is so big and so blue.
It's a beautiful, blue sky morning.
Eunny wakes up slowly. She gets out of bed, goes to the window to look out at the busy street, and then heads downstairs. Soon it's time for school. Eunny and Mama step out into the crisp day, but they don't rush. They notice the pretty pink petals of new flowers, the changing red-gold leaves and the big blue sky above. It's easy to be happy on a blue sky morning.
This uplifting, mindful picture book from the creator of The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky depicts an ordinary morning with beautiful subtlety. The gently unhurried narrative encourages readers to take their time, while the rich illustrations are full of details to notice. From drawings on bedroom walls to dancing dragonflies and playful ginger cats, each new scene encourages the reader to pause on the page as they follow Eunny on her journey.
A balm for the hectic pace of modern living, Blue Sky Morning is stunning in its simplicity and mindfulness, reminding us to stop and appreciate the beauty all around us in our daily routine.
About the Author
Kim Jihyun is an illustrator, graphic designer and picture book creator from South Korea. She studied Design and Illustration at the University of Brighton, UK, and Seoul National University, South Korea, and lives in Seoul with her husband and their young daughter.
Supporting Your Developing Reader
What is a developing reader?
A Developing Reader is someone that is learning how to use foundational reading skills and their background knowledge to understand text. A developing reader is interested in books but can’t yet read them independently or may be able to read some words but require support to convey meaning from print. Developing readers tend to be between the ages of children 5-8 that are starting their educational journey.
Developing Readers enjoy a variety of books, both fiction and nonfiction. As they gain more foundational reading skills such as the mastery of phonics and word comprehension they increasingly read books with more complex text and vocabulary words. Most excitingly, is that developing readers begin to discover that reading happens everywhere.
How do children learn to read?
There are five key important categories that are important to be successful readers. These categories are not listed in a particular order.
Fluency
Fluent readers have mastered the multitasking skills of a reader’s ability to decode words and comprehend them at the same time. Fluent readers read smoothly and with expression. Read aloud to your child and listen to them read aloud. Discuss with them what a reader sounds like. Reading familiar text will help your child build their confidence as a reader and their fluency skills.
Reading Motivation
Make reading personal for your child. Children should love the things that they are reading. The more they enjoy the topic of books, the more they will want to read. Keep your child’s interest at the forefront of the reading process. Allow them to explore and pick books that appeal to their interests.
Comprehension
Comprehension is all about your child’s ability to understand what they are reading. It is the ability for the child to make connections with the story to their own life, make predictions, explain the story, and so much more. A developing reader’s comprehension skills can be strengthened by making observations about illustrations and discussions around the story’s plot. Repetition also makes a big difference, so make sure you reread stories and make observations about the illustrations. Have a conversation with your child about what they are reading.
Decoding
Words are made of letters and those letters make sounds. Combined sounds make words that possess meaning. Decoding is what happens when readers put sounds together to figure out words. Practice sounding out words with your child and practicing common sound patterns they often hear. As their decoding skills grow, they will learn more about how to sound out larger words and identify more complex sound patterns such as vowel sounds and consonant blends.
Background Knowledge
This is all about what a child knows before they open the book. What is in their immediate environment that gives them access to the information presented in the text? You can build upon your child’s knowledge by teaching them new vocabulary words and introducing them to new experiences.
Developing reader tips
Developing readers have to do a lot of work as readers. This is the beginning of their journey where they will start to read not only for enjoyment but also for performance. It is important to
keep it fun while encouraging them to learn new reading skills.
Start with what the child knows and likes. Read about things that are of interest or bring joy, like sports, the arts and other activities. Think about all of the things you’ve done to help your child to enjoy the practice of reading. Keep doing those things and elevate your practice by supporting their book selections, and discussing how reading relates to life activities and experiences.
- Pause when you are reading together and ask them questions about the story or think your thoughts out loud so they can see how you make meaning from the stories you read.
- If your child knows the alphabet song, start to sing the song with the letter sounds versus the letter names.
- Expand the alphabet song by finding names of things they love that match the sound or sound pattern. This can be done as you’re walking around your neighborhood.
When you are at the library, look for easy readers, speakerbooks, picture books and books of poetry. These are great kinds of books for your developing reader. Check out DC Public Library's recommended reads and resources for kids to find titles for readers of all levels!
About Beyond the Book
This seasonal program builds on the Books from Birth program, an initiative with Imagination Library that mails a new book each month to children in DC from birth to age 5. Beyond the Book, generously funded by the DC Public Library Foundation, is a city-wide reading and learning club that engages Books from Birth graduates as well as developing readers across DC around a carefully selected title along with fun and educational learning activities that will deepen their understanding and enjoyment of the book as well as build their reading skills.
