Fairy tales stick because the problem shows up fast. Someone is hungry, lost, or stuck in a tower. A preschooler can hold that in their head until the last page.
Use a pictured version, not a thick collection, when you are reading aloud. Paul Zelinsky\'s Rapunzel, Ed Young\'s Lon Po Po, and Tomie dePaola\'s Strega Nona each slow you down in a good way. The James Marshall pigs and bears are the funny, quicker nights.
Some of these stories have a real threat in them. Lon Po Po is a wolf. Rapunzel has a witch. If your child spooks easily, start with Strega Nona or The Three Little Pigs and save the wolf-at-the-door feeling for another year.
Tell them the title before you open the book. Half the pleasure at this age is knowing which old story they are about to get.
One tale a night is the right dose. If they want another, tell them which one is waiting tomorrow, and keep that promise.
