There's nothing better than curling up with a squirming toddler and sitting down to read a picture book together. Over and over. And over. Come to think of it, there are some things that are better, like chocolate. And sex. And a nice bath (alone, if you please). And silence. But I digress. And I've spent many wonderful moments reading the gorgeously-illustrated picture books I've collected over the years to one child or another (or several). Many of these books were acquired simply because of the illustrations.

So it's slightly appalling that it turns out that I can apparently chuck the entire collection: a new study suggests that toddlers learn more from more realistic pictures, with photographs topping the list. A bunch of toddlers of varying ages were read to from books that depicted how to assemble a simple rattle. The books were variously illustrated using photographs, colored drawings, and black-and-white drawings, and it was found that the more realistic the picture, the more interested or likely the kids were in making the rattle themselves, especially the younger toddlers.

I can just imagine what a job this study was. Getting toddlers to do anything is a lot like herding cats while beating your head against the wall repeatedly. So I'm not ready to throw away all my books just yet based on the strength of one study. Still, it gives pause for thought. Not that the goal of reading together always is learning, but the next time I need my kid to perform simple assembly jobs from home and earn his keep by becoming a WAHT (Work At Home Toddler), I'll be sure to use the book with the photos in it to teach him his job.