If you make a book, as suggested, write a simple sentence on the opposite page.
There is a reading method that is quite successful whereby an adult talks w/and asks the child about the picture. The child makes a sentence...short...and the adult write(prints/manuscript) it.
I've worked with children with very large reading disabilities and this method got them started reading.
If a child doesn't have a reading disability, even if they are very young. IF they seem interested...they will "read" the sentences. You are getting the idea that words on pages say "things" and they LOVE it!