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| Publications | Partnership/Collaboration
Information Center | What's New? |
| Introduction | Legislation and Regulations | IMs & PIs | Bibliography | For Preschoolers
The listing of the following resources should not be construed as being all inclusive. Nor, should the listing be interpreted to imply any Government endorsement or favoring of any organization, personnel, products, services, or activities of the private sector.
Research shows that exposing very young children to print, books and reading aloud provides them with important concepts and establishes a foundation for reading. Head Start places great emphasis on preparing children for reading and ensuring their school readiness. In addition, Head Start grantees play a key role in family literacy by increasing Head Start families' access to materials, activities and services which are essential to family literacy development and assisting parents as adult learners to recognize and address their own literacy skills.
Head Start Act
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/budget/headstartact.htm
Sec. 640(a)(3)(B): Funds reserved under this paragraph (referred to in this paragraph as "quality improvement funds") shall be used to accomplish any or all of the following goals:
(vii) Ensuring that such programs have qualified staff that can promote language skills and literacy growth of children and that can provide children with a variety of skills that have been identified, through scientifically based reading research, as predictive of later reading achievement.
Sec. 640(a)(3)(C): Quality improvement funds shall be used to carry out any or all of the following activities:
(ii) To train classroom teachers and other staff to meet the education performance standards as described in section 641A(a)(1)(B), through activities-
(I) To promote children's language and literacy growth, through techniques identified through scientifically based reading research.
Sec 640(a)(5)(C): A State that receives a grant under subparagraph (B) shall-
(II)(iv) ensure that the collaboration described in subparagraph (B) involves coordination of Head Start services with health care, welfare, child care, education, and community service activities, family literacy services, activities relating to children with disabilities (including coordination of services with those State officials who are responsible for administering part C and section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.1431-1445, 1419)), and services for homeless children;
Sec. 642(b): In order to be so designated, a Head Start agency shall also-
(5) offer (directly or through referral to local entities, such as entities carrying out Even Start programs under part B of chapter1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.)), to parents of participating children, family literacy services and parenting skills training;
Sec. 648(c): In allocating resources for technical assistance and training under this section, the Secretary shall-
(2) supplement amounts provided under section 640(a)(3)(C)(ii) in order to address the training and career development needs of classroom staff (including instruction for providing services to children with disabilities) and non-classroom staff, including home visitors and other staff working directly with families, including training relating to increasing parent involvement and services designed to increase family literacy and improve parenting skills;
(4) provide technical assistance and training, either directly or through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with an entity that has experience in the development and operation of successful family literacy services programs, for the purpose of-
(A) assisting Head Start agencies providing family literacy services, in order to improve the quality of such family literacy services; and
(B) enabling those Head Start agencies that demonstrate effective provision of family literacy services, based on improved outcomes for children and their parents, to provide technical assistance and training to other Head Start agencies and to service providers that work in collaboration with such agencies to provide family literacy services.
Sec. 648A(a): CLASSROOM TEACHERS (1) PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS.--The Secretary shall ensure that each Head Start classroom in a center-based program is assigned one teacher who has demonstrated competency to perform functions that include--
(A) planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print, and numeracy awareness, their understanding and use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, and their problem solving abilities;
Sec. 648A(c): FAMILY SERVICE WORKERS.--In order to improve the quality and effectiveness of staff providing in-home and other services (including needs assessment, development of service plans, family advocacy, and coordination of service delivery) to families of children participating in Head Start programs, the Secretary, in coordination with concerned public and private agencies and organizations examining the issues of standards and training for family service workers, shall-
(2) promote the development of model curricula (on subjects including parenting training and family literacy) designed to ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies by individuals working or planning to work in the field of early childhood and family services;
Sec. 649(d): SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES --The research, demonstration, and evaluation activities under this subchapter shall include components designed to
(2) establish evaluation methods that measure the effectiveness and impact of family literacy services program models, including models for the integration of family literacy services with Head Start services;
Sec. 650(a): STATUS OF CHILDREN--At least once during every 2-year period, the Secretary shall prepare and submit, to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, a report concerning the status of children (including disabled and non-English language background children) in Head Start programs, including the number of children and the services being provided to such children. Such report shall include-
(12) a description of the types of services provided to children and their families, both on-site and through referrals, including health, mental health, dental care, parenting education, physical fitness, and literacy training;
45 CFR1304.21(a)(4)
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/performance/130421PS.htm
Grantee and delegate agencies must provide for the development of each child's cognitive and language skills by:
(iv) Supporting emerging literacy and numeracy development through materials and activities according to the developmental level of each child.
45 CFR1304.40(e)(4)
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/performance/130440PS.htm
Grantee and delegate agencies must provide, either directly or through referrals to other local agencies, opportunities for children and families to participate in family literacy services by:
(i) Increasing family access to materials, services, and activities essential to family literacy development; and
(ii) Assisting parents as audit learners to recognize and address their own literacy goals.
America Reads Challenge - Ready*Set*Read -- Early Childhood
Learning Kit
(ACYF-IM-HS-98-01)
http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im98/im98_01.htm
The Head Start Bureau is pleased to send
you the enclosed set of the READY*SET*READ Early Childhood Learning Kit
for families, teachers and caregivers of children from birth through age
five. This kit was developed as part of the President's AMERICA READS
CHALLENGE which targets children to read well and independently by the
end of third grade.
Changes to the Head Start Act (ACYF-IM-HS-98-20) http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im98/im98_20.htm
The Coats Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-285),
signed by the President on October 27, 1998, amends the Head Start Act
and extends authority for the Head Start program through FY 2003.
SECTION 640 (a) (2) (c) & 648 (c) (4) establishes a new $3 million training & technical assistance initiative to assist agencies in providing and improving the quality of family literacy services.
SECTION 648 establishes new priorities for training and technical assistance. These include, among others, collaborative efforts to provide quality full-day, full-year services, fostering early childhood professional development systems, helping provide family literacy services, ensuring school readiness of children, meeting education performance standards and measures, and supporting grantees with significant programmatic, quality and fiscal issues.
SECTION 649 (d) (2) requires the development of evaluation methods to measure the effectiveness and impact of family literacy models and models to integrate family literacy and Start services.
Family Literacy Services in Head Start and Early Head Start
Programs (ACYF-IM-HS-00-25)
http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im00/im00_25.htm
This memorandum reviews policies on family
literacy services in Head Start and provides information about training
and technical assistance resources that can assist Head Start and Early
Head Start grantees and delegate agencies in improving the quality
of family literacy services.
Initial Guidance on New Legislative Provisions on Performance
Standards, Performance Measures, Program Self-Assessment and Program Monitoring
(ACYF-IM-HS-00-03)
http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im00/im00_03.htm
Current Performance Standard 1304.21 requires
that Head Start programs provide a child development and education approach
that prepares children to succeed in their present and future school and
life environments. The current Standards also include specific requirements
for supporting emerging literacy, numeracy, and language
development through a well-planned and carefully implemented curriculum.As
shown in Appendix B, the Bureau will develop additional indicators of
children's progress in the outcome areas of general cognitive skills,
gross and fine motor skills, positive attitudes towards learning and physical
health, to complement indicators from Head Start's legislation which focus
on emergent literacy, numeracy, and language skills.
The National Head Start Child Development Institute December
3-8, 2000, Washington, D.C. (ACYF-IM-HS-00-17) http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im00/im00_17.htm
The Head Start Bureau is pleased to extend this invitation to Head Start
and Early Head Start programs to attend the National Head Start Child
Development Institute in Washington, D.C., December 3-8, 2000. For the
first time since the 1988 Education Coordinator's Institute, we are convening
leaders of every Head Start and Early Head Start program in the nation
to reassess and accelerate our collective efforts to foster healthy child
development and school readiness. The Institute will help frame a common
vision and strategy for continuing to improve the quality and outcomes
of Head Start's child development services in the 21st century. The Institute
will build on, connect, and extend a broad array of recent initiatives
to enhance Head Start program quality and accountability, including: Continued
investments to enhance staff compensation, support local program improvement
efforts, and provide responsive training and technical assistance services,
including new support to enhance Head Start family literacy services
and partnerships.
On November 18, 1998, grantees were sent a Program Instruction (ACYF-PI-HS-98-02), about the funding increase that Head Start received for fiscal year (FY) 1999 and how to apply for funds for cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). We are now providing instructions about applying for FY 1999 funds to enhance program quality and provide training and technical assistance (T/TA). (ACYF-PI-HS-99-01) http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im99/pi99_01.htm
Ensuring Head Start programs have qualified staff that can promote language skills and literacy growth of children and that can provide children with a variety of skills that have been identified through scientifically based reading research, as predictive of later reading achievement. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES Promote children's language and literacy growth, through techniques identified through scientifically based reading research.
Promote children's language and literacy growth, through techniques identified through scientifically based reading research.
Head Start's Family Worker Training and Credentialing Initiative
(ACYF-IM-HS-01-08)
http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im01/im01_08.htm
The goal of the Family Worker Training
and Credentialing Initiative is to improve the effectiveness, quality
and outcomes of more than 25,000 Family Workers employed by local Head
Start programs. Family Workers play a critical role in developing and
supporting the implementation of Head Start's family partnership process.
Through this process the family of each enrolled child has opportunities
to develop and implement an individualized plan of services based on their
interests and needs. In many instances, the quality of support received
by families correlates with the training and qualifications of the program's
Family Workers.
Specifically this Memorandum:
Describes the Head Start Family Worker Training and Credentialing Initiative.
Disseminates a newly developed framework of Head Start Family Worker Competency Goals and Indicators.
Encourages local grantees and delegate agencies to use the Competency Goals and Indicators to improve the preparation and ongoing professional development of Family Workers.
Competency Goals And Indicators For Head Start Staff Working With Families
Competency Goal #4: Provide opportunities for children and families to participate in family literacy services.
Indicators: Head Start staff working with families must demonstrate their ability to do the following:
Work with other program staff to support interactive literacy activities between parents and their children;
Provide training for parents in how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children;
Assist parents as adult learners to recognize and address their own literacy goals; and
Link and support parents in engaging in literacy training that contributes to self-sufficiency.
Creative Adventure: Supporting Development and Learning Through Art, Music, Movement, and Dialogue: A Guide for Parents and Professionals - Multimedia Kit
Creative Adventure: Supporting Development and Learning Through Art, Music, Movement, and Dialogue: A Guide for Parents and Professionals - Multimedia Kit, - (Spanish)
Emerging Literacy: Linking Social Competence to Learning
English Language Learners Focus Group
Report: Identifying Strategies to Support English Language Learners in
Head Start and Early Head Start Programs (PDF/187KB) 
Head Start Bulletin "Literacy and Head Start Quality"
Library/Head Start Partnership Multimedia Kit
Promoting Family Literacy through Head Start
Clay, Marie M. By Different Paths to Common Outcomes.
Stenhouse Publishers, 1998
These essays provide practical examples
and well-researched, reasoned discussion that address the development
of literacy awareness, the power of writing in early literacy encounters,
and the use of conversation as a tool for improving teaching. Librarians
will be interested, for example, in her advice about introducing storybooks
to young children in ways that encourage them to become independent readers.
Fox, Mem. Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will
Change Their Lives Forever. Harvest/Harcourt, 2001.
Writing as an ordinary mother as well as
a best selling author and internationally respected literacy expert, Fox
explains why reading aloud to young children has such an impact on their
ability to read - and on their entire lives. Clear, easy-to-follow examples
on how to read aloud to best effect, greatest value and enjoyment make
this a practical resource for parents, teachers and caregivers alike.
Kostelnik, Marjorie J., Anne Keil Soderman, Alice Phipps Whiren.
Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Best Practices in Early Childhood
Education. Prentice Hall PTR, 1998
By bringing together the best information
currently available for developing an integrated approach to curriculum
and instruction in the early years, the book creates a bridge between
the worlds of child care and early education, as well as between preprimary
and primary programs. The effective ideas presented are designed to give
readers a cohesive view of the what, why, and how of developmentally appropriate
practices.
Kress, Gunther. Before Writing: Rethinking the Paths
to Literacy. Routledge, 1997
The author argues for a radical reappraisal
of the phenomenon of literacy, and hence for a profound shift in educational
practice. Through close attention to the plethora of objects which children
constantly produce--drawings, cut-outs, writings and collages-- Kress
suggests a set of principles which reveal the underlying coherence of
children's actions-- actions which allow us to connect them with attempts
to make meaning before they acquire language and writing.
Soderman, Anne Keil, Kara M. Gregory, Louise T. O'Neill. Scaffolding
Emergent Literacy: A Child-Centered Approach for Preschool through Grade
5. Prentice Hall PTR, 1999.
Practicing and preservice teachers gain
a better understanding of the process of literacy development within the
framework of developmentally appropriate practice. While the book provides
theoretical background on literacy, its main focus is the practical application
of the theory with real children in preschool through fifth grade classrooms.
" This resource examines ways in which literacy impacts the entire
child, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically."
Sedgwick, Fred. Thinking about Literacy: Young Children
and Their Language. Routledge, 1999
The literacy of children in the infant years
begins with talk, moves on with writing and culminates with reading. Sedgwick
takes the view that the child is a learner when he or she arrives in school
and that it is the school's job to build on what the child already knows.
Looking at many practical examples of writing, the book examines how a
child progresses over a school year.
Seeger, Pete and Paul DuBois Jacobs. Pete Seeger's Storytelling
Book. Harvest/Harcourt, 2000.
The renowned folk singer encourages parents,
caregivers and children to become storytellers as a way to share experiences,
feelings and just about anything else. He clarifies both how to select
a story to tell and defines reasonable expectations for the story and
the teller alike.
Arois, Marcia M. Family Literacy : Easy Ways for Families to Read and Write Together. Illustrated by Linda Johnson. Literacy Links,1999.
Bergen, Doris, Rebecca L. Reid, Louis Torelli. Educating and Caring for Very Young Children : The Infant/Toddler Curriculum.
Codell, Esme Raji. Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year.
Corden, Roy. Literacy and Learning through Talk: Strategies for the Primary Classroom. Open University Press, 2000.
Dillon, Ilene L., Anabel L. Jensen, Joshua M. Freedman, Ayman Swaf . Exploring Emotional Literacy: A Teacher's Guide to Anger, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hurt, Jealousy, Loneliness, Love and Shame. Six Seconds, 1999.
Franko, Betsy. All about Me! More than 30 Perfect Poems with Instant Activities to Enrich Your Lessons, Build Literacy and Celebrate the Joy of Poetry. Illus. by James Graham Hale. Scholastic, 2000.
Handbook of Early Literacy Research edited by Susan B. Neuman and David K. Dickenson. Guildford Publications, 2001.
Herb, Steven Willoughby and Sara Willoughby-Herb. Connecting Fathers, Children and Reading: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal-Schuman, 2000.
Inside the Classroom: Teaching Kindergarten and First Grade, edited by Carolyn Coman, compiled by Bobbi Fisher, produced by Melissa L. Inglis.
International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children.
McCarrier, Andrea. Interactive Writing: How Language and Literacy Come Together, K-2, by Andrea McCarrier, Gay Su Pinnell,, Irene C. Fountas. Heinemann, 2000.
McGuiness, Diane. Why Our Children Can't Read and What We Can Do About It: A Scientific Revolution in Reading. Touchstone, 1999
Ruggiano-Schmidt, Patricia. Cultural Conflict and Struggle: Literacy Learning in a Kindergarten Program. Peter Lang Publishing, 1998.
Schirmer, Barbara. Language and Literacy Development in Children Who Are Deaf. Allyn & Bacon, 2000
Schwarzer, David. Noa's Ark : One Child's Voyage into Multiliteracy. Heinemann, 2001.
Skolnick, Donna. More Than Meets the Eye : How Relationships Enhance Literacy Learning, by Donna Skolnick, William Varner. Heinemann, 2000.
Snow, C. M.S. Burns, P. Griffin. Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. National Academy Press, 1998.
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2002pres/children.html
Electronic fact sheets issued regularly
by the ACF (Administration for Children and Families) press office identify
different HHS child care program issues and projects.
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/acyf/
ACYF administers the major Federal programs
that support: social services that promote the positive growth and development
of children and youth and their families; protective services and shelter
for children and youth in at-risk situations; child care for working families
and families on public assistance; and adoption for children with special
needs. It is a part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF),
under the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/ctr-bro.html
Created by an Act of Congress (Public Law
95-129) in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries
and to encourage the study of books and print culture, the CFB works closely
with other organizations to foster understanding of the vital role of
books, reading, libraries and literacy in society.
The Child Care Bureau
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ccb/
Dedicated to enhancing the quality, affordability,
and availability of child care for all families, CCB administers federal
funds to states, territories, and tribes to assist low-income families
in accessing quality child care for children when the parents work or
participate in education or training.
National Institute for Literacy
http://www.nifl.gov
Created by a bipartisan coalition within
Congress in 1991, the Institute focuses on ensuring "that all Americans
with literacy needs have access to services that can help them gain the
basic skills necessary for success in the workplace, family, and community
in the 21st century." NIFL publishes e*Literacy
among its activities.
Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/
The mission of the foundation is: "to
establish literacy as a value in every family in America, by helping every
family in the nation to understand that the home is a child's first school
..."
Between the Lions
http://pbskids.org/lions/
The television series, produced by WGBH
Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., carries the subtitle "Get Wild
About Reading". Its web site contains materials for young people
and resources for parents and teachers.
Children's Literature for Children (CLC)
http://www.childrensliterature.org/home.html
The nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational organization
is dedicated to bringing children and books together. CLC's programs are
in hospitals and schools throughout the United States and in countries
all over the world
The Children's Literature Web Guide
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/
Gathers together and categorizes the growing
number of Internet resources related to books for Children and Young Adults.
Maintained since 1998 by the Director of the Douchette Library of Teaching
Resources, this site identifies author/illustrator web sites, award lists,
and indexes book titles by themes.
Cuatrogatos revista de literatura infantil
http://www.cuatrogatos.org
The Spanish language magazine, published
on-line quarterly, includes scholarly articles about children's literature
and provides reviews of children's books. Contributors to the magazine
represent various Latin cultures: Spain, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina,
Cuba, Puerto Rico.
Home-School Study of Language and Literacy Development
http://main.edc.org
Begun in 1987 by EDC senior researcher David
Dickinson and Catherine Snow, professor of language and literacy at the
Harvard Graduate School of Education, the study continues to examine the
connections between children's early spoken language skills and their
later school performance.
The Literacy Program Evaluation Tool
http://www.ncrel.org/literacy/eval/
A set of guidelines to help building-level
personnel evaluate their school's literacy program is identified. The
tool outlines a step-by-step process for examining students' reading progress
and teachers' instructional strategies in order to improve reading and
writing outcomes.
Montgomery County [Maryland] Public Schools
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/littlekids/archive/literacy_inst_connections.htm
As part of the MCPS Reading Initiative,
teachers of grades one and two attend the Early Literacy Institute. This
intensive training provides teachers with information about early literacy,
effective teaching strategies and time to utilize resources from a Professional
Development Center.
Read Across America
http://www.nea.org/readacross/
The National Education Association sponsors
this annual literacy celebration on March 2-- Dr. Seuss's birthday.
Reading CheckUp Guide
http://www.aap.org/family/readmeastory.htm
Parents are encouraged to "evaluate
their children's progress through six stages of reading development, from
picture-pointing to independent reading. Each checkup -- appropriate for
particular development points: Babies and Toddlers; Preschoolers; Soon-to-be-Readers;
Beginning Readers; Developing Readers; Independent Readers -- describes
the knowledge and skills that most children demonstrate at a that stage,
and suggests how they can be nurtured."
Reading Is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org
This federally funded programs supports
an array of activities designed to encourage literacy from giving away
books to young people to encouraging parent involvement.
The Texas Family Literacy Center
http://www.texasfamilyliteracy.org
The center focuses on strengthening family
literacy programs and enhancing the knowledge, skills, instructional practices
and resources available to family literacy educators statewide.
America Reads
http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads/
Center for Literacy Studies
http://cls.coe.utk.edu/
Center for the Improvement of Early Reading
Achievement
http://www.ciera.org/
Family Literacy Foundation
http://www.read2kids.org/
National Center for ESL Literacy Education
http://www.cal.org/caela/
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~ncsall/
PBS LiteracyLink
http://www.pbs.org/literacy/
Compiled by Nanette Lofaro, M.S.L.S. and Lois Winkel, M.L.S.
Head Start Information and Publication Center
These titles were chosen from the over 5,000 quality books and software available for preschool children. The selections include multiple subjects as examples of the rich diversity of available media. The descriptive annotations highlight the program's learning objectives.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Counting House. Philomel/Putnam
Beginning with the double-page spread of an empty landscape, representing zero,
a dozen panoramas are increasingly filled with a set number of items. Young
people delight in finding and counting the people, animals, buildings, plants
etc. for each of the numbers. Some require diligent searching and grouping.
The renowned author/illustrator, a former mathematics teacher in Japan, provides
a note about the development of numbers.
Ehlert, Lois. Color Zoo. Lippincott/HarperCollins.
Die cut pages teach the names of nine animals on one side and the name of the
particular basic shape used in the picture on the other. Solid, bright colors
make this full of eye-popping appeal. The selected animals are likely to be
ones young people have encountered one way or another.
Hoban, Tana. Is It Larger, Is It Smaller? Greenwillow.
Carefully composed color photographs of baskets, musical instruments, beads
and teddy bears, etc. prompt discussion of which items are larger and which
are smaller. Hoban is both the acknowledged master of concept books and an award-winning
photographer. She draws her young audience into careful examination of the simplest
picture of three leaves as well as the more complex photograph of teapots, teacups,
saucers and biscuits in varying sizes.
Martin, Bill Jr. and John Archambault. Chicka, Chicka, Boom,
Boom. Illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Simon and Schuster.
Alphabet letters, in groups of four, climb to
the top of a coconut tree. Boldly colored collage illustrations help tell
the rhyming tale of the climb and what happens when the letters tumble down.
Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom is a recurrent chorus
and young people will definitely chime in.
Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. Pictures
by Clement Hurd. HarperCollins.
Bedtime is a traditional time for young people to try every delaying tactic
they can. Here, a young rabbit says "Good night" to everything from
the pictures to the toys to the kittens and a young mouse in his room -- in
rhyming couplets. Most youngsters delight in tracking the mouse's location.
Hutchins, Pat. Rosie's Walk. Macmillan.
In this slapstick comedy, a hen goes for a walk oblivious to the fact that she's
being stalked by a fox. In the eagerness of his pursuit, the fox fails to be
careful and pays the price for his carelessness again and again. Youngsters
soon catch on to the pattern presented and shriek with anticipation of what
will happen next. Amazingly, the story is told in just twenty-six words.
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. HarperCollins.
Affection and humor predominate in these short adventures detailing the friendship
of Frog and Toad. Young people giggle at Frog's attempts to convince Toad that
it is Spring, at Toad's determination to find the missing button for his jacket
and when Toad finds himself the object of everyone's laughter because of his
swimsuit. They recognize too that friendship involves give and take. (Caldecott
Honor Book)
Minarik, Else Holmelund. Little Bear. Pictures
by Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins.
Four short and very easy to read stories humorously describe commonplace events
in Little Bear's life. Young listeners identify with his need for something
warm to wear while playing in the snow, his fear that his mother has forgotten
his birthday, his desire to go to the moon, and his making some outlandish wishes.
The pen and ink illustrations, done by a master, are lightly washed with color.
This is the first title in a series of books.
Seuss, Dr. Hop on Pop. Random House.
Pup and cup and up; all, tall, ball, wall and small; -- are used to make up
zany phrases which are then portrayed in Dr. Seuss's equally zany pictures.
Children soon catch on to the underlying principle -- simple words and their
phonetic relatives -- and begin creating their own silly phrases and sentences.
Shannon, David. No, David! Blue Sky Press/Scholastic
Overreaching for a cookie jar, coming into the house with very dirty feet, making
a lot of noise are common misbehaviors that commonly bring scoldings. Based
on a book the author/illustrator wrote when he was five, whose text consisted
solely of "No, David!" this expansion features fewer than thirty-five
words. Most young people have been chastised for one or more of these behaviors.
The final sentence, "Yes, David…I love you!" provides the reassurance
they crave. (Caldecott Honor Book)
Aardema, Verna. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears.
Pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon. Dial
Mosquito tells iguana a silly story. Iguana, annoyed, puts sticks in his ears
and then, as a result, ignores his friend python. Python chases rabbit from
his home; crow caws an alarm; monkey runs away and breaks a tree branch. The
interconnecting chain story from West Africa explains why all the animals became
angry at mosquito. Children typically chant the links in the chain while transfixed
by the brilliantly designed illustrations. (Winner of the Caldecott Award)
De Paola, Tomi. Favorite Nursery Tales. Putnam
A selection of Aesop's fables and long popular folktales: The Little Red Hen,
The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff among them make this an excellent
resource to use again and again for story time. The morals attached to the fables
and those underlying the stories reflect the similar values among peoples worldwide.
Lester, Julius. John Henry. Pictures by Jerry Pinkney.
Penguin/Putnam.
Based on the popular ballad, this African American tall tale recounts the race
between one outsized man, John Henry, and a steam drill to get through a mountain.
This powerful pairing of author and illustrator results in a dramatically told
and vibrantly visualized narrative. A note details the history of the ballad
and the character.
(Caldecott Honor Book)
Montes, Marisa. Juan Bobo Goes to Work. Illustrated
by Joe Cepeda. HarperCollins.
No matter how clearly he's told to do something, well meaning but ever-blundering
Juan Bobo gets it wrong. In this humorous folktale from Puerto Rico, the much
beloved character puts the shells rather than the beans in the wheelbarrow,
pours milk into a burlap bag, and drags a ham behind him through the street
making the neighborhood dogs and cats very happy. Colorful, textured paintings
make this a good choice for story time. A Spanish/English Glossary is included.
(Pura Belpré Honor Book)
Steig, Jeanne. A Handful of Beans. Pictures by
William Steig. Michael di Capua / HarperCollins.
Six favorite folktales are retold in vibrant language just right for reading
aloud.
The stories include: Rumplestilskin, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel,
Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog Prince, and Jack and the Beanstalk. These vivid
retellings create stunning verbal pictures.
Barton, Byron. Building a House. Greenwillow
The steps and equipment involved in building a house are simply related. Colorful,
full-page illustrations augment the simple text effectively. Children relish
gaining the information as well as realizing the order in which things are accomplished.
Morris, Ann. Hats, Hats, Hats. Photographs by Ken
Heyman. Morrow.
Hats are common articles of clothing and come in a wide variety of styles. Just
how common is shown in this collection of 29 different hats worn through this
country and the world. The picture-cued index provides additional valuable information.
This can be the launching point for a celebration of hats.
Tafuri, Nancy. Spots, Feathers and Curly Tails. Greenwillow.
Watercolor paintings outlined by black pen help provide the clues and then the
answers in this simple question and answer guessing game. Young people learn
to identify animals by their physical characteristics. Spots are found on cows;
feathers are found on chickens; pigs have curly tails. Which animal has a mane?
Which a bill? Which has horns?
Langstaff, John. Over in the Meadow. Pictures by
Feodor Rojankovsky. Harcourt.
Activities of ten meadow animal families: turtles, foxes, robins, chipmunks,
bees, beavers, frogs, owls, spiders, and rabbits are described in rhyme in this
old counting song. The rhythmic text sets listeners to clapping their hands
and joining in the refrain. The counting element allows them to interject the next number in sequence. Musical
notation is provided.
My Very First Mother Goose. Edited by Iona Opie.
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells. Candlewick.
More than sixty of the old favorites including alphabet and counting rhymes
are here with wonderfully appealing, brightly colored illustrations. Selected
by the pre-eminent scholar in the field, this includes an Index of first lines.
Newcome, Zita. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and Other Action
Rhymes. Candlewick
Fifty-one finger plays, songs, counting and nursery rhymes are gathered in this
collection. Traditional favorites include: "The Wheels on the Bus"
"I'm a Little Teapot" "Ten Fat Sausages" "There Was a Little Turtle" and "Row,
Row, Row Your Boat". Inset diagrams show the hand actions.
Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Illustrated
by Helen Oxenbury. Candlewick.
A father and his four children set off on a bear hunt bravely proclaiming "We're
going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. … We're not scared."
The traditional patterned action verse gives young children the opportunity
to chant the refrains and provide the sound effects of going through tall grass,
through the river, through mud, etc. Of course, the bravery collapses when they
meet a bear and beat a retreat, rapidly.
Tortillitas para Mama and Other Nursery Rhymes.
Selected and translated by Margot C. Grieco, Betsy L. Bucks, Sharon S. Gilbert,
Laurel H. Kimball. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Henry Holt.
Fourteen rhymes gathered from throughout "the Spanish community in the
Americas" are presented in both English and Spanish. Some of the verses
include directions for accompanying finger actions. Textured full color painting
by a Caldecott Medal winning artist add to the appeal of this delightful book.
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Philomel
Hatching out of an egg on a leaf, the very hungry, very young caterpillar munches
his way through an ever increasing number of fruits and finally a medley of
wildly assorted foods. The drilled holes show where the caterpillar traveled.
The brilliantly hues and textures of the illustrations add to the appeal of
this introduction to metamorphosis.
Crewes, Donald. Freight Train. Greenwillow
Bold colors demark eight of the different types of cars commonly found on a
freight train. Train buffs love reciting the names of the cars and dramatizing
the movement of the freight train on its journey. (Caldecott Honor Book)
Daley, Niki. Not So Fast, Songololo. Simon Schuster
Young Malusi likes to do things slowly so he's the right choice to go along
with his old granny, Gogo, when she goes on a shopping trip to the city. He
walks slowly enough for her, can hold her cane when she climbs on the bus, and
helps her cross the wide busy road that mixes her up. Gogo's shopping list isn't
very exciting to Malusi but the things he sees in the shop windows, particularly
bright red new shoes, are. The heart-warming story and its beautiful watercolor
illustrations are perfect for sharing at story time.
Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. Dutton/ Penguin Putnam.
Rosalba and her grandmother go for an ordinary walk in the park. The young girl
imagines their walk becomes a flight around New York City. The brightly colored,
mixed media collages provide multiple perspectives. Spanish words and phrases
are skillfully integrated into the narrative. A Spanish/English Glossary with
pronunciations is incorporated.
Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. Dial.
Grace loves to act out stories. She's been Joan of Arc, Anansi the spider, a
pirate, Aladdin so she can't understand why classmates say she can't be Peter
Pan. She proves their initial impression is wrong in this tale of an indomitable
spirit. Usually provokes a great deal of creative play.
McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. Viking/Penguin
Putnam.
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard finally settle on an island in the Charles River in Boston
not far from the Public Garden as a safe place to raise their family. After
the baby ducklings: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack hatch
and have learned to swim and dive, walk in a line, to come when called, to keep
a safe distance from bikes and scooters and other things with wheels, Mrs. Mallard
decides it's time to move to the Public Garden. But there are several roads
with lots of traffic to cross. Listeners enjoy the suspense of how the family
manages to arrive at the Public Garden.
Bailey's Book House
Ages: 4 to 7
Bailey's contains a collection of seven activities designed to introduce young
learners to reading and writing. These activities include: a preposition exercise
where the user gets to direct Houdini the dog and Edmo the clown to demonstrate
the meaning of words like in, out, under, over, on and off; a letter machine
that produces letters and words that start with them; and a rhyming game where
the user fills in a missing rhyming word. Two new activities added in the updated
version are an explore adjectives game where the user gets to describe the anatomical
parts of a friend (curly hair, blue legs, straight arms, crooked nose, etc.),
and an early reading exercise focused on three-letter rhyming words. Creative
activities also return: make your own card, where kids can make birthday, father's
day, mother's day, etc. cards using stamps and pre-printed text; and Create
your own Story, where the user selects the characters and story path to create
a very simple, four page printable storybook.
Disney's Magic Artist
Age: 5+
A rich environment where children explore a wide variety of tools to create
pictures, sketchbooks or a musical, animated slide show. Realistic art tools
enable children to draw in 3-D. Photos or pictures can be imported as well as
creations E-Mailed. This software goes far beyond a mere drawing program. Instead
it is a high tech animation studio. What children do with the program is based
upon their interest and abilities. The program operates smoothly and has some
new, exciting drawing tools and sound effects.
Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning aren't so frightening
Ages: 3 to 8
Pajama Sam is afraid of thunder and lightening. To conquer his fears he travels
to World Wide Weather, a storm-creating factory. Accidentally while exploring,
Sam creates bizarre weather conditions across the globe and needs help to fix
the machines and return weather to normal. Games and activities strengthen spatial
awareness, creativity and problem solving. Each time the software is explored;
the puzzles and key clues change, keeping children challenged. Fixing the weather
factory demands planning, memory skills, critical thinking, and mental mapping.
This adventure engages children's minds, helps them address their fears.
Reader Rabbit Toddler
Ages: 2 to3
Children learn shapes, colors, and songs. No mouse-clicking or other computer
skills are required.
Stanley's Sticker Stories
Ages: 4 to 5
Children can create their own animated alphabet and number books. Tools, large
buttons and spoken help make the program easy to use.
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