Abstract
One of the most satisfying forms of verbal communication between child and adult is that magical moment of “being read to.” “Read me a story” is the preschooler's frequent refrain, and even the youngest toddler will manage self and book into the cozy lap of a willing adult.
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Books for Babies: A Sampler
Ahlberg, Janet.The Baby's Catalogue. Boston: Little Brown, 1983.
Alexander, Anne.ABC of Cars and Trucks. New York: Doubleday, 1971.
Aliki.Hush Little Baby. Spokane: Treehouse, 1968.
Bang, Molly.Ten, Nine, Eight. New York: Greenwillow, 1983.
Battaglia, Aurelis.Animal Sounds. New York: Western, 1981.
Bayley, Nicola.Elephant Cat. New York: Knopf, 1984. (Other titles in this series:Parrot Cat, Crab Cat, Spider Cat, Polar Bear Cat.)
Brown, Margaret.Goodnight Moon. New York: Harper & Row, 1947.
Bruna, Dick.Miffy. Los Angeles: Price, Stern, Sloan, 1984. (Other titles available in this series.)
Burningham, John.The Baby. New York: Harper & Row, 1975. (Other titles available in this series.)
Burningham, John.Mr. Gumpy's Motorcar. New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
Burningham, John.Mr. Gumpy's Outing. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.
Burningham, John.Number Play Series. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. (Titles available in this series:Pigs Plus, Ride Off, Read One, Five Down, Count Up, Just Cats.)
Campbell, Rod.Dear Zoo. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1983.
Carle, Eric.The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York: Putnam, 1969.
Cartwright, Stephen.Find the Piglet. Tulsa: EDC Publications, 1984. (Similar titles in this series:Find the Teddy, Find the Puppy, Find the Bird, Find the Duck, Find the Kitten.)
Chandoha, Walter.Puppies and Kittens. New York: Platt & Munk, 1983. (Other titles available in the Teddy Board books series.)
Chorao, Kay.The Baby''s Bedtime Book. new York: Dutton, 1984.
Crews, Donald.Freight Train. New York: Greenwillow, 1978.
Dunn, Phoebe.Farm Animals. New York: Random House, 1984.
Emberly, Ed.One Wide River to Cross. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966.
Ets, Marie.Play with Me. New York: Viking, 1955.
Feelings, Muriel.Jambo Means Hello. New York: Dial, 1974.
Ford, George.Baby's First Picture Book. New York: Random House, 1969.
Freschet, Bernice.Where's Henrietta Hen? New York: Putnam, 1980.
Gag, Wanda.ABC Bunny. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1933.
Gerstein, Mordecai.Follow Me. New York: Morrow, 1983.
Ginsburg, Mirra.Chick and the Duckling. New York: Macmillan, 1972.
Ginsburg, Mirra.Good Morning Chick. New York: Greenwillow, 1980.
Green, Carol.Shine, Sun. Chicago: Children's Press, 1983.
Harvey, Paul.Turtle. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1984.
Hawkins, Colin.Adding Animals. New York: Putnam, 1983.
Hawkins, Colin.What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? New York: Putnam, 1983. (Other titles in this series:Seahorse, Starfish, Sunfish.)
Hill, Eric.At Home. New York: Random House, 1983. (Other titles in this series:My Pets, The Park, Up There.)
Hill, Eric.Spot Goes to the Beach. New York: Putnam, 1985. (Other titles in this series:Where's Spot?, Spot's First Christmas, Spot's Birthday Party, Spot Goes to School, Spot's First Walk. Some of these books are also available in Spanish.)
Hoban, Tana.What Is It? New York Greenwillow, 1985.
Hoban, Tana.1, 2, 3. New York: Greenwillow, 1985.
Hutchins, Pat.Good Night Owl. New York: Macmillan, 1972.
Hutchins, Pat.Rosie's Walk. New York: Macmillan, 1968.
Hutchins, Pat.Titch. New York: Macmillan, 1971.
Kalan, Robert.Jump Frog, Jump! New York: Greenwillow, 1981.
Keats, Eza Jack.Over in the Meadow. Phoenix: Four Winds Press, 1971.
Keats, Eza Jack.Snow Day. New York: Viking, 1962.
Keats, Eza Jack.Whistle for Willie. New York: Viking, 1964.
Krasilovsky, Phyllis.The Very Little Boy. New York: Doubleday, 1962.
Krasilovsky, Phyllis.The Very Little Girl. New York: Doubleday, 1953.
Krauss, Ruth.The Carrot Seed. New York: Harper & Row, 1945.
Kunhardt, Dorothy.Pat the Bunny. New York: Golden Books, 1942.
Kunhardt, Dorothy.Pat the Cat. New York: Golden Books, 1984.
Lilly, Kenneth.Animals in the Country. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1982. (Other titles in this eries:Animals of the Ocean, Animals at the Zoo, Animals in the Jungle, Animals on the Farm.)
Lionni, Leo.Where? New York: Pantheon, 1983. (Other titles in this series:When?, What?, Who?)
Luton, Michele.Little Chick's Mother and All the Others. New York: Viking, 1983.
McCue, Lisa.Corduroy's Day. New York: Viking, 1985. (Other titles in this series:Corduroy's Party, Corduroy's Toys.)
McNaught, Harry.Words to Grow On. New York: Random House, 1984.
Mother Goose Board Books.Lullabies. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1984. (Other titles in this series:ABC Rhymes, Kitten Rhymes, Counting Rhymes.)
Munari, Bruno.Jimmy Has Lost his Cap: Where Can It Be? New York: Collins, 1959.
Muntean, Micheala.Alligator's Garden. New York: Dial, 1984.
Nakatani, Chiyoko.My Day on the Farm. New York: Crowell, 1975.
Nister, Ernest.The Great Panorama Picture Book. New York: Delacorte, 1982. (Originally published in 1895.)
Nister, Ernest.Merry Go Round. New York: Philomel, 1983. (Originally published in 1897.)
Ormerod, Jan.Messy Baby. New York: Lothrop, 1985. (Similar titles in this series:Dad's Back, Reading, Sleeping.)
Oxenbury, Helen.Dressing. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1981. (Other titles in this series:Playing, Working, Family, Friends.)
Parish, Peggy.I Can—Can You? New York: Greenwillow, 1980. (Other titles available in this series.)
Parsons, Virginia.First Things (a Golden Block book). New York: Western, 1982.
Peter Rabbit's Pockets. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1982. (Other titles in this series:Baby's Pockets, The Velveteen Rabbit's Pockets, Teddy Bear's Pockets.)
Petersham Maud.The Box with Red Wheels. New York: Collier, 1973.
Petersham Maud.The Circus Baby. New York: Macmillan, 1968.
Pienkowski, Jan.Gossip. New York: Greenwillow, 1980. (Other titles available in this series.)
Prelutsky, Jack.It's Snowing, It's Snowing. New York: Greenwillow, 1984.
Real Mother Good Husky Books. New York: Rand McNally, 1983.
Rockwell, Anne.My Dentist. New York: Greenwillow, 1975. (Other available titles:My Doctor, Supermarket, Toolbox.)
Rubel, Nicole.Me and My Kitty. New York: Macmillan, 1983.
Schongut, Emanuel.Wake Kitten. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1983. (Other titles in the Kitten Board book series:Look Kitten, Play Kitten, Hush Kitten, Catch Kitten.)
Slobodkina, Esphyr.Caps for Sale. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1947.
Testa, Fulvio.If You Take a Pencil. New York: Dial, 1982.
Wells, Rosemary.Max's Bath. New York: Dial, 1985. (Other titles in this series: Max'sBedtime, Max's Breakfast, Max's New Suit, Max's Toys, Max's Ride, Max's First Word.)
Wildsmith, Brian.Brian Wildsmiths Mother Goose. New York: Watts, 1964.
Withall, Sabrina.The Baby's Book of Babies. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.
You Do It Too. London: Brimax, 1979. (Other titles in the Tiny Tots series:All by Myself, Sharing, All Together, Counting Rhymes, Saying Rhymes, Singing Rhymes.)
Zemach, Harve.Mommy Buy Me a China Doll. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1975.
Ziefert, Harriet.Baby Ben's Go Go Book. New York: Random House, 1984. (Other titles available in this series.)
Zion, Gene.Harry the Dirty Dog. New York: Harper & Row, 1956.
Zokeisha.Mouse House. New York: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 1983. (Other titles available in the Chubby Shape book series.)
Zolotow, Charlotte.Some Things Go Together. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.
Bibliography
Aukerman, Robert C.Approaches to Beginning Reading, 2nd ed. New York: Wiley, 1984. As the title indicates, this volume is a compendium of the many approaches to beginning reading. Organized in encyclopedic form, the author gives both the origins of each approach and the background of the originators of the various materials and methods. In addition, there are complete descriptions of the methods and materials together with illustrations of the essential features of each approach.
Berg, Leila.Reading and Loving. Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1976. It is said that learning to read is the most significant intellectual achievement in a child's developmental progress. Along with many leaders in the fields of children and reading, Berg believes that the emphasis must be on the instillment of love for books, rather than on the teaching of reading as an academic or technical skill. She traces the varied ways babies learn communication skills and the crucial role books have in a process that leads to a lifelong connection of reading and pleasure.
Bettelheim, Bruno, and Karen Zelan.On Learning to Read: The Child's Fascination with Meaning. New York: Knopf, 1982. When reading is presented to children as a mere skill in decoding, along with repetitive drills, they often, according to the authors, are actually held back from learning. Bettelheim, the world-renowned child psychologist, writing in collaboration with his long-time associate at the Orthogenic School, points out that “children who acquire a great interest in reading in their homes have an easy time reading in school.” This is an important book that explores the importance of reading and how children are enchanted by words if we let them be.
Bissex, Glenda.GNYS AT WRK.: A Child Learns to Write and Read. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980. This fascinating case study of the author's child from infancy through primary grades shows how a child's writing is closely intermeshed with reading development. With today's emphasis on early reading, Bissex's book provides important insights.
Butler, Dorothy.Babies Need Books. New York: Atheneum, 1980. Butler has written a warm and sensitive guide to the use of books with infants and toddlers. The author believes strongly that books play a crucial role in a child's development right from the start. She discusses the choice of picture books, gives an annotated list of recommended titles, and at the end of each chapter suggests how to share them with babies in the most effective way.
Durkin, Dolores.Children Who Read Early: Two Longitudinal Studies. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966. Against a background of past findings, the research data reported in this authoritative study answers such questions as how and why children learn to read. The major goal was to examine reading achievements before first grade and the personal and environmental qualities characteristic of these early readers. Twenty years later, this work is still relevant.
Dzama, Mary Ann, and Robert Gilstrap.Getting Your Child to Read: A Parent's Guide. New York: Wiley, 1983. This book is designed to familiarize parents with the different viewpoints educators and researchers hold about what reading is and how it should be taught. Chapters deal with the parent's role in the reading process, activities for infants, toddlers, and children of nursery school age, and questions often asked by parents about the topic of early reading and young children. Additional information is provided about book selection for children of various ages, recommended organizations and magazines for parents, and a wide range of age-appropriate activities that involve children with books and instill a love for reading.
Gould, Toni S.Home Guide to Early Reading: With Reading Readiness Games and Exercises for Your Preschool Child. New York: Walker, 1976. Basic to this helpful book is the concept that children learn to read when the experience is an enjoyable one, based on understanding rather than memorization. It is not a book for parents who are determined to produce a so-called “superbaby,” but for parents who want to recognize and encourage their child to the fullest of his/her potential without putting on pressure to perform and impress others.
Jeffree, Dorothy, and Margaret Skeffington.Reading Is For Everyone: A Guide for Parents and Teachers of Exceptional Children. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1984. Although the subtitle states the discussion is for children with special needs, the ideas and methods described are valuable for general application. Much is said today about “superbabies,” who are taught to read with flashcards from the time they are brought home from the hospital. In this book the emphasis is onlearning, learning through the language experience approach that allows language and language/reading skills to develop naturally — firmly setting the foundation for a lifelong love of reading.
Kaye, Peggy.Games for Reading: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Read. New York: Pantheon, 1984. In this fun book with very serious intent, the author offers over 75 games designed to help children learn how to read while having fun. Easy to follow and simple to play, these games are ideal for parents and teachers to enjoy along with the children. There is a “bingo” game to help learn vocabulary, games that train the eye and ear to see patterns of letters and sound out words. There is also a list of easy-to-read books and books for reading aloud, as well as guidelines for teachers on how to play these games in the classroom.
Kimmel, Margaret Mary, and Elizabeth Segel.For Reading Out Loud! A Guide to Sharing Books with Children. New York: Delcorte, 1983. The message is loud and clear, “There is no substitute for reading aloud to children.” Although the focus is on children of elementary and middle school age (the authors assume that parents of toddlers do not need encouragement to read aloud while parents of older children do), the insights given are helpful to parents and teachers of younger children as well.
McGovern, Edythe.They're Never Too Young for Books. Los Angeles: Mar Vista Publishing, 1980. In addition to presenting a practical guide to the selection of books for preschoolers, the author makes suggestions for reading aloud and for using puppets and creative dramatics along with the books. The selected titles are arranged by subject and approximate age levels.
Norton, Donna E.Through the Eyes of a Child: An Introduction to Children's Literature. Columbus, Oh.: Merill, 1983. Although of interest to any adult concerned with the evaluation and selection of children's literature, the focus of the text is toward students in children's literature classes.
Taylor, Denny,Family Literacy: Young Children Learning to Read and Write. Exeter, N.H.: Heinemann Educational Books, 1983. Focusing on family interaction, this book is an important contribution to the literature in the field of literacy development in young children. It is designed for educators and parents and all those who want to learn more about the interconnection of the family, the child, and literacy.
Trelease, Jim.The Read-Aloud Handbook, rev. ed. New York: Penguin, 1985. Directed to parents, this volume emphasizes the value of reading to children from infancy to adolescence. The author is highly critical of television and advises parents to take an active role in promoting books as a major source of entertainment as well as learning. A bibliography of recommended read-aloud books is included.
Tucker, Nicholas.The Child and the Book: A Psychological and Literacy Exploration. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Exploring the relationship between children and literature, the author has written a well-balanced study that discusses literature more from the psychological impact than solely looking at the literacy merit. From first books, ages 0–3, to ages 11–14, the possible responses of children to books are described and should be of interest to parents and professionals concerned with the importance of reading.
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Reprinted by permission of the publisher from Nuba-Scheffler, Hannah, Sheiman, Deborah Lovitky, & Watkins, Kathleen Pullan, INFANCY: A GUIDE TO RESEARCH & RESOURCES. (New York: Teachers College Press, © 1986 by Hannah Nuba-Scheffler, Deborah Lovitky Sheiman, & Kathleen Pullan Watkins. All rights reserved.), pp. 143–154.
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Nuba, H. Books and babies. Early Childhood Educ J 17, 19–24 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01619648
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01619648