Early Years BulletinAutumn 2013

vol 1, no 2

Focusing on Safe Drinking Water Ensuring drinking water quality at school and child care facilities is important because that’s where children spend their day, and they are likely to drink water while they are there. Consuming enough fluids on a daily basis is important for children’s health. Water is a great choice because:

• it doesn’t contain the calories, caffeine, or sugar that may be found in other beverages, and• it helps nearly every part of the human body function efficiently.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides information about drinking water quality in schools and child care facilities at http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/schools/basicinforma-tion.cfm

Contents

p. 2Ten Pillarsof a GoodChildhood

p. 5 How MovementInfluences Learning

p. 9Exploring Names

p. 12Book Reviews

Focus on Pre-K & K

Recipe for a Crowd-Pleasing Story Time

by Katherine Becker, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education,Lakehead University, Orillia Campus, Ontario, Canada

Every Tuesday evening, at a tiny branch of an Arizona public library tucked into the corner of a strip mall, cars fill the parking lot. Eager children spill into

the community room and play on the carpet while they wait for Mr. Mike to get started. Parents and family members sit on the chairs set up behind the kids, greeting old friends and supervising their children. The excited little ones are eager to touch all the goodies laid out in front of them: six different colored felt hats stuck on a felt board, a guitar and sheets of music, a stack of picture books, a bulging canvas bag, and a plastic tub. Who would be hiding behind the hats tonight? Was the bag filled with shaky eggs or beanbags? Was Freezy the Puppet in the tub? While public librarians across the United States scrambled to get patrons in the door amid cutbacks and closures, evolving public preferences, and technological change, it was standing-room only for Mr. Mike.

continued on p. 3 . . .

editors: Jennifer Baumgartner & Cynthia DiCarlo

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Safe and secure places for living and learning, with access to health care, clothing, and nutritious food

Strong families and loving, consistent caregivers

Social interactions and friendships

Creative play and physical activity

Appreciation and stewardship of the natural environment

Creative expression through music, dance, drama, and the other arts

Education that develops the full capacities of the child—cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and ethical

Supportive, nurturing, child-friendly communities

Growing independence and decision making

Children and youth participating in community life.

Every child in every nation deserves a childhood

full of hope, joy, freedom, and promise for the future.

The

Ten

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Good C

hild

hood

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Summer 2013 Early Years Bulletin . . . continued from p. 1

I attended one of Mr. Mike’s family story time sessions and interviewed him while researching patron usage of the children’s section of a public library. His story time was such a delight, my preschooler and I attended nearly 50 family story time sessions over the next year. Each week, Mr. Mike would prepare the ingredients and mix them together, and his fans, from babies to elementary students, would eagerly gobble it all up. Learning a recipe for a crowd-pleasing story time is not only useful for children’s librarians; early childhood educators, elementary teachers, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters—everyone with a child in their life—are urged to try it. This “recipe” is packed with goodness. The read alouds accelerate children’s language acquisition and help them develop the emergent literacy skills needed to learn to read. The songs and chants teach children new vocabulary and the rhythm and rhyme of language. The finger plays and movements incorporate kinesthetic learning. The act of participating in story time helps reinforce behaviors at school: the children sit with legs crossed, listen, and follow directions (which increases their attention spans), raise their hand to answer questions, give choral responses, take turns, and negotiate space with other children. Best of all, this “recipe” is not only nutritious, but also delicious. Every fun moment helps children link learning and literacy with feelings of enjoyment. It’s the early literacy equivalent of a fresh vegetable platter, and children devour it and ask for seconds. Our perfect attendance at Mr. Mike’s story time would have continued for years, but he took a job in another state. When Mr. Mike said goodbye after his final story time, several parents cried. One father of three stood and addressed the audience. He spoke of what Mr. Mike had meant to his family over the past years and to all of us. His fans lingered to hug him, give him going-away gifts, and tell him how much he would be missed. Mr. Mike did not want his winning recipe to be a secret, and I share it here for all who care about nourishing the minds of young children.

Ingredients (makes endless servings)plenty of space7 songsguitar, keyboard, other musical instrument, or CD player

(optional)egg-shaped shakers – 1 for every child3 picture books2 finger plays

1 felt board, 6 felt hats in different colors, 1 small felt cat, 5 magazine cutouts of familiar characters

felt characters and felt props to tell a felt board story1 puppet hidden out of sight in a box or plastic tub10 questionsdash of enthusiasmadd silliness to taste

Preparation (15 minutes)Set up the room before guests arrive. Display the books and other materials at the front to generate excitement. Leave a space on the carpet large enough for children to sit, stand, move, and dance. Adding rows of chairs for adults to sit behind them is a nice touch; especially so those with limited mobility do not need to get down and up off of the floor.

Directions (45 minutes)1. Start by singing three simple children’s songs as a

group while strumming easy chords on a guitar. If you cannot play a musical instrument, substitute with background music on a CD, play a simple instrument like a tambourine, triangle, or xylophone, or use your body as an instrument, either clapping your hands, slapping your knee, or tapping a beat with your foot. Consider including The More We Get Together, If You’re Happy and You Know It, You Are My Sunshine, and Mr. Sun.

2. Before beginning the third song, throw out easy hints about what the song will be. This builds anticipation and increases engagement. Choose a song that in-corporates simple actions, such as Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

3. It’s almost time to read a book, but first ask a few personal questions on a topic related to the book. For example, “Does anybody here like trucks? What sound does a fire truck make? This is a story about a boy who likes trucks.” These questions introduce the story, access children’s prior knowledge, and help children make personal connections.

4. Next, read the title and author of the book. Then while reading the book, ask the children a question about one of the illustrations, for example, “How fast do you think the garbage truck is going? Why do you say that?” Also try to use a picture cue to get kids to predict what happens next. “See the look on the boy’s face? What is he about to do?”

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with a second book.6. It’s time for another song. Hint at which song it will

be. “You know what song I want to sing now? A song about the lights up in the sky. You’re right! It’s Twinkle,

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Twinkle Little Star.”7. It’s almost time for a finger play, but first, ask a ques-

tion about the topic of the finger play. “Do you know a story about three bears? What’s the name of the girl in that story?”

8. Play the Little Cat felt board game, which helps kids practice rhyme and repetition, raising a hand to make a guess, and learning colors.

Setup: There are six different colored felt hats on the felt board. A little felt cat is hiding under one of them. Small magazine cutouts of familiar chil-dren’s characters are hiding under the other five. How to play: Prompt children to raise their hand and guess a color. If someone guesses blue, all chant, “Little cat, little cat, are you under the blue hat?” Then peel off the blue hat to reveal who’s underneath. “It’s Mickey Mouse! Let’s try again. . . .” Repeat until all characters are revealed. If the little cat is revealed early on, prompt children to guess the location of a different character you have hid-den. The chant will change slightly, for instance, “Spiderman, Spiderman, are you under the purple hat?”

9. Tell a simple story like The Three Little Pigs using felt characters and props at the felt board.

10. Lead the children in a second finger play.11. Read a third picture book, repeating steps 3 and 4.12. Place a bag of egg-shaped shakers in front of the chil-

dren and tell them to choose one. Sing two songs the children can shake their eggs to, such as The Laurie Berkner Band’s I Know a Chicken (www.laurieberkner.com/music/song-lyrics/45-i-know-a-chicken.html).

13. Once children have returned their shaky eggs to the bag, it’s time to sing a goodbye song, like The Wiggles’ Rock-a-Bye Your Bear (www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7udJNE8HcY).

14. Lastly, pull the puppet out of the box. Children can line up for a turn to have the puppet kiss their index finger. In his or her “own voice,” the puppet can say each finger tastes like something different: bubble gum, apple pie, pizza, watermelon, marshmallows, and so on.

Substitutions• Onlineretailerssellegg-shapedshakersforabout$2

per egg. Children adore them, but homemade shakers can be cheaper. Simply use materials like paper plates and dried beans or plastic bottles and popcorn kernels.

• Insteadofshakers,beanbagsareanotherfunpropthatcanbeorderedonlineforabout$1perbagormadeathome. Try having children balance one on various body

parts.• Tryendingstorytimewithastickerorstampforeach

child.• Feelfreetosubstituteoneofthesongsorbookswitha

puppet show, story-related craft, parade, poem, game, or other idea that gets children involved or moving around. Mr. Mike says story time can be your creative outlet.

Where to Shop for Ingredients Felt. Of all the story time elements, children of every age seemed to like the Little Cat game the best. The guessing, familiar choral rhyme, suspense, and visual reveal of the answers made for an irresistible combination. Without exception, Mr. Mike had 100% engagement during the Little Cat game. Sometimes, he would peel off a hat to reveal a picture of a spider and act scared, and children would squeal with delight. Feltboardscanbepurchasedonlineforabout$30,butthe Internet abounds with easy, make-it-yourself ideas. Plain felt pieces, characters, and props can be found at craft stores and even dollar stores. And a web search of “story time felts” uncovers complete felt sets for Five Little Monkeys, Hey Diddle Diddle, and other beloved rhymes andstoriesstartingatabout$2. Finger plays, chants, and songs. An Internet search of “finger plays” yields literally millions of useful web pages. Also try searching “easy children’s songs” and “chants.” Here are just a few of the best results:

The King County Library System website offers a comprehensive listing of fun finger plays, rhymes, and songs. It is one-stop shopping for your story time reper-toire. Learning is easy when you click on any title in red, an attached video pops up so you can watch, listen, and follow along until you memorize the words and actions (http://wiki.kcls.org/tellmeastory/index.php/Fingerplays,_Rhymes_and_Songs).

The Yorba Linda Public Library offers a 23-page pdf of finger plays categorized by theme, from frogs to food and from dinosaurs to seasons (www.ylpl.lib.ca.us/teach/fingerplays.pdf ).

Songdrops.com provides the lyrics and guitar chords for classic kids’ tunes, including Home on the Range, Three Blind Mice, This Old Man, and over 50 more (www.songdrops.com/childrens-songs-chords-and-lyrics).

continued on p. 16 . . .

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In a toddler room, little Sonja is playing with blocks on the floor when she notices a group of children gathering around the teacher for a read-aloud activity. Sonja gets up and walks toward the group to join them; however, two tables placed close to each other are in her way. Hastily, she tries to squeeze her body in between the tables to get through because the activity is about to start. Her little body does not fit—no matter how hard she pushes herself between the tables. In frustration, she squeals and hold her hand up asking for help. The teacher says, “Sonja, do you want to join us?” Sonja nods, still trying to push her body through. The teacher smiles and adds, “Maybe if you walked around the tables, you can reach us.” With relief on her face, Sonja walks around the tables and plops herself beside the children who are already listening to the story.

The ability to understand space and objects in relation to ourselves is a complex skill set that children begin

to develop in their early years as part of the physical developmental domain. While young children navigate themselves through the playground or the classroom, they develop fine and gross motor skills as well as intermodal perception that contribute to the development of spatial awareness. Infants and toddlers need many opportunities to practice and refine these emerging motor skills in order to master them. This article will examine physical development and the practitioners’ role in providing opportunities for children to develop such skills, as well as their effect on brain development and learning.

MoveMent and Physical develoPMent

The process of physical development occurs according to a pattern guided by genetic potential and environmental factors. Developmentally appropriate environments that encourage physical activity not only promote skills involving gross motor and fine motor development, but also motivate sensory and perceptual development. Through play and physical activities, children practice and master motor skills, coordination, and balance.

Fine and Gross Motor Development

On a Monday morning, Sandra walks in carrying her 13-month-old son, Jeffrey. Sandra looks at the caregiver, Janice, with a big smile announcing, “We have a surprise for you.” She puts Jeffrey down and, while holding both of his hands, helps Jeffrey to balance himself while facing Janice. Jeffrey sees Janice and smiles at her. As Sandra lets his hands go, Jeffrey stands on his own for a few seconds, balancing himself, and then takes a few steps toward Janice. Janice claps with joy exclaiming, “You are walking, Jeffrey!” With pride, Jeffrey takes a few more steps toward Janice and throws himself into her arms.

Motor milestones are the most obvious skills to observe in young children and come in two forms: gross and fine motor skills, which are based on the muscle groups involved. Gross motor skills require the coordination of the large muscles of the trunk and the limbs and motivate movement such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, climbing, and running. Fine motor skills use the smaller muscles of the arms and the hands in order to manipulate objects in the environment. Fine motor skills begin with whole arm movements and then become more focused and purposeful, such as reaching, pointing, and, finally, the pincher grasp. Although genetic blue print determines physical development, there are other influences that shape the timing of gross and fine motor skills, such as maturity of the nervous system, pace of sensory development, and consistent daily practice. Infants and toddlers improve motor skills through diligent practice. Motor skills, such as walking, do not emerge all of a sudden but gradually build on prior and simpler abilities. By kicking in bed and pulling up and standing, infants learn to balance themselves on two feet and walk with support before they take off on their own and walk without assistance. Therefore, young children need space and opportunities in order to practice these skills. Infant caregivers must be observant in order to meet

Focus on Infants & Toddlers

It Is Not Just Physical!How Movement Influences Learning

by Nur Tanyel Ph.D, University of South Carolina Upstate

editors: Laura Hooks & Nur Tanyel

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physical developmental needs by allowing tummy time and mat time so that babies are able to practice the skills of rolling, kicking, reaching, and pushing themselves up. Open spaces for babies to crawl and walk without any danger are essential for developing gross and fine motor skills. Toddlers also need open space in order to fine tune their motor abilities. Playing with balls, climbing up and down the steps, and walking on a low beam for practicing balance are necessary daily activities. Also, drawing with chubby crayons and markers is needed for fine motor development as well as eye-hand coordination. Both gross and fine motor skills are the foundation for the writing and reading skills that are critical for school readiness.

Intermodal PerceptionAs infants and toddlers move around and explore their environments, they collect sensory information. When young children touch different textured objects, see different colored toys, or reach for food, their senses are stimulated. The integration and coordination of such information collected from various senses is called intermodal perception. The skills that develop as a result of intermodal perception are eye-hand coordination and depth perception and spatial awareness.

Eye-Hand Coordination.

After a long afternoon nap, 8-month-old Erin wakes up and looks around to find her caregiver, Carla. As soon as Erin spots Carla in the room, she pulls herself up by holding on to the side of her crib. Carla notices Erin and acknowledges her, “Hi, there! I see you are awake. I will be with you in just a second.” With her eyes, Erin follows Carla around the room as she prepares Erin’s afternoon snack of a small bowl of Cheerios and apple juice. As soon as Carla sits Erin in front of the bowl, Erin reaches out and, with a sweeping motion, tries to pick up some cereal. After using her palm, she grabs a few Cheerios and places them in her mouth with satisfaction then washes them down with apple juice.

Erin’s ability to pick up and place the cereal in her mouth is an example of eye-hand coordination. Eye-hand coordination is the ability to process visual information and coordinate with the hands in order to accomplish a task. Although eye-hand coordination begins with tracking and reaching to move objects, mastery of this skill doesn’t happen until around age 10 when children can make fast and accurate judgments about a moving object.

Depth Perception and Spatial Awareness. Depth perception is the ability to judge an object’s distance in respect to our position in space. This perception is important for understanding the layout of the environment and for guiding our motor activities. Research indicates that babies begin to use depth perception as early as 3 to 4 months. Spatial awareness is defined as the ability to be aware of ourselves and objects in our environment, as well as the movement of both ourselves and objects in space in relation to each other. This ability develops naturally as children explore different environments that encourage understanding of direction, distance, and location. As seen in Sonja’s example, children need physical movement and activities that provide many opportunities for understanding the relationship of location and distance as well as direction. In order to promote spatial awareness, caregivers need to encourage children to roll, reach, crawl, walk, run, and climb. Also, using positional language to locate and compare locations of different objects (e.g., closer, near, far away, around the corner, behind, and in front of ) or directional language (e.g., bend over, touch your toes, and stretch your arms) will help young children develop spatial awareness.

MoveMent and Brain develoPMent

As young children begin to interact with the people who care for them by moving around and exploring the environment, their brain cells make connections. Such connections help with the localization of functions in the brain. As a result, different parts of the brain become specialized and begin to deal with different functions in different structures. Movement is largely controlled by three interlinked structures: motor cortex, the basal ganglia, and the cerebellum. While voluntary movements are initiated in the motor cortex, the coordination of the sensory input as well as the selection of necessary movements are done by the cerebellum and, ultimately, the basal ganglia produces the initiated movement. Therefore, emerging motor skills will indicate the maturity and the readiness of the child’s nervous system. Consequently, young children need repetition and practice in order to refine and enhance the brain circuits in order to master motor skills.

The toddler teacher, Casey, pulls out crayons and markers for the daily drawing/coloring activity. As she is reaching for paper, Karina approaches and reaches for the box of scissors. “Oh, would you like to work with scissors today, Karina?” asks Casey. Karina nods as she reaches for the red

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scissors. She sits down with a piece of construction paper and tries to place the scissors between her thumb and fingers. “You are holding your scissors right. Well done, you have been practicing. I can tell,” says Casey. Karina looks at her with a big grin and continues to make little snips on her paper. As a result of Casey’s encouragement and observations, a few months later, Karina is able to cut across the entire sheet of paper.

As children practice and master fine and gross motor skills, walk with balance, use their pincher grip more precisely, and use their senses to collect information from their environment, the link between movement and thought becomes established. Therefore, in order for children to fully understand and develop their abilities, it is essential to the learning process for children to explore their body movements and interact with their environment through activities such as walking on a low beam with balance, climbing on a rope ladder, and jumping on a pillow or a soft surface. As a result, children learn and master movements and skills, and the brain requires less energy and functions more efficiently. All of the skill sets that are defined in the physical developmental domain have a connection between movement and learning. For example, we now know that some children who skipped crawling in the progression of the walking process exhibit learning difficulties later in school. Crawling is a cross lateral movement that stimulates the nerve pathways between two hemispheres of the brain which coordinate both sides of the body working together, including arms, legs, eyes, and ears. Consequently, cross lateral movement equally stimulates both sides of the body with senses accessing the environment, hence body movements are more integrated. Crawling is an important developmental milestone as it is the foundation for reading skills because both require cross lateral eye-hand coordination. In conclusion, physical development skill sets and progression of milestones are significant for later learning. Since all developmental domains and developmental skills build on each other, adults who care for young children should be aware of developmental milestones and provide necessary experiences by organizing the learning environment in order to meet the children’s developmental needs.

strategies to encourage Physical

develoPMent and learning

• Provideasafeareawherechildrencanmoveandex-plore freely without adult restriction

• Includechallengingobstacles,suchaspillows,softor

carpeted ramps, and steps and platforms, to encourage large motor problem solving

• Provideadequateperiodsofplaywhenchildrencanactively practice gross motor skills

• Initiatemotorgamesthatareinclusiveandchallengingfor all children

• Createamulti-sensoryenvironmentbyaddingtexturedpillows, different colored toys, and toys that produce sounds such as soft toys and stuffed animals

• Fortoddlers,providetoolsforfinemotoractivities,suchas puzzles, chunky crayons, washable markers, table blocks, play dough, and child safe scissors

• Encouragechildrentoparticipateindailyclassroomcare, including caring for class pets and plants, setting the table, preparing snacks, and cleaning after meals and snacks.

ResourcesArnett, J. J. (2012). Human development: A cultural approach.

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Eliot, L. (1999). What’s going on in there? How the brain and mind

develop in the first five years of life. New York, NY: Bantam Books, Random House.

Hannaford, C. (2005). Smart moves: Why learning is not all in your head. Salt Lake City, UT: Great River Books.

Oates, J., Karmiloff-Smith, A., & Johnson, M. H. (Eds.) (2012). Developing brain. Milton Keynes, England: The Open University.

Pica, R. (2008). Physical education for young children: Movement ABC’s for the little ones. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Pica, R. (2008). Learning with leaps and bounds: Why motor skills matter. Young Children, 4, 48-49.

Sanders, S. W. (2002). Active for life: Developmentally appropriate movement programs for young children. Washington DC: National Association for the Education Young Children.

Santrock, J. W. (2010). Children (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Trawick-Smith, J. (2010). Early childhood development (a multicultural perspective). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Pearson Education.

Venetsanau, F., & Kambas, A. (2010). Environmental factors affecting preschoolers’ motor development. Early Childhood Education, 37, 319-327. doi:10.1007/s10643-009-0350-z

Call for ManuscriptsThe editors of Focus on Infants & Toddlers are seeking manuscript submissions. Send submis-sions to Laura Hooks at LHOOKS@uscupstate.edu or Nur Tanyel at ntanyel@uscupstate.edu

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Silly Sallyby Audrey Wood

Tumble Bumbleby Felicia Bond

We Are Goingon a Bear Huntby Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

Peek-a-Who? by Nina Laden

Moo, Baa, La La Laby Sandra Boynton

Row Row Row Your Boatby Iza Trapani

I’m a Little Teapotby Iza Trapani

Toddler Favorites (this CD includes old favorites)

Suggested Board Books andSongs to Promote Movementfor Infants and Toddlers

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Summer 2013 Early Years Bulletin

Alejandro’s StoryI was born with the name “Alejandro.” My parents shortened this to “Ale” (ah-leh) when calling me. However, upon becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen at age 7, my name was changed to “Alexander” or “Alex.” Part of this change could also have been the result of beginning school in the U.S. and my parents wanting me to “fit in” and become part of common American culture. I grew up as “Alex” to all my English-speaking teachers, and friends. However, I was still Alejandro or “Ale” at home with my family. I maintained a dual identity into adulthood. Upon entering my professional life, I reverted to using my given Spanish name, Alejandro, in all professional matters. I choose, as an adult, to regain my ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and personal identity.

Alejandro Brice (2013)

This vignette illustrates the many struggles children face today as they navigate two cultures while trying

to maintain their cultural identities. The purpose of this article is to: 1) explore the significance of children’s names to their cultural identity and to culturally responsive teaching practices, including useful classroom strategies; 2) discuss the importance of names as a window into children’s emergent literacy development and how to maximize the use of names in the classroom; and 3) offer multicultural children’s literature that feature children’s names to build a classroom community focused on cross-cultural understanding.

Multicultural nations

Many countries around the world are becoming more multicultural and multilingual, and this trend is expected to continue. In the United States, for example, Hispanics and Latinos comprise 16.3% of the total U.S. population and one in five individuals (19.7%) speaks another

language other than English in the home. As this diversity increases, it is imperative that educators address the changing diversity in their classrooms so that all students learn and live as citizens of a global society. Educating our students means embracing their cultural identities. This presents a challenge, as the large majority of teachers differs culturally from their students. For example, 87-90% of the teaching population in the United States consists of White females, with the majority of these women also being heterosexual, middle class, and monolingual. Culturally responsive teaching practices can address this cultural mismatch and foster a classroom community in which all children may feel comfortable and thrive.

culturally resPonsive teaching

Like Alejandro, many children are renamed by parents or teachers. In the United States, parents may hope that giving their child an “American” name may provide advantages. Parents or teachers may rename a child because they believe this will allow others to say the new name with more ease, lessen the chance the child may be singled out, or help them fit in better. Culturally responsive teachers learn about their children’s cultures, embrace those cultures in the classroom, and use them to frame instruction. Teachers have opportunities to positively or negatively impact their students’ perceptions and cultural identities. Learning about children’s names should be one way to begin honoring children’s culture and identity in the classroom.

Importance of Names to Emergent Literacy Highlighting Children’s Names. Name recognition and name writing have been shown to be significant predictors

Ideas for the Classroom

Culturally Responsive Teaching:Exploring Children’s Names and Cultural Identities

The following Ideas for the Classroom column was submitted by AnnMarie Alberton Gunnand Alejandro E. Brice at University of South Florida, St. Petersburg,

and Barbara J. Peterson at University of South Florida, Tampa.

editors: Sandra Stone and Basanti Chakraborty

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of children’s literacy achievement during school years. Children’s written representations of their own names may serve as a “window” into their developing base of emergent literacy knowledge. Across cultures, children commonly recognize their written names at a very young age, and often begin conventional writing by writing letters in their names. Educators frequently highlight children’s names within classroom environmental print and routines, such as on cubby labels, helper charts, sign-in lists, and children’s daily work. Using a Name Jar. Early childhood educators can foster early literacy learning, and nurture children’s sense of personal and cultural identity through intentional planning of instructional activities that highlight children’s names. After reading The Name Jar (Choi, 2003) or other stories that feature names, cards with children’s names can be placed in a large jar and children can take turns pulling cards from the jar to engage in phonological activities, such as clapping out syllables in names, initial letter and syllable sorts, or inserting names into songs and rhymes.

Developing Cultural Awareness of NamesThrough Multicultural LiteratureMulticultural children’s literature is a wonderful vehicle through which teachers may validate cultural identities within the early childhood setting, as well as explore the diversity of families and children’s names in the classroom and from around the world. Educators can use such literacy tools as multicultural literature to challenge practices that marginalize children’s names, and to foster awareness of the importance of names as central to personal and cultural identity. Reading multicultural literature can create opportunities for children and early childhood educators to learn about each other’s cultures. Multicultural literature offers possibilities for teachers and children to consider linguistically diverse names they might not yet have encountered in their own lives. Educators can navigate interactive conversations with children surrounding multicultural books, and focus on the culture and names of a particular story or character. While reading multicultural literature, teachers and children can practice pronunciation of names, such as those in My Name Is Sangoel (Williams & Mohammed, 2009), and discuss why a character’s name is so important to his connection to family and culture. The flow of discussion provides an opportunity for children and teachers to talk about and explore commonalities and differences among people from a variety of places.

Recommended Children’s Multicultural Literature• Choi, Y. (2003). The name jar. New York, NY:

Dragonfly Books. 40 pp. When Unhei starts a new school in America, she is uncomfortable with peers’ teasing about the sound of her Korean name. Abandoning cultural naming traditions, Unhei decides to choose a new American name. Her classmates fill a glass jar with name suggestions, but one peer’s persistence at learning about Unhei’s name and identity leads to self-acceptance and a budding cross-cultural friendship.

• Colato Lainez, R. (1996). René has two last names /René tiene dos apellidos. Houston, TX: Arte Publico. (Bilingual edition). 32 pp. As with many Latino children in America, René’s sense of personal and cultural identity is challenged when his teacher and classmates misunderstand the importance of his two last names. A family tree project offers René the opportunity to explain how his last names link to his father’s and mother’s families in El Salvador.

• Cummings, M. (2006). The three names of me. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company. 40 pp. A girl adopted from China explains that her three names—one from her birth mother, one given by caregivers at her orphanage, and one her American parents gave her—are each an important part of her identity.

• EchoHawk, T. (2005). Call me Little Echo Hawk. Springville, UT: Cedar Fort. 24 pp. A grandfather shares with his granddaughter the story about the origin of their Pawnee family name.

• Recorvits, H. (2003). My name is Yoon. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. 32 pp. When Yoon starts school in the United States, she resists writing her Korean name in English rather than Korean symbols. Yoon’s literacy experiences in learning to write in English offer insights into differences in written language forms and the strong connections between language and cultural identity.

• Williams, K. L., & Mohammed, K. (2009). My name is Sangoel. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 36 pp. As refugees from Sudan, Sangoel and his family face major adjustments to life in the United States. His Dinka name is a proud tie to his father and grandfather before him. Sangoel is distressed that no one seems to be able to pronounce his name and comes up with a solution to the problem.

ConclusionIt is hoped that using children’s names and multicultural

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literature that features children’s names will foster conversations, understandings, and respect for children’s names through the ideas and strategies provided. In addition, it is anticipated that these conversations will facilitate efforts to bridge school and home cultures.

ResourcesBanks, J. A. (2006). Race, culture, and education: The selected

works of James A. Banks. London, England: Routledge, Taylor & Francis.

Both-de Vries, A. C., & Bus, A. G. (2010). The proper name as starting point for basic reading skills. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 23, 173-187. doi:10.1007/s11145-008-9158-2

Bloodgood, J. (1999). What’s in a name? Children’s name writing and name acquisition. Reading Research Quarterly, 34, 342-367. doi:10.1598/RRQ.34.3.5

Morgan, H. (2008). Teaching tolerance and reaching diverse students through the use of children’s books. Childhood Education, 85(2), 106-G-106-P. doi:10.1080/00094056.2009.10523074

Humes, K. R., Jones, N. A., & Ramirez, R. R. (2011, March). Overview of race and Hispanic origin: 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf

Ferreiro, E., & Teberosky, A. (1982). Literacy before schooling. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Green, C., & Oldenorf, S. B. (2005). Teaching religious diversity through children’s literature. Childhood Education, 81(4), 209-218. doi:10.1080/00094056.2005.10522274

Gunn, A. A., Bennett, S. B., & Morton, M. L. (2012/2013). Culturally responsive literacy pedagogy: Using children’s literature to discuss topics of religious diversity. Florida Reading Journal, 48(4), 17-24.

Gunn, A. A. (2011). Developing a culturally responsive literacy pedagogy: Preservice teachers, teaching cases, and postcard narratives. (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved from Proquest. (AAT3432801)

Haney, M. C. (2002). Name writing: A window into the emergent literacy skills of young children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 30(2), 101-105. doi:1082-3301/02/1200-0101/0

Kirk, E. W., & Clark, P. (2005). Beginning with names: Using children’s names to facilitate early literacy learning. Childhood Education, 81(3), 139-144. doi:10.1080/00094056.

2005.10522257Levin, I., Both-de Vries, A. C., Aram, D., & Bus, A. G. (2005).

Writing starts with own name writing: From scribbling to conventional spelling in Israeli and Dutch children. Applied Psycholinguistics, 26, 463-477. doi:10.1017/S0142716405050253

Livingston, N., & Kurkjian, C. (2005). Circles and celebrations: Learning about other cultures through literature. The Reading Teacher, 58(7), 696-703. doi:10.1598/RT.58.7.11

McNair, J. (2007). Using children’s names to enhance early literacy development young children. Young Children, 62(5), 84-89.

Puranik, C. S., Lonigan, C. J., & Kim, Y.-S. (2011). Contributions of emergent literacy skills to name writing, letter writing, and spelling in preschool children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26(4), 465-474. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.03.002.

Shin, H. B., & Kominski, R. A. (2010). Language use in the United States: 2007 (American Community Survey Reports, ACS-12). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/

Sleeter, C. E. (2001). Preparing teachings for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of whiteness. Journal of Teacher Education, 52(94), 94-106. doi:10.1177/0022487101052002002

Souto-Manning, M. (2009). Negotiating culturally responsive pedagogy through multicultural children’s literature: Towards critical democratic literacy practices in a first grade classroom. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 9(1), 53-77. doi:10.1177/1468798408101105

Souto-Manning, M. (2007). Immigrant families and children (re)develop identities in a new context. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(6), 399-405. doi:10.1007/s10643-006-0146-3

Thirumurthy, V. (2011). Issues in education: Building cultural bridges through international children’s literature. Childhood Education, 87(6), 446-447. doi:10.1080/00094056.2011.10523229

Treiman, R., & Broderick, V. (1998). What’s in a name? Children’s knowledge about the letters in their own names. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 70, 97-116. doi:0009-3920/2007/7805-0004

Welsch, J. G., Sullivan, A., & Justice, L. M. (2003). That’s my letter!: What preschoolers’ name writing representations tell us about emergent literacy knowledge. Journal of Literacy Research, 35(2), 757-776. doi:10.1207/s15548430jlr3502_4

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Stills, Caroline, & Stills-Blott, SarciaTHE HOUSE OF 12 BUNNIES. Il. by Judith Rossell. ISBN 978-0-082-32422-1. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2011. 22 pp. $16.00. This is a fun and lively story with a little suspense and many opportunities for locating and counting objects. The illustrations are charming, done in soft colors and lots of detail. The two-page span of the il- lustrations is a good format for young children; they can focus on both pages as the story advances a little bit at a time. The vocabulary offers just enough new words to inspire conversation (for example, rummages and wicker). After the initial reading, my 3-year-old grandsons enjoyed locating specific bunnies in each of the pictures and counting objects not listed in the text. I think this is a book they will ask to read again. Ages 2-6. (Deborah H. Strevy)

Lobel, Anita10 HUNGRY RABBITS: Counting and Color Concepts. ISBN 978-0-375-86864-1. New York, NY: Random House Chil-dren’s Books, 2012. 24 pp. $9.99. Ten hungry little rabbits search for good things from the garden to put into Mama Rabbit’s soup pot. The first rabbit, dressed in purple, finds one purple cabbage; the second rabbit, dressed in white, pulls two white onions; the third rabbit, dressed in yellow, breaks off three yellow peppers; and so on. Finally, all 10 have gathered an enormous basket of produce that Mama Rabbit uses to prepare dinner. Throughout this beautifully illustrated text, readers have numerous oppor-tunities to count easily recognizable, vividly colored fruits and vegetables, including five pink potatoes, six orange carrots, and eight royal blue blueberries. Sure to evoke conversations about healthy things to eat, while practic-ing counting and color concepts. Ages 2 & up. (Cheryl A. Kreutter)

Toms, Kate.CARRY-ME AND SING-ALONG SERIES. I’m a Little Teapot, ISBN 978-1-780-65298-6. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, ISBN 978-1-780-65299-3. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, ISBN 978-1-780-65312-9. Five Speckled Little Frogs, ISBN 978-1-780-65297-9. Berkhamsted, UK: Make Believe Ideas, 2012. 12 pp. $6.99. A CD accompanies these little books with illustrations of familiar songs. The books have han-dles for ease in carrying and are illustrated in bright colors that will engage toddlers to sing along with the CD. The CD includes additional age-appropriate songs. Ages 1-4. (Kay Emfinger)

Rubin, AdamDRAGONS LOVE TACOS. Il. by Daniel Salmieri. ISBN 0-80373-680-0. New York, NY: Penguin Group Inc, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. I really like Dragons Love Tacos. I think the author of the book has a really good imagination—just like me. The story and the pictures are very funny, especially the one in which the dragons eat the spicy salsa and breathe fire. I think dragons would do that if they ate salsa. I like dragons, but I would not feed them salsa. I love tacos, just like the dragons in the book. But I definitely do not want to have a taco party for dragons. That would be too many dragons for me. And I would not like my house to catch on fire. Maybe a pool party instead. Ages 3 and up.

Schaefer, Carole LexaTHE BIGGEST SOAP. Il. by Stacey Dressen-McQueen. ISBN 978-0-37430-690-8. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004. 32 pp. $4.45. This tale, which takes place in the South Pacific, is about a young boy, Kessy, who is asked by his mother to find the “biggest soap” for laundry day. Kessy is very excited that he gets to swim and hear stories, but isn’t quite so happy knowing that he has to wait until he finds the soap. He meets many exciting characters along the way, all of whom solicit his attention. He is able to resist at first, but eventually stops as they all seem to need his help. He fixes a cut finger, opens a stuck window, and even cleans up two muddy brothers. These exploits leave Kessy with a tale of his own as he continues to find the biggest soap! Kessy’s adventures in patience and kindness are thoughtfully expressed through the use of rich text and bold, colorful illustrations. Ages 4 and up.

Willems, MoGOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS. ISBN 978-0-06210-418-2. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2012. 40 pp. $17.99. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs is another ingenious text in a long line of excellent books written for children by Mo Willems! The twist on this version of Goldilocks is that dinosaurs are setting a trap to catch and later feast on a drowsy, pudding-filled Goldilocks. Goldilocks ends up figuring out the trick and realizes that she is not even in the right story. She narrowly escapes as the dinosaurs return home. The book ends with two morals, one for Goldilocks and one for the three dinosaurs. True to style, Willems’s artistic genius comes through with the small, clever details throughout the book. Readers of all ages will enjoy the subtle hints

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within the illustrations that allude to the dinosaurs’ real agenda—to eat Goldilocks. The artistic style used for the dinosaurs is reminiscent of the classic and timeless work of Bernard Waber’s Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile. Ages 4 and up.

Abouraya, Karen Leggett and Roth, Susan HANDS AROUND EGYPT: PROTECTING EGYPT’S TREASURED BOOKS. Il. by Susan Roth. ISBN 978-0-803-73747-1. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2012. 32 pp. $16.99. This is a memorable nonfiction picture book that chronicles the day during the 2011 demonstrations in Egypt when the library in Alexandria was threatened. A gripping drama unfolds when the crowds of demonstrators begin to surge toward the library to vent their anger toward the government. Dr. Seregeldin, the librarian, pleads for level heads; he is joined by members of the crowd, one by one, until the library is surrounded by a human chain to protect it. This amazing book for all ages is illustrated through collage, reminiscent of Susan Roth’s Listen to the Wind, and is a treat for the eyes. It is accompanied by photographs of the actual events and people involved in the human barricade that saved a national treasure from angry crowds. Translations of the protest signs are at the end of the book. Preschool and Primary Ages.

Brett, JanMOSSY. ISBN 978-0-399-25782-7. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2012. 32 pp. $17.99. Mossy, an eastern box turtle, has an amazing garden growing on her shell! She catches the attention of Dr. Carolina, an Edwardian-era scientist, who declares, “She is perfect for the museum!” Dr. Carolina places Mossy in a viewing pavilion with everything that she believed a turtle would need. But Mossy is sad. She longs to be back in Lilypad Pond with her new friend, Scoot. Tory, Dr. Carolina’s niece, senses Mossy’s unhappiness and asks, “Do you think Mossy is happy here?” Other children wonder if Mossy has any turtle friends. The children’s questions inspire Dr. Carolina to return Mossy to the swamp and still give the museum visitors a view of the turtle with the magnificent garden. The story is simple but readers will want to linger over Brett’s beautiful gouache and watercolor illustrations framed by her signature intricate borders. Ages 3-5.

Brown, MonicaMARISOL MCDONALD DOESN’T MATCH. Il. by Sara Palacios. ISBN 978-0-892-39235-3. New York, NY: Children’s Book Press, 2012. 32 pp. $17.95. In this

bilingual, Pura Belpré Honor picture book, we learn about the adventures and challenges of Marisol McDonald, who just cannot seem to match others. Marisol, a Peruvian-Scottish-American, is constantly told by others that she is different. Her looks don’t match (“fiery red” hair and nut-brown skin); her clothes don’t match (green polka dots and purple stripes); her writing doesn’t match (cursive and print at the same time); and even her speech is a mix of Spanish and English. Yet when Marisol is coaxed into “matching,” she and those around her realize that her differences make her special and they are what make her truly Marisol. The beautifully crafted artwork matches the theme of uniqueness well through its use of mixed-media illustrations (combining drawings, cartoon art, text, and newspaper print). The topics of acceptance and individualism make this book a wonderful addition to any classroom or library and would be especially helpful in teaching lessons about diversity and embracing your heritage. Ages 5-8.

Bryan, AshleyWHO BUILT THE STABLE? ISBN 978-1-4424-0934-7. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. While the story of the nativity is familiar to many, artist, author, and humanitarian Ashley Bryan asks readers to consider “Who built the stable where Jesus lay?” Warm and cool colors mix to create captivating, page-filling illustrations. Through the adept use of strong brushstrokes and subtle, compartmentalized shading, the characters in Bryan’s illustrations, be they human or animal, take on personalities of their own. Even the guiding star that Mary and Joseph followed that night is depicted in several luminous ways. Juxtaposing gentle, song-like prose with vibrant, pulsating illustrations, Bryan guides the reader to the answer. Companion book for a potential theme: Carol of the Brown King: Nativity Poems by Langston Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Bryan. Ages 4-8.

Carle, EricTHE ARTIST WHO PAINTED A BLUE HORSE. ISBN 978-0-399-25713-1. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2011. 32 pp. $17.99. Eric Carle’s signature paper collage and paint medium illustrates his message of encouraging children to “express their natural talents freely and joyfully.” On the first page, a young artist declares, “I am an artist and I paint. . . .” On the next two-page spread, readers discover a vivid bright blue horse. The sparse text (e.g., “a blue horse and . . .”) sets the reader up for a

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ldre

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oks series of brightly colored creatures, such as a cherry-

red crocodile, a daisy-yellow cow, a mint-green lion, and a multicolored donkey. Each is a bold and confident statement by the young artist, who, at the end the story, proclaims, “I am a good artist.” Readers will want to pull out their paints and join in the celebration. Perhaps a pink giraffe and . . . ? Ages 3-5.

Degen, BruceI GOTTA DRAW. ISBN 13 978-0-060-28417-6. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. Little Charlie loves to draw—anytime and any place. His enthusiasm gets him into a variety of predicaments with his family and friends at home and in his neighborhood. But the biggest challenge comes when he is caught drawing by his no-nonsense, strict teacher at school. After compromises on the part of both Charlie and his teacher, his drawings are used to help others learn spelling, math, social studies, and science. More importantly, his family, friends, and teacher learn to respect his work as a budding artist. Bruce Degen’s very familiar watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations can be used to introduce the comprehension strategy of visualizing. Ages 4-8.

Dragonwagon, CrescentALL THE AWAKE ANIMALS. Il. by David McPhail. ISBN 13 9-780-31607-045-4. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. This is a soothing and lyrical bedtime book about a young boy reluctant to go to sleep. His mother recounts how a variety of animals and their young are getting ready to sleep. David McPhail has created watercolor-and-ink illustrations that are restful and inspiring. The animals and their young are shared in alphabetical order, enhancing the learning value of the book. Another “must have” for your collection of bedtime books. Preschool and Primary Ages.

Fleman, RoseMICE. Il. by Lois Ehlert. ISBN 978-1-442-45684-6. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. This book asks if mice are really nice. A fun description about what makes them nice includes their tails, faces, and even their teeth! But mice “nibble things they shouldn’t touch”; because of this, no one really likes them. Readers will find that despite all the things they do “as they run about the house at night,” someone really thinks mice are nice and why. Children will enjoy Ehlert’s collage illustrations. This picture book will easily become a favorite for children who will want to read and hear the book again and again. Ages 2 and up.

Fleming, CandaceOH, NO! Il. by Eric Rohmann. ISBN 978-0-375-84271-9. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade, 2012. 44 pp. $17.99. The animals in this story all fall into a deep, deep hole. Frog, Mouse, Loris, and many others try to get out of the hole but cannot. When Tiger offers his help, we know he has ulterior motives as he readies himself for “his tasty feast.” The rhythm and predictable pattern as each animal exclaims “Oh, no!” upon falling into the hole make this an enjoyable read-aloud for everyone. Children will be delighted to find how the animals were saved by Elephant and how Tiger eventually ends up in the deep, deep hole alone. Ages 3 and up.

Hest, AmyCHARLEY’S FIRST NIGHT. Il. by Helen Oxenbury. ISBN 978-0-763-64055-2. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012. 32 pp. $15.99. Despite his insistence that Charley, the new puppy, should sleep in his room, Henry Korn’s parents made it “pretty clear” that Charley would sleep in the kitchen! Henry sets about to make the puppy’s first night comfortable by fixing up a dog pillow bed in the kitchen and placing his old teddy bear and a ticking clock next to the puppy. But what will Henry do when the puppy starts to cry midway through the night? This beautifully illustrated text tells a recognizable tale of a baby dog, his young master, and best intentions. Readers will discover many things about Henry and his nurturing ways and about Charley and his puppy ways through the richly detailed and soft pencil-and-watercolor illustrations. Preschool and Primary Ages.

Inkpen, Mick ROLLO AND RUFF AND THE LITTLE FLUFFY BIRD. ISBN 978-0-340-98959-3. New York, NY: Hodder & Stoughton, 2012. 32 pp. $12.47. Mick Inkpen, creator of the Kipper series, is back with a new tale of friendship, this time with Rollo (the cat), LFB (little fluffy bird), and Ruff (a rat). The story starts on a “normal Tuesday,” yet Rollo and LFB soon have a mystery on their hands. Some of their favorite items are disappearing and they discover wet footprints outside of LFB’s nest. What Rollo and LFB find in the nest is a big surprise—a pink-nosed, “stinky” rat! After a bit of a rough start, they eventually become friends. Inkpen’s illustrations are as colorful and playful as always and full of fun little details. Ages 4 and up.

Klassen, JonTHIS IS NOT MY HAT. ISBN 978-0-7636-5599-0. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012. 40 pp. $15.99.

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In this Caldecott award-winning book, Jon Klassen creates a tale of intrigue about two fish and a stolen hat. The story begins with the smaller of the two fish willingly telling the reader that he has stolen a hat from a big fish who “probably won’t wake up for a long time.” From this point forward, the story unfolds through subtle nuances found within the illustrations. The observant reader will notice changes in the characters’ eyes—be it an upturned pupil or a knowing narrowing. As the illustrations unfold, the two fish seemingly move throughout the text from one page to another, leaving wakes of air bubbles behind them. The intriguing chase comes to a climatic, wordless ending showing the rightful owner of the hat triumphantly swimming away. Companion book for a theme: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen. Ages 4-8.

Logue, MarySLEEP LIKE A TIGER. Il. by Pamela Zagarenski. ISBN 13 978-0-547-64103-4. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. This beautifully illustrated story is about a not-so-sleepy little girl whose parents describe how animals around the world go to sleep in order to tire her out. Her parents respond to the girl’s insistence on not being tired by reminding her about what still needs to be done in order to go to bed. They do not argue or nag her. Instead, they answer her question, “Does everything in the world go to sleep?” And that precipitates a question-and-answer session that is beautifully played out with enchanting descriptions of how a variety of animals go to sleep, accompanied by luminous illustrations that create a peaceful and restful addition to any collection of bedtime stories. Ages 4-8.

Nelson, KadirNELSON MANDELA. ISBN 978-0-061-78374-6. New York, NY: Katherine Tengen Books/HarperCollins, 2013. 40 pp. $17.99. Faces are Kadir Nelson’s forte, and his painting of Nelson Mandela’s face provides a striking front cover that is unspoiled by words (the title is on the back). Faces of Mandela are featured throughout, including a close-up of 9-year-old Mandela and his mother facing each other when he is being sent away to school following the death of his father. Other faces of Mandela include one in disguise when he is being sought by the state, one when he is freed after 27 years in jail, and one when elected to lead a free South Africa. The elegant free verse chronicles significant events in Mandela’s life—a life spent seeking peace and justice. An author’s note at the end provides additional explanation. Ages 4-8.

Reynolds, AaronCREEPY CARROTS! Il. by Peter Brown. ISBN 978-1-4424-0297-3. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. 40 pp. $16.99. Jasper Rabbit devours carrots from Crackenhopper Field and quickly realizes he has too much of a good thing when the carrots begin following him. The black-and-white illustrations, reminiscent of classic scary movies, are enlivened with punches of bright orange as they depict poor Jasper being taunted by the carrots. Seemingly innocuous household objects take on the shapes and forms of creepy carrots marching their way into Jasper’s life. Everywhere Jasper turns, carrots are creeping. Desperately trying to convince himself the creepy carrots are part of his imagination, Jasper sees them reflected in the bathroom mirror, in the shed behind his house, and in his dreams at night. Humorously scared out of his wits, Jasper devises a scheme that brings a surprise ending to the taunting. Ages 4-8.

Reynolds, PeterSKY COLOR. ISBN-13 978-0-763-62345-6. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012. 32 pp. $16.99. Marisol is a budding artist and tries to capture the color of the sky in a painting. But the sky keeps changing colors throughout the day. In the end, she captures the variety of sky color changes from dawn through dusk in a fabulous mural . . . using all the colors. Peter Reynolds uses pen-and-watercolors in the simple yet powerful style that has made his other books, such as ISH, so compelling. This is another book to use when helping students consider the importance of observation and thoughtfulness in their creations. Ages 5-8.

Wells, RosemaryYOKO LEARNS TO READ. ISBN 978-1-423-13823-5. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2012. 32 pp. $15.99. Yoko’s teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, gives everyone leaves to represent books they have read, which are then pinned in their class book. Yoko wants to have more than three leaves to pin. Her mom brings her to the library so she can read other books, even though she cannot read English herself. Yoko borrows more books from the library and keeps getting more book leaves for the books she has learned to read. When Sylvia and Olive say that Yoko cannot read because she cannot read their books yet, Yoko proves them both wrong! She was happy to share the good news with her mom, who asks if she could also learn to read English. Yoko is happy to help her mom get started. Ages 3 and up

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Articles published in Early Years Bulletin represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions taken by the Associ-ation for Childhood Education International.

Copyright © 2013 by the Association for Childhood Education International. No permission is needed to reproduce materials for education purposes.

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Picture books. The trick with picture books isn’t where to find them—they’re everywhere: public libraries, thrift shops, garage sales, and online retailers. The trick is choosing the right ones. Mr. Mike often selects picture books containing repeating phrases, humor, or audience participation. He also favors stories children can personally connect to, especially stories about children in everyday life.

“Cooking” Tips• Varysomeingredientsjustalittletokeepchildrenen-

gaged, but always include the staples in a familiar rou-tine: a few songs, a few books, a finger play, a felt board game, a felt board story, songs with shakers or bean bags, and a fun closing ritual. Preschool teachers follow a predictable routine to foster feelings of security and to facilitate transitions, and it works for story times too.

• Haveatleast15songsinyourrepertoire.Don’tworry,you’re probably already halfway there if you recall sim-ple songs from your childhood, like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; The Itsy, Bitsy Spider; Old MacDonald; The Alphabet Song; and I’m a Little Teapot.

• Trysolicitingideasfromthechildrentochangeupfa-miliar songs. Mr. Mike got a request to change “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands” to “If you’re hap-py and you know it roar like a dinosaur.” He ran with it and soon children were hooting like owls and slithering like snakes.

• Sticktothelowratioofbookreadingwithotheractivi-ties. Introduce every book with a personal question re-lated to the story, possibly starting with, “Does anybody ever. . . .” During each read aloud, ask a question about the book. Pose an open-ended prompt about what’s happening in the pictures or relate the words to chil-dren’s personal experiences. Such questions draw in the audience and positively impact children’s oral language development (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).

The Secret IngredientThe secret to the recipe for a crowd-pleasing story time is being happy to be there. When you are happy to be there, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere, smiling at guests as you entertain them, joking around, and having fun all come naturally and the children will be happy to be there too. Turn to the Great Ones for inspiration: watch Youtube clips of Mr. Rogers to witness his gentleness; note how Sharon, Lois & Bram enunciate their words on their show; and see the rapport Raffi builds with the audience at his concerts. Channel your inner Raffi, try Mr. Mike’s recipe, and experience for yourself the joy of serving up a feast to children that’s as good for them as it is tasty.

ResourcesAllen, N. (2010). Making a difference: The western

Australian better beginnings family literacy program. APLIS, 23(1), 33-37.

American Library Association. (2009, February 10). State funding for many public libraries on decline. Retrieved from www.ala.org/news/news/pressreleases2009/february2009/orscosla

Becker, K. (2012). 24 hours in the children’s section: An ob-servational study at the public library. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(2), 107-114.

Blumenstein, L., & Oder, N. (2008, December 15). San Diego, New York, Phoenix face cuts; Trenton branches stay open; ALA warns of a very tough year. Library Journal. Retrieved from www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6618854.html

Bus, A. G., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (1995). Joint book reading makes for success in learning to read: A meta-analysis on intergenerational transmission of literacy. Review of Educational Research, 65(1), 1.

U.S. Department of Education. Institute of Education Sciences (2006). What works clearinghouse: Dialogic reading. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=135