early years bulletin, summer 2013

Early Years BulletinSummer 2013

vol 1, no 1

Staying Safe in the Summer

Toddlers have an unending sense of curiosity that can often get them hurt. The summer months present unique risks for toddlers. Be aware of these summertime health risks and keep the little ones happy and healthy.

Swimming poolsSwimming pool are great fun for little kids, but must be enjoyed with supervision to keep toddlers safe. Children should never be left alone near water, and should be supervised by CPR-certified adults. For toddlers, adults should always be within arms length of the child to ensure safety.

Welcome to Early Years Bulletin

This is the first issue of Early Years Bulletin, which the Association for Childhood Education International will be publishing four times a year to bring together the voices of practitioners, administrators, researchers, and advocates around specific issues that impact teaching and learning for children ages 0 to 6. Each issue will also include reviews of children’s books and helpful information for caretakers and educators working with children in the early years.

Please be sure to keep us up-to-date on any changes to your e-mail address, so that we may continue sending you notices about this publication.

Remember:ACEI is pleased to offer access to online training for early care and education professionals through collaboration with Child Care Education Institute (CCEI). Go to http://acei.org/additional-benefits/ccei.html for more information.

Contents

p. 2 Listening toStudents

p. 5 Ten Pillarsof a GoodChildhood

p. 6 Children’s Books

p. 1, 10SummerSafety

continued on p. 10 . . .

http://acei.org/additional-benefits/ccei.html

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Early Years Bulletin Summer 2013

Learning to Listen to My Students’ Voicesby Emily Lilja, Head Teacher, The Weekday School at the Riverside Church, New York, New York

“Superhero meeting!” Ted’s voice rang out in the classroom, announcing to his classmates that

their daily ritual of superhero storytelling was about to commence. Other boys answered the call by repeating “Superhero meeting!” and they began to select their superhero characters and craft their story together. The members of this superhero club were the 4- and 5-year-old boys in the mixed-age preschool classroom where I taught. By some quirk of enrollment and birthdays, only two girls were close in age to the members of the superhero club. In general, the girls’ participation seemed mostly relegated to the roles of princesses or girl characters, if they participated at all. I was fascinated by the group’s storytelling process, as were many of the 3-year-old boys and girls excluded from the club; we listened and watched to see how the story might unfold. As the “superheroes” began to craft their story, they assigned the dreaded role of the “bad guy” to other children in the class. Bill, Brian, and Oliver, three of the younger children, looked at each other and the older boys eagerly, seemingly hoping that today would be the day they would be allowed to join the story as something other than a bad guy. It was not to be, however. “Bill and Brian are the alien bad guys; get them!” Ted exclaimed, glancing over to see how Bill would react. Bill’s protest—“No! I am Superman, too!”—was not acknowledged by the superhero club. I wondered about this dynamic and why it was the characteristic of age and gender that determined eligibility into this superhero club, and how the children who were excluded from participating felt about their place in the classroom community.

Background InformationIt was in this context that I began thinking about conducting an inquiry project as a teacher researcher, as part of a practicum course in my early childhood teacher preparation program at Teachers College. I had been teaching in this preschool classroom for a little over a year and had begun to develop specific values and beliefs that informed my teaching and perspectives. The teaching team in the classroom of fifteen 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds valued the role that older children played in modeling for, and mentoring, the younger children. As an individual and a teacher, I valued the feeling of community this dynamic created based on the children’s shared

experience, and I believed that all of children should feel as though they had a voice in our classroom and felt safe to express that voice. At the outset, I knew my teacher research would be directed by these values, but I was unsure of the direction to take my general interest in “community.” The vast possibility of topics and areas of interest were initially daunting and so I began the process of narrowing my research topic by observing the children in my classroom, taking copious notes about what I was observing and how I reacted to what I was seeing, reading as much teacher research as I could get my hands on, and then repeating this process. I noted the enthusiasm for superhero play, which was dominated by themes of power, and wondered how this preference influenced the children’s ideas about their community. Was it possible that playing with ideas about power and good and bad could influence their thought processes about who did and didn’t belong in their classroom and in their play?

My Priority: CommunityI felt strongly about the exclusion I was observing based on age in my classroom, specifically during superhero play. The 4- and 5-year-old boys dominated the superhero play and dictated whether other children could play with them and the roles they could take on. I perceived this as an issue of power and control in the classroom and wondered if it influenced interactions that happened outside the scope of superhero play times, such as when the 4- and 5-year-old boys called the 3-year-olds “babies” or dictated which type of characters the girls could be in the play. I wondered whether this prevailing attitude was affecting how the younger children felt about their place in the community, if they felt safe, and if they felt as though they had a voice in the classroom. The recurrence of mistaken aggression, tears, and exclusion in the superhero play suggested that the children needed support engaging with the themes of interest in their play. After identifying my concerns about exclusion in play through my journaling and self-reflection process, I wanted to learn how other teacher researchers had responded to issues concerning exclusion in their classrooms. I turned to Vivian Paley’s (1992) You Can’t Say You Can’t Play in hope of learning how a teacher might use classroom discussion and rules

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Summer 2013 Early Years Bulletin

to support the development of an inclusive community. I saw the value of a “you can’t say you can’t play” rule and, like Paley, I wanted every member of my classroom community to feel as though they were valued, safe, and belong, by their peers and their teachers. In my play-based classroom, however, such a rule felt too teacher-imposed. Intervening in the children’s play to engage them in conversation about exclusion removed them from the actual play and seemed to serve my purposes and not the children’s. The children abandoned their play rather than suffer my intrusions. Inevitably, teacher interference led to the children feeling imposed upon and upset, damaged relationships, and ended their play. Thus, my rule about not excluding anyone during play no longer mattered—there was hardly any play at all. Fortunately, Vivian Paley (1988) also had documented how young children use fantasy play to process and make meaning from their experiences. Consequently, I wondered if I needed to look more toward the context of the superhero play in the classroom community rather than attempting to regulate the children’s play to serve my own needs.

My Students’ Priority: Superhero PlayAt this point, I took a step back to reflect on my research goals. I realized that I felt uncomfortable when observing the children’s superhero play. I was uncomfortable with the pretend fighting, violence, and exclusion that often accompanied it. I questioned whether the superhero play encouraged the children to view the world in polarized ways; I wondered whether playing with black-and-white concepts of good and bad encouraged the children to see other parts of their world in black-and-white ways as well. I observed that some of the 3-year-olds trying to participate in the superhero play were sometimes unable to distinguish between pretend fighting and real fighting. Some parents shared my discomfort and expressed their concern with what they regarded as aggressive play in the classroom. I was unsure whether my concerns about the inclusiveness of the classroom were connected to the superhero play, but it was clear that the children had a strong interest in the superhero play and its themes of good and bad, power and control, life and death, and fear, as these themes continued to emerge in their play. Even though I knew that interest in superhero play is developmentally typical, I wondered if other teacher researchers had struggled with their own feelings about the aggressive acts that could occur in the context of the play. I read Logue and Shelton’s (2008) work on promoting literacy and social awareness among preschoolers and I immediately identified with the

authors’ initial distress about the violent “bad guy” play occurring in their classroom. The authors believed that in order to ensure the safety and comfort of all the children, they had to discourage the aggressive play; thus, they tried to ban certain actions outright. Through their teacher-directed inquiry project, using the technique of journaling and self-reflection, they realized that by imposing their own values on the children without incorporating the children’s voices, they were hurting their relationships with the children. Eventually, instead of rejecting the interests of the children, the teachers welcomed the concept of bad guys into the classroom and facilitated a curriculum and play that channeled the children’s interest in the topic. This strategy allowed exploration of the underlying themes of superhero/bad guy play (Logue & Shelton, 2008). Reading this teacher research prompted my own self-reflection. I had taken issue with the superhero play because of my own discomfort with what appeared to be the young children’s aggressive play and the way some of the children regulated who could participate in the play. I realized that I would not achieve my goals by imposing my values, beliefs, or rules on the children in my classroom—by forcing the children to include each other in their play or even banning superheroes. Part of what Logue and Shelton (2008) had learned through their own teacher research was to be open to the interests of the children. In fact, by meeting the children where they were, these teachers were able to advance their own classroom goals. Incorporating this research into my inquiry project helped me realize that I was failing to be open to the interests of my students.

Re-evaluating PrioritiesI came to the conclusion that if I wanted to be successful, I needed to listen to my students about their concerns and let ideas come from them. The internal world of the young child is a fantastical place, where daily struggles over power and control and concerns of good and bad naturally relate to the black-and-white world of superheroes and bad guys (Paley, 1988). The play was not inherently about superheroes; these characters just happened to be the most readily available figures with whom the children could relate their interest in the themes of good and bad and power and control. I did still wonder if the children’s interest in these themes, in the context of the superhero play, might have affected the inclusiveness of our community. Once I began listening more closely to the children, I was determined to create a space where the children could engage with these themes in the context of their interests and without fear

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of teacher imposition.

Finding the BalanceIn searching for a method to address these issues in my classroom, I stumbled upon Mariana Souto-Manning’s Freire, Teaching, and Learning: Culture Circles Across Contexts (2010). I was inspired by her use of multiple versions of the folktale “The Three Little Pigs” to teach her students about differing perspectives, and I spoke with my teaching team about introducing Paul Galdone’s The Three Little Pigs (1970), Jon Scieszka’s The True Story of The Three Little Pigs (1996), and Eugene Trivizas’s The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (1997) into our classroom library. I hoped that these different versions of the story might challenge my students’ static thinking about heroes and bad guys. I hoped that if all the children in the classroom could consider narratives (in books and in play) from multiple perspectives, then perhaps being the bad guy in the story might not seem so scary. Perhaps, if the children could accept some gray areas in their notions of good and bad, they might be able to relax the boundaries they had constructed within the classroom. But as I introduced these stories into the classroom, new interests and themes were picked up by the children and something I had not expected or planned for began to happen. By the time I was ready to try my new strategy within the context of the superhero play, the 4- and 5-year-old boys of the “superhero club” had developed a new interest in playing “rock bands.” Through the boys’ active leadership, this new interest began to take over our classroom; I wondered whether the interest in themes of power and control and good and bad had been exhausted. I made the books available to children to read and I noticed a continued interest in all of the versions of The Three Little Pigs by many of the children who had often been excluded from the superhero play, particularly the 3-year-old boys. I continued reading the teacher research of Souto-Manning (2010) and realized that my students and I had begun the process of learning together in a culture circle. Culture circles are part of the educational work of Paulo Freire and were the basis of his approach to adult literacy programs in Brazil in the 1960s (Souto-Manning, 2010). Participants of the culture circle gather to talk about issues relevant to their daily lives; then, the facilitator takes note of common themes or issues and codifies them through pictures and text to further extend discussion (Souto-Manning, 2010). An important premise is that these themes are “generative,” in that they come from the participants and represent relevant issues and daily life (Souto-Manning, 2010). Eventually, I made the

connection that the stories about the three pigs capture similar themes to that of superhero play without actually being about superhero play. The children could continue to explore their interest in these themes, but in a way that was removed from the context of their experiences around exclusion or aggressive play. It seemed I had finally arrived at a place in my inquiry in which my research had become more defined and could balance the needs of my students with my values.

ConclusionsInitially, I began my teacher inquiry project by focusing on the superhero play I had been observing in my classroom and on my concerns about how it might be impacting the classroom community. Through an ongoing process of self-reflection and reading research, I was able to open myself up to interacting and engaging with the children in my class within the context of their play and the topics that were of interest to them. The process was not only about narrowing and focusing my research; it also encouraged me to reflect on my own beliefs and preferences as a teacher. The process brought to light my own discomfort with young children’s aggressive superhero play (especially play that incorporates violent themes) and my desire to shift this play toward something less aggressive. Like Logue and Shelton and Paley, I came to the realization that my students were engaging with certain concepts and ideas for a reason. In order to support my students’ process and make meaning from these concepts, I had to be open to hearing their voices tell me, through their play, what was important to them. By learning to listen to my students, I could help them create that community of learners and players I so valued, one based on our mutual interest in exploring the themes relevant to my students.

ReferencesGaldone, P. (1970). The three little pigs. New York, NY: Clarion.Logue, M. E., & Shelton, H. (2008). The stories bad guys tell:

Promoting literacy and social awareness in preschool. The Constructivist, 19(1).

Paley, V. G. (1988). Bad guys don’t have birthdays: Fantasy play at four. Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press.

Paley, V. G. (1992). You can’t say you can’t play. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Scieszka, J. (1996). The true story of the three little pigs. London, England: Puffin Books.

Souto-Manning, M. (2010). Freire, teaching and learning: Culture circles across contexts. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Trivizas, E. (1997). The three little wolves and the big bad pig. New York, NY: Aladdin Books.

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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.

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Pinkney, Jerry THREE LITTLE KITTENS. ISBN 0-80373533-2. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2010. 40 pp. $16.99. It’s autumn in Jerry Pinkney’s version of the Three Little Kit-tens, and this mischievous trio can’t wait to go outside and tumble in the leaves with their mousie toys, their ball of yarn, and the cardinal, blue jay, and goldfinch that swoop outside their window. True to form, they lose their mittens, find them again, eat pie with them on and dirty them, wash them clean, and then ask to go outside and play again. The delight of this traditional version of the story is all in the details of the illustrations. Any cat lover will recognize how truly Pinkney has portrayed the way the kittens move, the things that catch their atten-tion, even that wide-eyed, wild look they get when they are engrossed in play. There’s a lot to look at on every page, and the music and words to “The Three Little Kit-tens” are printed on the book jacket. Ages 3-5.

Frazier, CraigLOTS OF DOTS. ISBN 978-0-8118- 7715-2. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2010. 32 pp. $16.99. The award-win-ning author of the “Stanley” series provides an irresist-ible new classic for younger children. The major char-acter is an inviting, almost clown-like, silhouette figure with the startling contrast of black-and-white “goggle” eyes as his only facial feature. On each page, he adopts a different brilliant popsicle hue as he points out the dot shapes in a variety of environments or objects familiar to children, such as a stoplight, a starry night, buttons, etc. Children will delight in the lyrical rhymes paired with unusual adjectives, as this character romps through day and night in his self-appointed capacity of dot tour guide. This story would be an excellent resource on any bookshelf for teaching about colors, rhymes, and pre-dictable text for emerging readers, or as an art resource in combination with office supply dot stickers. Ages 2-6.

Hall, MichaelPERFECT SQUARE. ISBN 978- 0-06-191513-0. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2011. 20 pp. $16.99. Vi-brant torn-paper collage illustrations document the life of a red square throughout the week. The square becomes strips, triangles, and other pieces, creatively assembled to suggest a scene through the addition of

simple line drawings. These charming combinations allow children to see the possibilities of their own work in tangram-style reassembly, and within the scope of their emerging fine motor skills as well. In camouflage, beneath the colors and shapes, appears a wonderfully gentle message regarding the value of flexibility in the face of the transitions we all cope with on a day-to-day basis. This is an excellent story for exploring color, shape, or days of the week; illustration styles of water color, collage, or line drawing; or as a template for creating individual or class books. Ages 2-6.

Perrin, MartineWHAT DO YOU SEE? ISBN 978-0-8075-6712-8. Park Ridge, IL: Albert Whitman, 2011. 34 pp. $8.99. LOOK WHO’S THERE! ISBN 978-0-8075-7676-2. Park Ridge, IL: Albert Whitman, 2011. 34 pp. $8.99. In these companion board book translations of the original French books, Perrin uses negative space, repeating patterns, and colors in delightful cutouts to partially reveal the answers to “Who is hiding?” and “What do you see?” Viewing the bold graphics and intense, complementary colors in Look Who’s There!, the reader is drawn to guess what is partially revealed and then turn the page to find the answer. In What Do You See?, Perrin beautifully uses cutouts to outline an object and add a graphic fill pattern from the following page, keeping the reader on the move to enjoy the visual play throughout the book. These board book editions make it safe for young read-ers to handle even the cutouts, which are striking to see and inviting to touch. Ages 3 and up.

Thompson, CarolI LIKE YOU THE BEST. Il. by Carol Thompson. ISBN 978-0-8234-2341-5. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2011. 32 pp. $16.95. Dolly the pig and Jack the rabbit are best friends. Following an argument, they experience many different and difficult emotions. Once they step away from their negative reactions and reflect on their friendship, how-ever, they realize they miss each other very much. They meet at their “Best Place” to talk, share their feelings, and help each other relax. They know that no matter what, they will always like each other the best. This story demonstrates to preschoolers how to deal with such emotions as anger and sadness. They will learn how to

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implement stress-reduction techniques themselves, such as taking a few deep breaths and counting to 10. This will allow them to deal with unpleasant emotions and move toward what is important—friendship. Ages 2-5.

Cote, GenevieveWITHOUT YOU. ISBN 978-1- 55453-620-7. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press, 2011. 36 pp. $16.95. Although readers can tell that Rabbit and Pig are good friends, the two are arguing as the story opens. They both make lists of all the things they can do alone—without the other one. In the end, however, they realize that whatever they are doing is more fun when they have a friend to share it with. Without You illustrates for young children how to be a friend even after a disagreement, and would be a useful centerpiece for a classroom or home discussion about getting along and being friends. The simple text and charming illustrations make it a good choice for very young children. Ages 3-6.

Fox, MemTWO LITTLE MONKEYS. Il. by Jill Barton. ISBN 978-1-4169-8687- 4. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2012. 32 pp. $16.99. This rhythmical tale of Two little monkeys . . . one named Cheeky, and one named Chee, begins with them playing near that big old tree! Suddenly, they hear a sound nearby and wonder what could it be? They run, scramble, tremble, hide, and peep until they learn that a leopard is prowl-ing nearby. Eventually they leap from that big old tree until they are as safe as can be. Their journey to safety is captured in rhythm, rhyme, and repetition that in-vites even the youngest reader to participate. Barton’s simple, gentle illustrations of a jungle setting provide the reader with occasional hints about the identity of the animal that is lurking nearby—a tail extends from the bush or an ear can be seen through the vegetation. Fox’s large text font and Barton’s illustrations create a literary guessing game that is appropriate for a group read-aloud or one-on-one shared story . . . over and over again. Ages 3-8.

Springman, I. C.MORE. Il. by Brian Lies. ISBN 978-0- 547-61083-2. Bos-ton, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 34 pp. $15.29.

“More” is just one of the terms and phrases of quantity featured in this concept book. Beginning with “Nothing,” a mouse aids a magpie—known for stealing shiny ob-jects—in finding a marble, small toys, and other items, which the magpie adds to its nest. Soon, “Lots,” and “Plenty,” accompany the gathering, until there is “More than enough.” On the verge of collapse, the nest is emp-tied until there is “Less,” and eventually “Not much at all.” The final illustration depicts the magpie flying with the mouse, a ribbon entwining a chess piece and a marble trailing behind—perhaps providing a visual metaphor of freedom. The engaging acrylic and pencil illustrations invite examination for visual appreciation as well as object identification among the carefully constructed clutter. Ages 3-7.

Boldt, ClaudiaOLD DOG. ISBN 978-0-7358-4068- 3. New York, NY: North South, 2012. 32 pp. $16.96. Although he is a dog, Peanut loves apples. He is convinced the neighboring dog, Milo, is going to steal apples from his tree—especially the juiciest one, which hangs over Milo’s garden. Peanut’s worst nightmare is realized when that apple falls directly into Milo’s bowl. Milo picks up the apple and, to Peanut’s surprise, offers it to him, explaining that he likes bones better and he knows how much Peanut likes apples. They bond, and Peanut invites Milo to a picnic. Boldt conveys Peanut’s tension clearly, as the apple ripens and he worries about losing his treat. The resolution shows how worries based on unfounded impressions of others are unnecessary. The spare illustrations, in subtle hues for the background, soft browns for the dogs, and more saturated reds for the stand-out apples, complement this gentle story of friendship. Ages 3-5.

Dubuc, MarianneANIMAL MASQUERADE. English translation by Yvette Ghione. ISBN 978- 1-55453-782-2. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press Ltd., 2012. 120 pp. $16.95. There is going to be a masquerade party. What should the animals wear? Myriad creatures, from bear and butterfly to porcupine to platypus, join Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, a three-headed monster, and a unicorn in preparation for the event. Lion begins with an elephant disguise: a trunk and elephant feet. Elephant is wearing a parrot disguise: two wings and a beak. Parrot is next, and the costuming

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continues. Some characters do not disguise them-selves; after all, the platypus “looks like he’s already in disguise.” The animals are illustrated without background distraction, heightening emphasis on characteristics and costumes, and the text is mini-mal. Ages 3-5.

Kaplan, MichaelBETTY BUNNY WANTS EVERYTHING. Il. by Stephane Jorisch. ISBN 978-0-8037. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012. 32 pp. $16.99. Betty is a very confident and verbal young lady who is offered the chance of choosing one toy for herself at the toy store . . . and she ends up filling her cart to overflow-ing. There is much conversation with her mom and her brother, as Betty comes to terms with not being able to have everything she wants. Great discussions can evolve around how you decide what is most important. Every parent or grandparent has lived through a similar time with the young children in their lives. The beautiful illustrations enhance the simple plot, and children can connect the text with their own lives. A possible companion book is Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake. Ages 3-7.

Litwin, EricPETE THE CAT AND HIS FOUR GROOVY BUTTONS. Il. by James Dean. ISBN 978-0-06-191024 1. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2011. 32 pp. $16.99. This book is a favorite with my 2-year-old and 3 1/2-year-old grandsons. The text is catchy and lends itself to a singsong rhythm—counting the buttons on a shirt that pop off one by one. Subtraction skills are em-bedded within the story, but the fun of the rhyme is what catches my grandsons’ attention. After all the buttons are gone, there is only a belly button left—the boys laugh at that every time. The illustrations are bright and appealing. The author offers a website link to hear him singing the book page by page on youtube—great fun. The other books in the series are done in similar styles. Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes can be companion book. Ages 2-6.

Tullet, HervePRESS HERE. ISBN 13:978-0-81187- 954-5. San Fran-cisco, CA: Chronicle, 2011. 56 pp. $15.99. This is a beginning reading/participation book. It asks young readers to follow directions by first pressing a yellow dot, and then various combinations of dots as the book progresses. Like magic, actions create changes

that are only to be discovered when the next page is turned. The dots multiply, change directions, and grow in size as pages are shaken, the book is tilted, and dots are pressed. Ages 2-6.

Halfmann, JanetEGGS 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be? Il. by Betsy Thompson. ISBN 978- 1-60905-191-4. Maplewood, NJ: Blue Apple Books, 2012. 32 pp. $17.99. This nonfiction book allows young readers to count from 1 to 10 while guessing which animal babies are hidden beneath each flap of a two-page spread. The inter-active format provides text and picture clues that encourage the reader to guess before lifting the flap to reveal the answer to Who will the baby/babies be? Halfman includes familiar animals, such as the pen-guin chick—One egg/ big and white/snuggled on Papa’s feet in a land of ice and snow. There are also baby animals, like platypus puggles, that may be less familiar—Two eggs/stuck together/ warmed by a furry tail in a tunnel by a stream. Thompson’s use of simple, but beautifully textured materials to create the collages is sure to meet the approval of young readers. This book is likely to be a favorite addition to any personal or school library. Ages 2 up.

Saltzberg, BarneyBEAUTIFUL OOPS! ISBN 978-0- 76115-728-1. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company, 2010. 28 pp. $11.95. “A torn piece of paper . . . is just the begin-ning!” Smudges and smears, a hot-chocolate stain, even a hole—when applied with a little paint—can be made into great works of art. There is no such thing as a mistake, only the opportunity to explore artistic talents. This book is a festive invitation to young artists, and a must for early childhood educa-tors. A great gift for your child or grandchild. Ages 3-7.

Suneby, Liz, & Heiman, DianeIT’S A . . . IT’S A . . . IT’S A MITZVAH. Il. by Laurel Molk. ISBN 978-1-58023-509-9. Woodstock, VT: Jew-ish Lights Publication, 2012. 32 pp. $18.99. In Jewish tradition, “doing a mitzvah” is fulfilling a sacred commandment to perform good deeds. Using engaging and lively examples, Mitzvah Meerkat and friends demonstrate various good deeds children can undertake, such as welcoming new friends, sharing food with the hungry, and helping some-one who is sick. After each good deed is performed

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(kangaroos recycling plastic bottles to take care of the earth and sheep knitting colorful scarves for the needy), the meerkat exclaims “It’s a . . . it’s a . . . it’s a mitzvah!” Children from any background will appreciate the lively illustrations, simple repetition, and message of performing acts of “loving kind-ness.” This would be a good choice for multi-cultural literature collection. Ages 3-6.

Dewdney, AnnaLLAMA LLAMA HOPPITY-HOP.ISBN 978-0-67001-329-6. New York, NY: Viking Ju-venile, 2012. 14 pp. $5.99. This book is in a set of four board books written by Dewdney, who is best known for her Llama Llama books in the 4-8 age range. The other three books are Llama Llama Wakey- Wake, Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom, and Llama Llama Nighty-Night. Each of the books contain simple pictures and rhythmic text that are sure to engage the youngest children. The books lend themselves well to the interactive nature of reading, as readers and listeners will be inspired to act out the pictures and text. Ages 1-3.

Stoeke, Janet M.THE LOOPY COOP HENS: Pip’s Trip. ISBN 978-0-80373-708-2. New York, NY: Dial Publishing Company, 2012. 32 pp. $16.99. The Loopy Coop Hens, Pip, Dot, and Midge, are back for more adventures in this pic-ture book. This time, they are curious about where a truck goes when it leaves the farm. They resolve to get into the back of the truck, even though the idea of going off into “the wide world” scares them. Pip, the bravest, climbs in first. Before Dot and Midge follow, however, they decide to consult Rooster Sam. When the truck starts, Pip is the only one on board; she doesn’t know what to do and closes her eyes. When she finally opens them, she is surprised to see that things look the same. Her friends con-gratulate her on her braveness and are no longer interested in “the wide world.” This vividly illustrated picture book captures Pip’s courageous spirit and her acknowledgment that home might be the most exciting place of all. Ages 3 & up.

Henkes, KevinPENNY AND HER SONG. ISBN 978-0-06208-195-7. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2012. 32 pp. $12.99. Little mouse girl Penny rejoices over the new song she learned in school and wants to share it with her

family. Unfortunately, every time she tries to sing, she is told to stop. First, because “the babies are asleep”; later, because one doesn’t sing at the table. Penny decides to sing to her animals, but finds that it’s not the same as singing for others. Nearly for-getting about her song, she finally gets a chance to perform after dinner. She sings her song, not once, not twice, and not three times, but four times, with her family happily joining in for the last two per- formances! Her parents even discover that Penny’s singing helps the babies fall asleep. Penny goes to sleep happy to have shared her song and hopeful she will remember it in the morning—she does! This easy reader picture book about families and sharing would be great for beginning readers. Ages 3 & up.

Willems, MoTHE DUCKLING GETS A COOKIE. ISBN 978-1-42315-128- 9. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2012. 40 pp. $15.99. Mo Willems’ latest book, The Duckling Gets a Cookie, is about a pigeon who com- plains vigorously about a duckling who got a cookie with nuts by asking politely for it the first time! This story opens up topics about being fair, getting what one wants, what constitutes a reasonable request, and sharing. The words and pictures by Mo Willems will surely entice children to read more about the pigeon’s antics. Willems earned a 2004 Caldecott Honor for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Ages 2 up.

Scotton, RobSECRET AGENT SPLAT. ISBN 978-0-06-197871-5. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2012. 32 pp. $15.00. Although many children love the Splat character, some young children seem confused by his un-cat like appearance. He does have an endearing smile and the illustrations in this adventure are the color-ful, lively pictures we have come to expect from this author illustrator. The character of Seymour is not really introduced in the early pages, which might be confusing if this was the first Splat book a child had read. The mystery and the traps are fun with good illustrations, but the conclusion seems a little weak. My 3-year-old grandsons were concerned about the missing beaks. The duck code on the back cover is fun, but we couldn’t find any hidden messages in the text, which was disappointing. This one may be more fun for the older children of the age range. Ages 3-7.

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SunburnThe American Cancer Society reports that the risk of skin cancer increases if the patient had severe sunburns in childhood. Luckily for today’s toddlers, parents area aware of the need for sun safety. There are many sun-screen options with SPFs up to 75 that can help you keep your little ones safe from the sun.

FireworksSparklers are simply fascinating to toddlers, but are very dangerous for kids of all ages if not handled cor-rectly. Kidsturncentral.com suggests that to ensure safety, fireworks should always be used under adult supervision. Anything with a flame should only be handled by adults. Children should be kept away from lit fireworks to keep all involved safe and happily enjoying the show.

Bug bitesBug bites can be dangerous as they can spread West Nile Virus or can cause allergic reactions. Close supervi-sion and a healthy dose of bug repellent will help keep little ones from getting bug bites and bee stings.

DehydrationJuice boxes and popsicles are typical summertime treats but in order to avoid dehydration, make sure your toddler is getting enough water. Christie Silvers’ Associated Content article indicates that a toddler, should drink about 5.5 cups of water each day to be properly hydrated. Try diluting juices with water or substituting water for juice. Keep an eye on your child’s urinary output to make sure they are still processing fluids at a constant rate. As Webmd.com explains, dehydration symptoms include dry skin, decreased urination and a darker color urine. This condition can be dangerous to ensure that your child is getting enough to drink on those hot summer days.

Poison ivyYoung children are tactile and learn by touching. Unfortunately, it is a hard lesson to learn by touching poison ivy. Supervise children to prevent them from playing with poison, and if somehow they do find it, be sure to have plenty of calamine lotion or hydrocortisone on hand to treat the rash.

AllergiesToddlers may begin developing allergies and should be watched for symptoms like running nose and itchy eyes. The Baby Center website suggests that if you think your child has allergies, over the counter medicines may help, but you need to consult your pediatrician to ensure that the issue truly is allergies, and to discuss prescription versus over the counter medication options.

Early Years Bulletin is published quarterly by the Association for Childhood Education International, 1101 16th St., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.

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.

ACEI HEADquArtErS StAff:Diane P. Whitehead, Executive DirectorMichelle Allen, Operations ManagerAnne Watson Bauer, Editor/Director of PublicationsBanhi Bhattacharya, Professional Development and Research SpecialistEmebet G/Micheal, Accounting ManagerDeborah Jordan Kravitz, Production EditorSheri Levin, Member Relations and Communications ManagerYvette Murphy, Director of Advocacy and OutreachDione Walters, Membership Assistant

early years bulletin, summer 2013

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