245mm
171mm

Binding
Paperback

Extent
96pp

Images
Approx 120 full colour illustrations

Reading has a vital place in a baby’s development as it is essential for building his or her communication and literacy skills. It’s also highly pleasurable for both parent and baby, enabling bonding, the happy use of time spent together and having fun with words.

This guide to reading to babies and very young children advises parents on the types of books or stories to use with their children – starting with picture books and moving through to classic fairy tales to those that suit a child’s interests. It explains how to spot if a baby is connecting with a story, the signs to look out for, and ways to encourage involvement in a tale. The book also examines storytelling techniques, such as repetition, use of voice and facial expression and the assistance of a reading puppet. There are sections on how to tell the perfect bedtime tale, storytelling games for parties, and on making up your own stories.

The book highlight the benefits of reading to your children from birth – including helping them appreciate the importance of books, the growth of literacy and creativity and getting children used to concentrating for short periods of time. Reading/storytelling can fire children’s imaginations, help them explore and become familiar with language and communication, and also be an important part of the parent/child bonding process.

• Insights into the benefits of reading to your baby from an early age
• Techniques such as painting pictures with words, using facial expressions and hand gestures, and using props such as soft toys to bring stories alive
• Suggestions for what to read at each age
• Advice on bedtime storytelling including creating the perfect atmosphere and picking the right tale to promote a good night’s sleep
• Ways of getting your baby to engage with a story and building on his or her enjoyment
• Storytelling games and activities for parties or groups of children
• Using stories to help children cope with major life events
  
• Guidance in creating your own tales, using people and events familiar to our child

Alison Davies is a writer and professional storyteller. She works in schools, libraries and nurseries, running storytelling sessions and workshops on how storytelling can be used as a tool to enhance teaching and learning. She is the author of Storytelling in the Classroom and writes regularly for the Times Educational Supplement, Nursery World, Scholastic, Mother and Baby, Psychologies and Teaching and Learning Magazine.