“The ideal time to begin sharing books with children is during babyhood, even with children as young as six weeks.” —Starting Out Right National Research Council All parents hope to give their children the best possible start in life. Many of them know it’s a good idea to read to their children at a very young age, not with the goal of teaching their kids to read, but with the joy of having special time together looking at pictures and playing with words. Carefully chosen books that introduce children to the pleasures of language, simple story structure, and wonderful artwork are the foundation for a future love of books. Great Books for Babies and Toddlers is the first book of its kind—a guide to the best age appropriate children’s books available. Compiled by Kathleen Odean, former Chair of the Newbery Award Committee, Great Books for Babies and Toddlers provides lively annotations for more than five hundred books, divided into two helpful categories: Nursery Rhymes, Fingerplays, and Songs; and Picture-Story Books for the Very Young. With story selections ranging from such classics of children’s literature as Goodnight Moon and Where’s Spot? to excellent new books like How Does a Dinosaur Say Good Night? and Buzz! , Great Books for Babies and Toddlers will be more than a cherished guide for parents—it will also be a child’s first step in the lifelong adventure of reading. Chances are, your baby shower showered you with copies of Goodnight Moon , and you, if not your little one, are ready to move on. Kathleen Odean--former children's librarian, chair of the 2002 Newbery Award committee, and author of Great Books for Girls and other excellent children's literature guides--has compiled 500 book recommendations for babies and toddlers. The time to begin sharing books with children is during babyhood. As the introduction states, "Reading to young children sets them on the path of emergent literacy, a term that sums up all the ways children become at home with language, reading, and writing well before they can decipher or print a recognizable word." In addition to book recommendations, Odean offers plenty of insight into early child development, tips on reading aloud, and careful listings of additional print and online resources for information about children's literature. Odean's friendly, accessible guide recommends books in two primary categories: "Nursery Rhymes, Fingerplays, and Songs" and "Picture-Story Books for the Very Young." Each thoughtful, decidedly "un-canned" review demonstrates how a book can be used with a child and describes its distinctive characteristics--the basic content, the look and feel of the illustrations, and the sound of the language. Information such as author, illustrator, publisher, age range, and which editions are currently in print is also provided. You'll find wonderful new castings of tried-and-true Mother Goose rhymes and favorite classics along with picture-book discoveries from Jules Feiffer's Bark, George to Peggy Rathmann's board-book edition of 10 Minutes Till Bedtime . Odean is not only knowledgeable, she has great taste, to boot. This could be the most valuable baby-shower gift you ever give, but if you have any interest in children's literature at all you'll want to keep a copy for yourself. --Karin Snelson This valuable resource includes a wealth of information for parents and librarians about the importance of reading aloud to babies and toddlers, as well as an annotated listing of books, mostly published since 1990. In the informative introduction, Odean discusses when, where, and how to read aloud effectively, choosing the best books, and the importance of visiting the public library. Nursery rhymes, fingerplays, and songs make up the first section, which is followed by picture books for the target audience. The author includes resources and tips for adults with lists of good baby-gift titles, favorite bedtime books, books for older siblings of a new baby, old favorites, books that inspire movement and verbal participation, favorite flap books, and books with multiethnic groups of children. Finally, Odean includes Web sites concerned with young children, sources to help parents keep abreast of literature for them, and further reading. Author, illustrator, and title indexes make for easy access. Libraries will want to have this fabulous guide on hand as well as Jane Marino's Babies in the Library! (Scarecrow, 2003), which encourages libraries to hold programs for infants and toddlers and presents good public library programming ideas. A must for all public libraries. Leslie Barban, Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. Odean's Great Books about Things Kids Love (2001) recommended titles for children ages 3 to 14. Now in the same chatty, enthusiastic style she focuses on helping parents find the best books for the youngest audience. Without a word of jargon, she combines facts a
