Summary
While most parents understand the importance of promoting literacy in their young children, they often aren't sure how to do it. This book provides guidance. Taking a "literacy-throughout-the-day" approach, the authors organize the book around spaces in the home--the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and so forth--and suggest fun, stimulating activities for building children's reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in those spaces. They also offer suggestions for building literacy away from the home, for example, at the grocery store, in the car, and on vacation. They end with a chapter entitled "Advocating for Literacy in Your Child's Educational Setting" that helps you build strong relationships with young children's teachers and caregivers. Filled with practical tips, checklists, photos, suggestions for children's books, developmental milestones to watch for, and great ideas to try today, Beyond Bedtime Stories is essential reading.
V. Susan Bennett-Armistead is a mother of four and an Assistant Professor of Early Literacy at the University of Maine. Drawing on 20 years as a preschool teacher, parent educator, program administrator as well as a PhD with an emphasis in early literacy, she speaks nationally to parent groups and educators on the role that families can play in their children's literacy learning. She is the coauthor of Reading and Writing Informational Text in the Primary Grades: Research-Based Practices and Literacy and the Youngest Learner: Best Practices for Educators of Children from Birth to 5 (both published by Scholastic).
Nell K. Duke is an associate professor of teacher education and educational psychology, an affiliate of the program in school psychology, and co-director of the Literacy Achievement Research Center (LARC) at Michigan State University. Duke received her Bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and her Masters and Doctoral degrees from Harvard University. Duke's work focuses on early literacy development, particularly among children living in poverty. Her specific areas of expertise include development of informational literacies in young children, comprehension development and instruction in early schooling, and issues of equity in literacy education. Duke is the recipient of the International Reading Association Outstanding Dissertation Award, the National Council of Teachers of English Promising Researcher Award, the International Reading Association Dina Feitelson Research Award, and the National Reading Conference Early Career Achievement Award. She is co-author of the books Reading and Writing Informational Text in the Primary Grades: Research-Based Practices; Literacy and the Youngest Learner: Best Practices for Educators of Children from Birth to Five; Beyond Bedtime Stories: A Parent's Guide to Promoting Reading, Writing, and Other Literacy Skills From Birth to 5; and co-editor of the book Literacy Research Methodologies. Duke teaches preservice, inservice and doctoral courses in literacy education at Michigan State, speaks and consults widely on literacy education, and is an active member of several literacy-related organizations. Duke also has a strong interest in improving the quality of educational research training in the U.S.
Annie M. Moses is a doctoral student at Michigan State University in Educational Psychology. She has worked in a variety of child-care settings and taught at the university level. She has written about and presented on topics related to early literacy to early childhood educators. She is the coauthor of Literacy and the Youngest Learner: Best Practices for Educators of Children from Birth to 5 (Scholastic, 2005).
