© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Chapter 4 Books to Begin On

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Books to Begin On  Developing Initial Literacy  Babies’ First Books  Toy Books  Finger Rhymes and Nursery Songs  Mother Goose  Alphabet Books  Counting Books

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Books to Begin On (cont.)  Concept Books  Wordless Books  Books About the Common Experiences of Young Children  Books for the Beginning Reader

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Books to Begin On  Developing Initial Literacy  Babies’ First Books  Toy Books  Finger Rhymes and Nursery Songs

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Books for the Very Young Child The Best Books for Babies and Toddlers Should:  Relate familiar life experiences  Provide clear uncluttered illustrations with little or no distracting background  Be well constructed with sturdy, durable pages

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Books for the Very Young Child (cont.)  Use clear, natural language  Have predictable stories  Provide some humor, especially so the child will feel superior  Offer opportunities for participation and interaction  Hold the child’s attention

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Mother Goose  The Appeal of Mother Goose  Different Editions of Mother Goose  Collections  Single-Verse Editions  Nursery Rhymes Collections from Other Lands

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Coverage  How many verses are included? Are they well-known rhymes, or are there some fresh and unusual ones?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Illustration  What medium has been used? What colors?  Are the illustrations realistic, stylized, or varied?  Are the illustrations consistent with the text? Do they elaborate the text?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Illustration (cont.)  What is the mood of the illustrations (humorous, sedate, high-spirited)?  Has the illustrator created a fresh approach, avoiding cliché-ridden images?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Text  Does the text read smoothly, or have verses been altered?  Is the text all on the same page, or fragmented by turning the page?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Setting  What background is presented -- rural or urban?  Does the book take place in any particular country?  Is the setting modern or in the past?  What does the setting add to the collection?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Characters  Do the characters come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds?  Do the characters have distinct personalities?  Are adult and children featured? Only children?  How are animals presented -- as humans or realistically?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Arrangement  Is there a thematic arrangement of the verses?  Is there a feeling of unity to the whole book, rather than just separate verses?  Are pictures and verses well spaced or crowded?  Is it clear which picture illustrates which verse?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Mother Goose Books Format  What is the quality of the paper and the binding?  Is the title page well designed?  Is there an index or table of contents?  Is there harmony among endpapers, cover, and jacket?

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. More Books to Begin On  Alphabet Books  Counting Books  Concept Books  Wordless Books  Books About Common Experiences of Young Children

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating ABC Books  The objects or animals should be presented clearly.  For very young children, only one or two objects should be pictured on a page.  Common objects or animals that are easily identifiable are best for the young child.

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating ABC Books (cont.)  ABC books should avoid the use of objects that might be known by several names.  The author/illustrator's purpose for the book should be clear.  The illustrations should be consistent with the text and reflect the mood of the book.

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating ABC Books (cont.)  The organizing principle of the presentations should be clear.  The intended age level should be considered in both pictures and text.

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Counting Books  Objects to be counted should stand out clearly.  Accuracy is essential.  Common objects that children know, such as fingers, toes, and eggs, are usually best for the young child.  Groupings or sets should be clearly differentiated.

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Evaluating Counting Books  Number concepts should not be lost in the story.  The level of thinking required should be challenging for appropriate ages.

© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Books for the Beginning Reader  Predictable Books  Controlled-Vocabulary Books  Big Books