Pam Allyn, founder of the Westchester-based LitLife consortium, provides invaluable annotated lists of tried-and-true books for every age and every pivotal moment in childhood. A veteran teacher, Pam makes a compelling case for reading aloud, storytelling and other literacy-building family rituals.

Lucy Calkins, co-founder of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, shows parents how to nurture curiosity and spark creative thinking in children at home. Having an open and creative approach to conversations, chores, and games is as beneficial as reading, writing, and math. And even in traditional skills like reading and writing, we need to encourage our children to read for meaning and write for expression, rather than focus only on mechanics like phonics and spelling.
 

Shelley Harwayne, co-founder of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and retired NYC schools superintendent, offers wise and practical advice for parents, grandparents, babysitters, nannies, daycare workers, and other caregivers on how to stimulate students' imagination. The book is brimming with practical everyday activities that will spark children's literacy in authentic, joyful ways.
 

This classic is now in its sixth edition. Trelease calls the read-aloud "an advertisement for the joys of reading." Here, he provides anecdotes and the latest research to support parents and caregivers in choosing the best literature to share with children and read aloud dynamically. The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies to help children discover the pleasures of reading.
 

This brochure, designed for parents of young children, describes the kinds of early literacy activities that should take place at school and at home to help children learn to read successfully. It is based on the findings of the National Reading Panel.