Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Winner of the iParenting Media Award Decades of research have proven the value of reading aloud to children, and the years between birth and age two are arguably the most crucial for language development. As a parent, it's important that you help your baby acquire the foundation they need to speak earlier, read on their own sooner, and benefit from an increased vocabulary and attention span. Baby Read-Aloud Basics shows you how to establish an effective daily read-aloud routine to take charge of your baby's future understanding and success. Organized around the six stages of early language development from birth to age two, the book provides simple but effective techniques to help you: - Make reading aloud an interactive experience-from intonation and speech patterns to gesture. - Select what to read aloud by looking at how much the text of the book repeats, whether it rhymes, and the types of interactive elements it incorporates. - Know when to read and how often in order to create a reading routine that's both enjoyable and effective. - Ensure your baby gets the right amount of language from a nanny or a caretaker. - Effectively incorporate reading in a bilingual home. Filled with step-by-step instructions, scripted demonstrations, and a list of recommended titles, Baby Read-Aloud Basics gives you all the guidance and information you need to instill a lifelong love of reading and learning, and start your baby along on the road to success." "

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. ix)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Part I Why Baby Read-Alouds Benefit Your Baby's Language Development (p. 7)
• 1 Ten Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Baby from Day One (p. 9)
• 2 Eight Baby Read-Aloud Basics (p. 26)
• Part II The Six Baby Read-Aloud Stages (p. 35)
• 3 Stage 1: The Listener (Birth to Two Months) (p. 43)
• 4 Stage 2: The Observer (Two to Four Months) (p. 62)
• 5 Stage 3: The Cooer (Four to Eight Months) (p. 79)
• 6 Stage 4: The Babbler (Eight to Twelve Months) (p. 95)
• 7 Stage 5: The Word Marker (Twelve to Eighteen Months) (p. 113)
• 8 Stage 6: The Phrase Maker (Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months) (p. 133)
• Part III Practical Tips and Resources (p. 155)
• 9 Frequently Asked Questions About Talking and Reading to Babies (p. 157)
• 10 Fun Activities and Tips to Manage TV and Make a Language-Rich Home (p. 175)
• 11 Interviews with Parents of Successful Readers (p. 194)
• 12 Baby Books 101 (p. 218)
• Notes (p. 231)
• Additional Resources (p. 237)
• Index (p. 241)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This is a groundbreaking book by Blakemore and Ramirez, two certified Reading Recovery teachers with a combined 50 years of experience helping children with reading difficulties. They respond to what we've all heard about the importance of reading to children from day one, addressing in a thorough and accessible way the dynamics of reading to children and the kind of material parents should consider for the purpose. They break down the newborn-to-toddler age range into six stages, each of which includes age characteristics, read-aloud instructions and demonstrations, and reviews of recommended books. They then provide practical tips and resource information for parents, including questions and answers, activities for a language-rich home, interviews with parents of successful readers, and a section titled "Baby Books 101." Their fun, interactive approach will help parents feel at ease reading to their child. If any book were to have all the answers for discovering language with your little one, this would be it; highly recommended for all public libraries.-Kari Ramstrom, MLIS, Plymouth, MN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.