Beth Maddigan

This book is a storytelling program resource book for babies, toddlers, and families. It is written for public libraries but it can be used in other settings such as individual’s home. This book is very practical and contains information that will be very helpful for beginner library programmers. The first chapter of the book deals with how to figure out the logistics of programming.

The book is divided into chapters depending on the child’s age level: babies, wonderful ones, terrific twos, just threes, and family fun. It provides eight complete programs per age level. The authors present what the children should be able to do at each age level and how to approach each age level. By using songs, easy motions such as clapping and bouncing, and fingerplay, it will engage the children of all ages in learning. Each chapter is full of activities and crafts that can be enjoyed by the children as well as the parents. Especially the last chapter, Family Fun, deals with activities family can perform as a group. All of these activities are described in detail so that all the users can easily understand how the activities and crafts work.

All the necessary information and printout are provided in the book. This is must-have resource book for everyone who works with children.… (meer)

An excellent resource for first-time storytellers, this programming guide covers all of the aspects of storytime for babies and toddlers. The initial chapters focus on developing a storytime program from scratch, including details about what supplies are needed, thoughts on pre-registered versus drop-in programs, whether siblings should attend, and even what physical space the program should be held in. The bulk of the book is broken down into age categories, with a section each for babies, one-, two-, and three-year-olds, and families. Each age section includes special considerations for that particular audience and dozens of themed programming plans, complete with books, song and fingerplay suggestions, and copy-ready templates for craft activities. The format is very browsable, and the index allows readers to find resources by theme (e.g., “cats” or “rainbows”), as well. New storytellers will greatly appreciate the comprehensive nature of this guide. Recommended for children’s librarians, and may also be a helpful resource for preschool teachers and daycare providers.… (meer)