Baby Storytime Magic: Active Early Literacy through Bounces, Rhymes, Tickles, and More

by Kathy MacMillan and Christine Kirker.  ALA Editions, 2014.  $50.00

Order now from the Deaf Camps, Inc. Online Bookstore (autographed copies that support a great cause!) or from the ALA Store or from amazon.com.

“This will be a go-to book time and again, for ideas, for planning, and for resources for any adult working with children under age 2, and sometimes older.” – Sara Marcus, American Reference Books Annual

Whether you’ve been presenting baby storytimes for fifteen years or fifteen minutes, you probably already know that the first five years of life are key for brain development and early literacy. Many public libraries have instituted baby and toddler programs, but finding exciting materials for baby storytime that go beyond nursery rhymes can be a challenge. Baby Storytime Magic is a treasure trove of new and exciting ideas for programs, all of which revolve around themes from a baby’s world. Inside this resource you’ll find

• Fingerplays, bounces, flannelboards, activities with props, songs, American Sign Language activities, and more, with items arranged by type of material
• Tips for planning storytimes, with advice on logistical issues such as age grouping, scheduling, formats, and physical setup
• Guidance on involving caregivers in baby storytimes, including suggested scripts for explaining the benefits of each activity and how to use it at home
• Age-appropriate book recommendations
• Information on the stages of early childhood development, plus an appendix of recommended additional resources
• A thematic index to find the right storytime quickly
• Links to full-sized, downloadable flannelboard patterns, craft patterns, and worksheets

Packed with ready-to-use activities, reducing prep time substantially, this book is a valuable early literacy tool for every children’s librarian.

Click here for a preview of material from the book.