Toddle on Over: Developing Infant & Toddler Literature Programs (Alleyside Press Reading Activities Series) [Paperback]

Robin Works Davis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Alleyside Press Reading Activities Series

Design 52 quick, lively storytimes to nab the attention of your youngest audiences. Contains information on how to choose and use age-appropriate picture books and media, an annotated list of recommended titles, fingerplays, props, songs and story souvenir ideas with patterns. Themes include the natural world, communities and families, common activities and holidays. For use with ages Infant-3.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

After presenting introductory material on program rationale and charts detailing child development and related reading behaviors, Davis offers planning tips and 10 different program "formulas," culled from current practitioners. The remaining pages are devoted to 53 thematic programs on topics such as "Bears" and "Hands and Feet." Presumably, such handy outlines would cut down considerably on preparation time. Unfortunately, each session contains only three to four songs or fingerplays. Generally, the patterns for the "Story Souvenirs" are reproducible coloring sheets. While the accompanying lists of annotated book titles include some classics, only a few are designated as appropriate for infants; the activities are not coded by age. What's really lacking, however, are the pop-ups, flannel boards, large motor-movement activities, props, and a variety of folk and original music that create joy and excitement in storytime. Linda Ernst's Lapsit Services for the Very Young (Neal-Schuman, 1995) and Judy Nichols's new edition of Storytimes for Two-Year Olds (ALA, 1998) are better choices. Our youngest audiences deserve more than Barney and "Wee Sing" tapes, mundane poetry, and photocopied patterns.-Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Robin Works Davis is the youth services librarian at the Arlington (Texas) Public Library System. She has a bachelor's degree in art and a master's degree in library science. She has over sixteen years of experience working with children in library and recreational settings, and has presented numerous workshops on programming, story times and children's literature. She has written other activity and programming books, including "An Alphabet of Books" and "An Alphabet of Authors."

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Upstart Books (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579500005
• ISBN-13: 978-1579500009
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,842,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toddle on Over, May 30, 2000

By 

Professor Tammy Guerrero (Purdue University, Hammond, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toddle on Over: Developing Infant & Toddler Literature Programs (Alleyside Press Reading Activities Series) (Paperback)

This is an amazing book. It gives step-by-step instructions on library programs for children from birth to 35 months, and their parents. Davis goes into detail at first on how important the first three years of life are for cognitive development. The book is filled with, not only ideas, but actual step-by step instructions. She also includes suggested readings for each topic. Davis gives you, the librarian, a chance to be creative and add to what she already has given. This is a "must" for any chidren's library. She includes songs, finger plays and hundreds of ideas for children's programs, including holidays as well as general topics like food, weather and friends. I was especially impressed with her coverage for infants, and how they learn just by seeing their parents act out finger plays and read to them.