Bad Guys Don't Have Birthdays: Fantasy Play at Four (Paperback)

~ (Author) "My mother doesn't have no more birthdays," Fredrick tells me in school one day..." (more)
Key Phrases: doll comer, cubby room, wish fairy, Boy Scout, Battle Cat, Trap Jaw (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Bad guys are not allowed to have birthdays, pick blueberries, or disturb the baby. So say the four-year-olds who announce life's risks and dangers as they play out the school year in Vivian Paley's classroom.

Their play is filled with warnings. They invent chaos in order to show that everything is under control. They portray fear to prove that it can be conquered. No theme is too large or too small for their intense scrutiny. Fantasy play is their ever dependable pathway to knowledge and certainty.

" It . . . takes a special teacher to value the young child's communications sufficiently, enter into a meaningful dialogue with the youngster, and thereby stimulate more productivity without overwhelming the child with her own ideas. Vivian Paley is such a teacher."--Maria W. Piers, in the American Journal of Education

"[Mrs. Paley's books] should be required reading wherever children are growing. Mrs. Paley does not presume to understand preschool children, or to theorize. Her strength lies equally in knowing that she does not know and in trying to learn. When she cannot help children--because she can neither anticipate nor follow their thinking--she strives not to hinder them. She avoids the arrogance of adult to small child; of teacher to student; or writer to reader."--Penelope Leach, author of Your Baby & Child in the New York Times Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (May 21, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226644960
• ISBN-13: 978-0226644967
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #66,727 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy Play is amazing!, May 19, 2007

By	Sharlene L. Schmidt - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really enjoyed this book because it allowed for super hero play which is often frowned on in early education classrooms. Children are allowed to express themselves thru play and their imaginiations can run wild. This book did a great job of showing the reader just how children use their imagininations in play and just how quick the theme can change. This is a great book for anyone who is in the early childhood education field. It makes an easy read and it is truely a great book!!

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorites by Paley, December 12, 2008

By	Jane Beader "Jane" (AZ) - See all my reviews

Vivian Paley is a master at decribing young children's capacity for story telling. Her books are worth twice the price, and extremely readable, informative and thought provoking.