Literacy – recommended books

Reading Magic: How Your Child Can Learn to Read Before School – and Other Read-aloud Miracles

Mem Fox

This book explores the notion of reading aloud to children and the benefits of this for children. Mem Fox gives tips for reading aloud and how to get the most value and joy out of reading aloud to children. This book is a great read for parents and educators alike and is written with humour and enthusiasm.

Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever

Mem Fox

Mem Fox reminds us that reading aloud to babies and young children is a vehicle for building loving care relationships and supporting children’s disposition to learn thus growing in them in a love of books, language and reading.

She provides us with hints and tips for reading aloud to children and 10 Read Aloud Commandments. We recommend this very useful book to parents and early childhood teachers.

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

James Gee

This book is an oldie but a goodie. The title is in itself challenging as often we do not see video games (computer games, using ICT) as learning.

James has come up with 36 Learning Principles which clearly show the learning happening for children when they engage with computer games. Learning such as ‘persistence’ as some games are very hard and still children keep going back to them.

This book is of particular relevance to ‘Baby Boomers’ who have not grown up in a digital age and have not experienced gaming to any degree. It would be a good resource also in your Parent Library for parents who are worried about the amount of time children spend on the computer.

New Zealand Early Childhood Literacy Handbook: Practical Literacy Ideas for Early Childhood Centres

Julie Hamer & Paul Adams

The aim of this handbook is to provide early childhood educators with the information they need to incorporate literacy into their centres in appropriate ways which reflect the broader principles, goals and aspirations of Te Whāriki and their centre community.

The book examines the theoretical rationales for sound literacy policy development and debate, and provides practical frameworks for implementing appropriate and relevant literacy practices in early childhood centres.

This is a very useful book to have in every centre, it is written in an accessible way, with helpful strategies for teachers to put into practice.

The Reading Bug…And How to Help Your Child Catch It

Paul Jennings

In this book, Paul Jennings’ audience is primarily parents so this would be a great book to have in your parent library, it is also a good book for early childhood practitioners.

Jennings has clear strategies for encouraging dispositional readers. He explains in a clear and humorous style how you can open the world through a love of books. He has cut through the jargon and the controversies to reveal the simple truths which will enable every parent to infect their child with the reading bug.

Literacies in Childhood: Changing Views, Challenging Practice

Laurie Makin, Criss Jones-Diaz & Claire McLachlin

In this second edition, the authors expand on their previous book and focus their attention on practitioners working not only in early childhood but also primary educators. This book is an essential reading source for teachers and students. It is divided into different areas of literacy and includes ‘Frameworks for thinking about literacy’, ‘Pathways to literacy’ and ‘Multiliteracies and diversity’.

At the end of each chapter are a series of reflective questions which could be used as prompts for discussion with teams.