Selecting books for young children can not only be a fun and rewarding experience but also a little daunting, considering the number of books available. Frequent collaboration between an author and a public librarian has produced valuable insights about how to begin reading with very young children. Suggestions are offered for how parents and…

Finds that the home literacy environments of European American and African American families did not differ as strongly as those of middle-income and low-income families, with many low-income parents (regardless of race) placing relatively more emphasis on structured activities and on ostensible component skills in literacy. (SR)

Explains some of the objectives for a pre-first-grade reading program, describes what children know about oral and written language before they come to school, expresses some professional concerns about pre-first-grade reading programs, and offers recommendations for improvement. (HOD)