What Makes A Good Children's Book?

When you're selecting a good children's book you should look for a number of things. Is the story engaging to the child? Does it use a lot of sight words and repetition? Are the pictures helpful to the child to understand the words? Is it age appropriate for the child? Is it teaching them good values?

Let's look at each of the qualities and see why they are important.

Is the story engaging to the child?

What Makes A Good Children's Book?

With young children you need to capture their attention and keep it. Parents know that young children will generally flit from one thing to another after 5 to 10 minutes. If they have something that truly grabs their attention they will stick with it longer. So if the story in the book you've selected captures their attention they will sit with you through the whole story and often times want you to read it again and again.

Does the children's book use a lot of sight words?

Sight words are the simple words that make up 50 to 70 percent of any general text. You may have also heard of them as Doulch words. Many of these words you can't sound out and need to be learned by sight. Words such as are, and, an, at, the, that, did, do, green, just, must, make and if are all sight words. There are about 220 of them along with about 95 nouns. If the children's book has many of these words and uses them in repetition it will help your child recognize them faster and read better.

Pictures in a good children's book help the child understand the words.

If the character is talking about red strawberries there should be red strawberries pictured. It's teaching them about a sight word "red" and it's showing them the color and what a strawberry is. By associating the word to the picture they learn the word so the next time they see the word they see the picture in their mind.

Is the children's book age appropriate?

Parents know their children. Some are more advanced than others when it comes to reading so selecting age appropriate books can sometimes be tricky. If you have a 3 year old child that's already picking up words from stories you might want to consider buying books that are a little above them say in the 4 to 5 year old range. What's important is you want to keep them interested. If it's too hard for them to understand they won't want to read the story. At the same time you want to challenge them.

A good children's book will teach values and social interactions.

You want to teach them about things like saying please and thank you or how important it is to help your friends and people around them. Look for children's books that have messages like that in them.

Taking the time to find a good children's book can be very beneficial for your child. Teaching them words and social graces at a young age when their minds are soaking up everything that's put in front of them can help them immensely in later years. Help them develop skills early that they'll need and use for the rest of their life.

What Makes A Good Children's Book?
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Jack R. Mason - Author
Perry Bear Books (http://www.perrybearbooks.com)

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Encouraging Children's Language Development

Parents and carers can use a range of strategies to encourage children's language development. We thought of the following:

Talking to the child - even before a child can speak it is important for the adults and children around him to talk to him, for instance, by explaining what you are doing together ('It's time for Adam's lunch, isn't it?'), or what is happening ('It's lovely and sunny out here', 'Mummy will be here soon'). Remember to leave pauses so the child has chance to respond.

Using facial expression to convey meaning - children may not understand the words but they will usually understand the meaning if clear expression is used. For instance, if a child picks up a piece of soil in the garden and is about to eat it you might take it off him saying 'yuck' or 'nasty'. He may not know what 'yuck' or 'nasty' mean. If, at the same time, you also scrunch up your face and stick out your tongue to indicate a horrible taste, the child will understand your meaning quite clearly. Most adults do this quite naturally when speaking to young children.

Encouraging Children's Language Development

Reading and story-telling.

Social interaction. Including the child in experiences that give him the opportunity to hear conversations and meet new people.

Language and Other Areas of Development

The child's ability to communicate and use language effectively is of key importance to many other areas of their development.

Language has particularly close links with intellectual development and is the main tool by which we are able to develop our thought processes. For example, we use words to help us store and recall memories and other information.

Think about the word 'sunshine' - what memories and thoughts does this bring up for you?

Everyone's memories and thoughts will be a little bit different. When we asked a group of students this question, their answers included:

warmth light my holiday in Cyprus summer a t-shirt I have with a sun motif flowers.

This is a good example of the way in which words act as tools to help us organise and recall our thoughts and memories.

We also tend to use words mentally to direct and plan our actions, for example: "I'll drop these off at the library first and then call into the supermarket."

It follows that children whose communication skills are impaired in some way, or who have limited vocabularies, may also find it more difficult to develop reasoning skills and acquire new concepts.

Communication skills are essential if children are to express themselves clearly and understand others. It follows that there are close links between language and communication skills and the development of social skills. Poor communicators tend to find social situations difficult, and also find it more difficult to build relationships with other people.

Becoming a Communicator

Effective use of language involves far more than simply learning words - the child also needs to learn a whole range of skills around speech and communication, such as understanding how a conversation works. These are known as pragmatic skills.

Pragmatic skills begin to develop in the early weeks of life, with tiny babies 'turn taking', initiating communicative interchanges, and 'talking' non-verbally to their carers.

Pragmatic skills include:

knowing that you have to answer when a question has been asked; being able to participate in a conversation by taking it in turns with the other speaker; the ability to notice and respond to the non-verbal aspects of language; awareness that you have to introduce a topic of conversation in order for the listener to fully understand; knowing which words or what sort of sentence-type to use when initiating a conversation or responding to something someone has said; the ability to maintain a topic; the ability to maintain appropriate eye-contact (not too much staring, and not too much looking away) during a conversation; the ability to distinguish how to talk and behave towards different people and in different situations.

Many everyday activities can be used to encourage children's language development, for example during mealtimes or group work. Parents and carers should look for opportunities to help children develop their language. This would include opportunities to:

use questions listen learn new vocabulary speak.
Handling Mistakes

Young children make many mistakes in their speech. They often use grammar incorrectly and they may mispronounce words because they have difficulty in making the correct sounds. They substitute the difficult sound for an easier one, for instance 'th' for 's', as in 'yeth' for 'yes'. Such difficulties usually resolve themselves by 5 or 6 years of age.

It is very important to tackle such errors in a positive way if you are to boost the child's confidence. Avoid direct correction of errors. Show the child that you have understood what he is trying to tell you and also teach him how to say the word correctly. For example:

Child: 'mook.'

It is better to respond with 'Yes! Book, book.' than 'No, not mook, book.'

With older children too, it often helps to echo back mistakes correctly. They get the message but they do not feel criticised. This can be the key to good communication between the two of you.

Child: 'I have to do vis homework for tomorrow.'

Adult: 'You have to do this for tomorrow? OK.'

Some children are so keen to get the words out, or have so much to say, that they stumble over their words. Parents may worry that the child is beginning to develop a stutter but this is just a temporary stage that many children go through. It is not a true stutter. It is only likely to become a problem if parents or carers make a fuss and try to correct the child's speech. The child then becomes self-conscious and a real stutter may develop, at which stage the help of a speech therapist may be required.

Delayed Language Development

Children may be slow in learning to talk for several reasons, including:

genetics - it may be that the child's parents were late talkers too. he or she may have been concentrating on other aspects of development, such as learning to walk. not enough individual attention from adults - children learn to talk from adults rather than children. This can be a problem in large families or where there are twins or young children who are very close in age. lack of encouragement. deafness - A child cannot learn to speak if he or she cannot hear the words spoken by other people. They also needs to able to hear themselves so that they can improve their own attempts at words. Interestingly, during the first year, profoundly deaf babies often babble at the same time as other babies, but they stop after a few months. This may be because they cannot hear themselves and so can't reinforce their babbling.

It is extremely important to recognise deafness in children at an early age, as the earlier the child receives treatment the better the outcome. Parents and carers are ideally placed to notice that something is wrong with a child's hearing. Such problems are also often picked up at the routine developmental checks carried out by health visitors during the first year or so.

Encouraging Children's Language Development
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Linda Pollitt, Director of Studies, Learning Curve

http://www.learningcurve-uk.com

To try a free short child psychology course visit:

[http://www.onthecurve.co.uk]

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3 Good Christian Children's Books About Death

There are several appealing children's books on the market either helping parents to explain death to young children, or targeted directly at children for their reading pleasure, which incorporate an explanation of death. But surprisingly few of these are specifically Christian books. However, I am able to recommend three such books which are very engaging.

1) Water Bugs and Dragonflies by Doris Stickney was published by The Pilgrim Press in 1982. This is a very small, slim book, containing a story which starts below the surface of a quiet pond among a little colony of water bugs. The story finishes with the transformation of a water bug into a dragonfly and illustrates beautifully the fact that the dragonfly cannot return below the surface of the water to tell the water bugs what has happened to it, and what life is like in its new body. A prayer follows, which the child reader may use as a guide when praying for the person whose loss he or she is mourning. The book then gives notes for parents advising them on what they can say to a child about death, and backing this up with quotations from Matthew and Mark showing the way Jesus approached little children. The book ends with a prayer for parents. I think this is an ideal resource for parents who might be unsure and insecure about how to handle the subject.

2) Will I Live Forever? by Carolyn Nystrom illustrated by Jo-Anne Shilliam was published by Lion Hudson in 2006. Told in the first person through the viewpoint of the young child, it directly addresses the reader with a question about sad, scary thoughts, and then relates those questions to the child's world. The story encapsulates the Christian understanding of why we die, starting with the story of the Creation, and of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It goes on to incorporate quotations from the Gospels. It is also very honest and straightforward about the physical processes of death - the corruption of the body, the reason why it must be cremated or buried, etc. It goes on to reflect upon heaven - once again answering the kind of direct, logical questions a young child will demand to be answered. This is an excellent book, one you will wish you'd had access to when you were a young child.

3 Good Christian Children's Books About Death

3) Grandma's Party by Meg Harper, illustrated by Paul Nicholls, was brought out by The Bible Reading Fellowship in 2003. This is a delightful book centred around the funeral of a grandmother, and it offers practical ways to help children be part of the grieving process when a loved one dies. It includes a story and also creative craft ideas for how a child may become involved in preparing for a tea following the funeral; recipes; instructions on calligraphy to make place cards; and how to make picture frames, books of memories, and paper water-lilies. The book has a solid Christian base, explaining the resurrection from the dead, and finishing with prayers which may be read by a child at the funeral. This is a lovely, practical book, helping parents to understand how to involve and include children at every stage, so they may live out the truth that death is a part of life, not something alien and taboo and frightening, to be hidden behind a wall of silence and mystifying rituals.

3 Good Christian Children's Books About Death
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S.C.Skillman is the author of mystery romance novel "Mystical Circles" in which Juliet, concerned that her younger sister has fallen for the charismatic Craig, leader of a dubious New Age spiritual group, sets off for the Cotswolds to see the situation for herself. She arrives at Craig's community hoping to rescue Zoe. But intrigues, liaisons and relationships flare and flourish or fizzle out quickly within this close circle and, despite her reservations, Juliet is drawn into the Wheel of Love... with completely unforeseen consequences.

Mystical Circles is now available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. You can find out more by visiting the author's blog at http://www.scskillman.com.

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What is Children's Literature?

It may seem strange to think that there is some question as to what constitutes a children's book for many after all this would seem like a question with an obvious answer. A children's book was after all created for children. However Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain one of the books considered to be classical children's literature was originally intended for adults and as indeed received some past censorship because of how interpret it was considered for children. The Grimm's fairy tales also where written initially for adults, yet they where bought for children. This situation of children taking over what was supposed to be an book for adults has led to many problems. After all society then complains that the story was not appropriate for children, and so attacks to book. Further the book not being appropriate for children perhaps does cause some social problems. Yet we still seem to consider many such books as children's literature.

Why is it books written for adults become children's books? Or at least books read by children. Although it is perhaps impossible to state all the reasons for this situation, I would forward three theories on ways in which this can occur.

The first reason is that a book offers a fantastic reality, an imaginative story, children like such stories and so for whatever reason it is presumed that such imaginativeness is in the realm of children's literature. This could for example be the case with Gulliver's Travels and of course the Grimm's Fairy Tales. In many ways I would argue it's sad that if a story is fun and imaginative it is automatically pushed off into the realm of children. Not that children's literature is lesser, indeed this imaginativeness has helped in many ways to make it superior to that created for adults. Rather it is sad that adults do not presume that such creative genius is worth more of their time.

What is Children's Literature?

Another reason which a book might become children's literature is that it is about a child, for some reason a child character makes people automatically assume a child should read it, as if they are the only ones who can relate to a child. This is a ridiculous notion of course, we where all children and besides of which all such books where written by intelligent adults.

The final reason I will propose is that many books and works of art intended for adults become children's as a means of expanding their reach or extending their life. This is why for example one will find the works of Jane Austen in the children's literature section at the book store with a little charm.

This still does not answer the question of what is children's literature. Part of the problem here may be that we have not yet truly defined the question, broad questions have broad answers. The question may be what should parents have their children read, or what should educators and those studying children's literature study in order to learn about the impact of literature on children? In the case of the first question the answer is in regards to the parents beliefs and their kids reaction to things. If a parent does not believe their kid should be exposed to something then it does not constitute children's literature for that kid. This definition of course makes the whole field of children's books very difficult as there are so many differing views on what is acceptable for children to read.

However this problem would beg the question, is the purpose of the definition to help people study children's literature or to help parents decide which books their kids can read? In the case of the purpose for study children's literature would constitute all books which children regularly read. After all the purpose of study is to determine what is acceptable to read and what impact such readings have on children, as will as ways to make future books better. For this purpose to be effective all books which children read must be included.
Part of the difficulty of course with determining what constitutes children's literature is that there is some debate as to what children are.

After all different cultures have at times believed many different things about children. However I would point out that this in and of itself is exactly the point, childhood is viewed as different by different cultures. It is then a cultural definition, one which our society can answer and change. Certainly it is difficult for people to accept this idea, and for many the idea that the culture determines someone's role is tantamount to prejudice, however when it comes to defining a state and an impact we are indeed looking at cultural variables. One cannot for example assume that a picture book based on the Impressionist style, and with Swedish Motifs would have the same impact on Americans as it does Japanese or Swedes. It is culture which determines the role literature plays in our lives so it is through a cultures definitions of something that that thing should be defined. Further accepting one cultures definition of what defines children and not another's is prejudice.

In American culture this definition of child has been constructed in a way as Minors to the age of 18, however not all of these ages are considered children per say, they are teenagers, pre-teens, Elementary, Preschool, Toddlers and more. However as a society we have defined these groups and so a wish to understand their demographic must begin with the societies definitions of them. Arguing that a culture is wrong is often a mute point, just as literature is a social construct many of the emotions and impact surrounding it are too.

Children's literature then according to my definition and the definition which will be found throughout this site is literature which impacts directly through reading a fairly decent percentage of the population which is considered children by the culture it is from.
Or in the case of cross-cultural analysis such impacts will extend to ages determined by the culture with the oldest children or the largest definition of them. Why? Because in many cases especially historical ones children where considered adults fairly young, yet if we want to compare differences in impact between 8 year olds we must study both sets of 8 year olds. It is important to stress that this is not a means to push one cultures definition on another it is merely a research construct intended to help study literature, so that we can better understand its impact.

What is Children's Literature?
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Ty Hulse has degree's in art and psychology with both with a children's and a cross-cultural focus. He is currently working to create the site Zeluna.net which discusses Children's Literature and Picture Books, as will as Fairy Tales.

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Writing Lesson Plan - A Children's Writing Lesson Plan For Beginners

Since many aspiring children's book writers are also teachers, it might be a good idea to offer some advice in a familiar format -- a writing lesson plan. We'll develop this plan step-by-step.

LESSON ONE:

Let's start our adventure with a look at the categories of children's books:

Writing Lesson Plan - A Children's Writing Lesson Plan For Beginners

* Picture books -- In its broadest definition, a picture book is a book in which the illustrations play a significant role in telling the story. Under this umbrella are several types of books:

1. Baby Books -- For infants and young toddlers, these books are generally lullabies, nursery rhymes, fingerplays, or wordless books. The length and format varies with the content.

2. Toddler books -- Very simple stories for ages 1-3 (under 300 words) familiar to a child's everyday life, or concept books (teaching colors, numbers, shapes, etc.) Books are short (12 pages is average) and the format can be board books (sturdy paper-over board construction), pop-ups, lift-the flaps or novelty books (books that make sounds, have different textures, etc.) See the "Max" series of board books by Rosemary Wells (Dial).

3. Picture books -- Traditionally, picture books (also called "picture story books") are 32-page books for ages 4-8 (this age may vary slightly by publisher). Manuscripts are up to 1500 words, with 1000 words being the average length. Plots are simple (no sub-plots or complicated twists) with one main character who embodies the child's emotions, concerns and viewpoint. The illustrations (on every page or every other page) play as great a role as the text in telling the story. Occasionally a picture book will exceed 1500 words; this is usually geared toward the upper end of the age spectrum. Picture books cover a wide range of topics and styles. The list of Caldecott Medal winners, available from your library, is a good place to start your research. Nonfiction in the picture book format can go up to age 10, 48 pages in length, or up to about 2000 words of text.

4. Early picture books -- A term for picture books geared toward the lower end of the 4-8 age range. These stories are simple and contain under 1000 words. Many early picture books have been reprinted in the board book format, thus widening the audience. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Philomel) is an example.

As we continue our writing lesson plan, we step up to a slighty older age group:

* Easy readers -- Also called "easy-to-read", these books are for children just starting to read on their own (age 6-8). They have color illustrations on every page like a picture book, but the format is more "grown-up" -- smaller trim size, sometimes broken into short chapters. The length varies greatly by publisher; the books can be 32-64 pages long, with 200-1500 words of text, occasionally going up to 2000 words. The stories are told mainly through action and dialogue, in grammatically simple sentences (one idea per sentence). Books average 2-5 sentences per page. See the "Amelia Bedelia" books by Peggy Parish or other "I Can Read" books published by Harper Trophy.

* Transition books -- Sometimes called "early chapter books" for ages 6-9, they bridge the gap between easy readers and chapter books. Written like easy readers in style, transition books are longer (manuscripts are about 30 pages long, broken into 2-3 page chapters), books have a smaller trim size with black-and-white illustrations every few pages. See "The Kids of the Polk Street School" series by Patricia Reilly Giff (Dell) or the "Stepping Stone Books" published by Random House.

* Chapter books -- For ages 7-10, these books are 45-60 manuscript pages long, broken into 3-4 page chapters. Stories are meatier than transition books, though still contain a lot of action. The sentences can be a bit more complex, but paragraphs are still short (2-4 sentences is average). Chapters often end in the middle of a scene to keep the reader turning the pages. Look at the "Herbie Jones" books by Suzy Kline (Puffin) and the "Ramona" books by Beverly Cleary (Morrow).

* Middle grade -- This is the golden age of reading for many children, ages 8-12. Manuscripts suddenly get longer (100-150 pages), stories more complex (sub-plots involving secondary characters are woven through the story) and themes more sophisticated. Kids get hooked on characters at this age, which explains the popularity of series with 20 or more books involving the same cast. Fiction genres range from contemporary to historical to science fiction/fantasy; nonfiction includes biographies, science, history and multicultural topics. Check out some middle grade novels from the list of Newberry Medal winners at your library to get you started.

Our final stop for this writing lesson plan is one of the hottest areas of publishing:

* Young adult -- For ages 12 and up, these manuscripts are 130 to about 200 pages long. Plots can be complex with several major characters, though one character should emerge as the focus of the book. Themes should be relevant to the problems and struggles of today's teenagers, regardless of the genre. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton defined young adult when it was first published in 1967; the Newbery Medal award list also contains many worthy titles. A new age category (10-14) is emerging, especially with young adult nonfiction. These books are slightly shorter than the 12 and up category, and topics (both fiction and nonfiction) are appropriate for children who have outgrown middle grade but aren't yet ready for the themes (fiction) or who aren't studying the subjects (nonfiction) of high school readers.

Back with Step 2 of our writing lesson plan soon! In the meantime, visit http://cbiclubhouse.com to learn about the right way to write stories and submit them to children's book publishers.

Writing Lesson Plan - A Children's Writing Lesson Plan For Beginners
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Laura Backes is the Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Book Writers. Want to learn how to become a successful children's book author? Come hang with the Fightin' Bookworms at http://cbiclubhouse.com Whether is writing picture books, chapter books, young adult novels, finding children's book publishers -- or anything else -- you'll find all the answers at the CBI Clubhouse!

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The Mini Notebook - A Perfect Student & Children's Computer

Mini notebook computers, which are also called mini netbooks, may be seen all over at the moment, even in a lot of classrooms. It might seem that the mini laptop has materialized and turned out to be the most prevalent variety of pc effectively straight away. The novel mini laptop computer gives maximum functionality contained in an exceedingly condensed profile.

Screen Size

The lone objection certain purchasers state with these mini notebook computers is the miniature screen size however it changes depending to some amount on the version and make that you pay money for. Right away, there will be selected makes on the market that include bigger screen sizes whilst maintaining the condensed size. These minis are also lightweight and easily portable, with nearly all tipping the scales at a little more than a pound to about three pounds with screen sizes varying from seven to ten inches. Should you have already seen a mini laptop computer it follows that you will already understand how appealing these little laptops are. Most industry professionals already have one of these mini notebook computers. Professionals like them because of the condensed size and their functionality.

The Mini Notebook - A Perfect Student & Children's Computer

Price

Mini notebook computers have become inexpensive especially once compared with ordinary laptop computers. Because these minis are much smaller, the price of production is cut, and so the cheaper purchase price. This has made the existing mini notebooks an instantaneous hit particularly with the current economic climate. There are currently brands to buy that exhibit a similar purchase price to a modern cellular phone. With compelling and innovative knowledge all contained in such a small package, the mini notebook computer has captured the attention of knowledge aware folks everywhere. Even though lesser in size, the functionality of the mini laptop has not been sacrificed. Speedy hard disk drives, contemporary processors, together with a realistically sized keyboard are now available features with mini laptop computers. Access to contemporary expertise for our children must be an absolute necessity. But, the price of computers can be so excessive that many parents may be unable to purchase a normal pc. Using the option of the mini notebook, virtually everyone can now enjoy the benefits of online access.

For Children & Students

Laptop computers for school children ought to be lightweight, easily portable and durable with a condensed size that will definitely squeeze into their bag. Moreover, think about the functionality of the laptop computer. If your pc is to be made use of in the college or a distance from your home frequently, then assess the length of the battery life. The perfect laptop computer has to hold a rechargeable battery that will work for a few hours without charging up. In addition, ensure that the computer will have an satisfactory wireless connection, as the web has nowadays developed into the most useful means to educate. Another feature to include when selecting your student pc may be that you will require a piece of word processing software to write and edit your assignments. The normal version of Microsoft Office will probably be sufficient for nearly all of your requirements, but, whenever you mean to do any type of slide-show presentations or website construction, you will most likely want to purchase Office Pro.

When you need a really discounted pc, in that case you possibly will think about looking for a refurbished laptop and not a new one. There are various benefits to doing this but the huge one will be the low purchase price. An extra advantage that a large amount of purchasers will disregard is the fact that a refurbished laptop will have been already screened for defects, at the same time as someone else will have been making use of it.

Now, buying first-rate, inexpensive laptop computers for school children is possible if you discover one of the hosts of locations that there will be refurbished laptop computers to be had. If you're on a budget, as on the whole college students will be, you should save a lot of cash by buying carefully. But, purchasing a reduced pc might result in going for something shoddy. When you're investing a lot of money for an education, you may need to also supply the best technology in the form of a first-rate laptop computer which should keep going several years. So now have this in your thoughts as you buy that perfect student laptop computer.

An extra reason these mini notebooks are the 'just what the doctor ordered' student laptop computers is their wallet friendly price. A lot of college students are as a rule on a strict budget and these mini laptops are a seamless match. Most first-rate mini notebooks are nowadays priced in the 0 to 0 price range, whilst many other entirely passable ones go for well below 0. In addition, price tickets are now constantly falling, so virtually any student can nowadays buy a mini laptop.

Where To Find A Deal

Firstly you may take a look at one of the inexpensive laptop computers offered from all of the foremost computer designers. The majority will have varieties that will supply the components college students require, but also with a lower cost. These inexpensive laptop computers may not include some desirable software, but initially for nearly all college students, these uncomplicated laptop computers are spot on. Most may even incorporate gigantic hard disk storage space and modern cases. It is thought that during next year most computer manufacturers should be able to sell mini notebook computers for less than 0. These designers also expect to drop their weight to under a pound. Whether you mean to send e-mail, make videos, keep in touch, or simply use the net, mini notebook computers are innovative even before having these measures.

Shouldn't Replace A Normal Computer

You must understand however, that these mini notebooks aren't planned to supplant the PC. Whilst mini notebook computers are getting better, many makes are still finding it challenging to squeeze the quick functionality together with the great memory on the market into such condensed pieces. As a result, most mini laptop computers are not as efficient as a normal laptop computer. Mini notebook computers, however, can be modified and improved to suit the requirements of the consumer. There will be various admirable mini laptop options these days. The laptop manufacturers like Asus, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and others provide a extensive array of features and makes. When you're looking for a capable computer, you'll absolutely want to have a good look at these mini notebooks.

An extra grounds for acquiring a mini laptop is the array of options they confer. The best habitually have 3 USB ports together with many internet options. Unlike hand held devices, that may cost just as much or even more. Mini notebook computers allow a more potent processor, extra memory together with improved desirable software options.

Safety

Possibly, one of your top priorities while selecting laptop computers for school children ought to be theft. You may at the moment find many different anti-theft extras as fingerprint entry and maybe even receive facial recognizing software within some of the brand new laptop computers. You can also purchase a useful cable lock which will keep the computer a little safer. In addition, you could assess anti-theft software as LoJack which is able to follow and trace your stolen computer with the unique IP identification whenever it is made use of to connect to the web.

The Mini Notebook - A Perfect Student & Children's Computer
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Paul B has loved using his mini notebook for school and has even written a mini notebook guide to help people find that perfect computer.

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Kids' Book Reviews By Kids: How to Write a Children's Book Review You Think Other Kids Will Like

You probably have to write book reviews in school. When I was a kid, I used to hate to write them. But now I use book reviews that other people have written all the time. They help me to decide which books I want to read next. So if you're a kid and you have to write a book review, here is how to write one about a book you think other kids will like.

Actually, it doesn't have to be about a book you really like. Negative reviews are helpful too. Sometimes a book you don't like is still a great book, just not for you. Another kid with other interests might find that book perfect for them. So write your book review anyway.

Here are some things you must include in your book review:

Kids' Book Reviews By Kids: How to Write a Children's Book Review You Think Other Kids Will Like

Title

Be sure to get the correct and complete title for the book you are reviewing. Sometimes series of books have parts of the titles that are the same, and parts that are different. If you don't include the whole title, another kid might read your review and get the wrong book to read.

For example, you probably know about Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney. But if you are reviewing one of the later books in the series, you must be sure to include the whole title, like this: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (Book 5.)

Author

You probably hate it when people say or spell your name wrong. I bet the authors of the books you are reading feel exactly the same way!

Be sure to spell the author's name correctly. Check and double check it in your report.

Recommended ages or grades

You might read a funny book but know it is too hard for your younger sister to read. So include the ages you think would be able to enjoy the book.

You can say something like, "Recommended for 4th and 5th graders." Or something like, "I'm 10, but I usually read books that are much harder than what we are supposed to be reading in school. So I think this would be better for sixth or seventh graders."

Summary of the story

Give a brief description of the main things that happen in the beginning of the story, or the beginning and middle. But be sure not to give away the ending, especially if there is something really surprising that happens.

Here are other things you might want to include in your book review:

Something you really enjoyed

If you thought the book was funny, say so. If you thought it was exciting or scary, and you love adventure, mention that.

Something you didn't like about the book

Maybe the beginning is really good, but the ending is boring. Perhaps the book seemed too scary for kids, or it gave you nightmares. You can warn others about that.

Other similar books

Compare the book you are reviewing to other similar books. That way, kids can get a better idea if it might be something they would like to read.

Others who might enjoy the book

Say what kind of kids you think might like the book. For example, "If you love to read books about spies or adventure, you will enjoy the Alex Rider book series." Or, "If you like books about witches that are not too scary, you might enjoy "Which Witch?" by Eva Ibbotson.

Recommend other books or authors

It's a lot of fun to find a whole bunch of books by another author that you didn't even know about. So you can mention other authors with books like the one you are reviewing. Or you can suggest other books that are similar to this one, that other kids might also enjoy reading.

Think about the kids who will be reading your book review. Use some of these tips I've given you when you write. If you do, you will be able to write kids' book reviews and help other children by sharing your love of reading and great books.

Kids' Book Reviews By Kids: How to Write a Children's Book Review You Think Other Kids Will Like
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I want kids' book reviews by kids!
If you want to write a review about great books for kids, I will put it on my site at http://greatbooksforkids.info. You can also read about other books I think you might enjoy.

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How Does Play Help Children's Development?

In this article I will introduce my personal definition of play, but acknowledge that play is basically indefinable because it is so vast and variable. I examine free flow play and the obstacles to play, and the purpose and value of play. I examine one small group of students working definition of play as a developmental tool that helps children develop holistically and other aspects of our definition, ie a developmental journey, play being accessible to all, and the aspect of fun and enjoyment in play. Alongside this, this article examines structured and unstructured play, including theorists views and I include some of my own observations and examine the play content in them.

Before I extend on group's definition of play, I would like to state my own theory about play, and explain what I mean stressing again, that play is basically indefinable because of its flexible and vast nature.

My theory is that play is fluid. It can take many forms, have many meanings, express itself in many ways, but it cannot be contained in a box or shape and labelled as 'play'. If play is taken out of one context and into another it changes its shape and purpose, and the way it moves and performs. All of it is play in its many facets, and all of it is of equal value, because it meets the differing needs of the child at the time it is being played.

How Does Play Help Children's Development?

Play is fluid so therefore cannot be defined purely as one aspect or another, and as water is fluid, so is play - it changes its shape to its environment, circumstances and players, taking on different forms, expressions and meanings to the players concerned. It has intrinsic meaning to the children and may change direction at any moment, according to the children's needs and personality etc. Bruce verifies that play is like fluid and free-flowing,

She stated: "the whole point about play is that it cannot be pinned down. It flows. It is on the move." (Bruce 2004:154)

Free-flowing play can be limited by obstacles such as time, adults, relationships, routines, outcomes, interferences, circumstances, environment, or disability, and may not flow in the natural direction a child may wish to take it if limited by any of the above obstacles. However, because play is fluid, it can continue where it was left, or be restarted and flow in entirely different direction if obstacles do not restrict play.

Props may be used during free flow play which then takes on a symbolic characteristic, and children may engage in role play or socio-dramatic, plus rough and tumble, all rolled up into one, making it difficult to untangle and define! Children do not need adults to direct free-flow or fluid play, only to keep them safe from harming themselves or harming others. This may be viewed as an obstacle by children (and so it is) but as long as adults are not being 'over-protective' or 'over-restrictive' and children understand the need for safety rules (they tend to like rules in play anyway!) then the

obstacle or interruption is only a temporary obstacle, that children can overcome and move one, because their play is flexible and fluid.

The purpose or value of play, as mentioned is intrinsic to the child and players and appears to be part of children's developmental journey. Bruce (2004:149) describes play as a process with no productive end. Play helps children develop in a holistic way, developing their social interactions, language skills, co-operation, understanding of how the world works, and personal, social and emotional development. Play is a tool that brings knowledge and experiences together. Vygotsky viewed play as a vehicle (or tool) for social interaction. Bruner believed roleplay was a vehicle (or tool) for learning about society's rules and conventions. Piaget believed play unifies children's experiences, knowledge and experience. Frobel, Steiner, and Issacs were the biggest advocates of holistic development. Frobel believed learning and development is holistic, involving the child, other adults and the environment, and that childhood is a stage in it's own right. Steiner based his principles on Frobels and developed a programme involving

play. Issacs believed play was central to the overall development of the child.

Play is as an important of children's developmental journey - it becomes a tool by which children learn to develop in a holistic manner, it enables them to understand themselves, other people, their community and the world around them. Play also enables children to act out experiences, past and present, and enter into fantasy worlds. Bruner believed that play is process-led rather than task orientated, but also believed it prepares children for adulthood. (Fisher 1996:97) We are all on a lifelong journey and the journey, and the journey for me may be different to your journey. We may start at the same place, but go in different directions, and we may meet again but be different people, because life (and play, as part of that process) shapes the people and character we become. The journey of developing and learning is a long, slow, and ongoing process throughout life - a developmental journey which starts at birth and finishes at death, and play in its many fluid forms, becomes part of the process.

If play is structured, directed or initiated by adults, play takes on a different role. If play has a goal, target or outcome for a child to achieve, often children do not view this type of play as play, but as work.... they view

work as teacher-directed and play as choice, sitting down as working, and being active as playing (Wood & Attfield, 2005:17). However, a divide between play and work cannot easily be made. Children learn in and through play, whether it is teacher initiated or child initiated. Frobel, Steiner, Issacs, Piaget believed play should not be directed. Miss Boyce believed in a mixed approach, including free flow play and a more structured timetable for teacher-directed sessions. Montessori, demonstrated skills to children and did not believe in freeplay. Brunner saw play as a process but also believed adults need to scaffold children's experiences in order to help them progress to the next stage, as did Vygotsky, who advocated adults working alongside children to build on / scaffold their understanding to move them onto the next stage. McMillian also believed in a structured environment that was planned to support children's needs, and which integrated subjects such as maths, science and literacy.

Whether play is adult led or child led, children will learn many skills through play such as; co-operation, negotiation, other people's views, social skills, language skills, fine and gross motor skills may improve and other skills may

be mastered, thinking and cognitive skills are used and improved, so therefore children will learn through play whether there is an intended outcome or not! My own observations of children's play confirmed this. Children learned through many different types of play, structured and unstructured. Structured play helped children develop more in the cognitive realm whereas unstructured play helped children develop more in the creative, language, physical and personal/social realm.

If they do meet the outcomes (which they should do if the resources, processes and intensions are aimed at the right level...) then this is an added bonus! If planned and resourced correctly by practitioners, play can help children meet targets within the Foundation Stage or Key stage 1, covering all aspects of the curriculum from Personal, social and emotional development through to creative development.

Adults can improve the quality of children's play by providing a rich variety of resources, and well planned structured play, indoors and out, needs sensitive scaffolding for children to progress or learn new skills and knowledge. Adults also need to provide plenty of free flow play, and time

to complete tasks. If adults aim to intervene as little as possible in free play, this will provide a better outcome for children.

In structured play the teacher/adult has used play as a 'tool' (others call it a vehicle or medium) but may not be viewed as play in its purest form. Play cannot be categorized into 'play' or 'not play' (because play is fluid and takes many forms) but may be better defined as 'more pure play' or 'less pure play'' (Wood & Attfield 2005:4-5) Wood and Attfield further define pure play as unstructured, active, fun, a process, pretend, child invented and child-chosen. Linden states, "Circumstances can prevent or restrict play. Constraints may be placed by adults or the environment limits children's experiences. Alternatively, developmental problems, disability or illness can shape the possibilities for children." Play may be hampered (children may have obstacles to play) if they have any form of disability or cultural, language, social or economic differences. Children (like adults) tend to be exclusive, uncertain about things or people they don't understand or are not like them, unless they are informed/educated that all children have an equal right to play and should be granted access and opportunities to play.

Children need adults to be good role models demonstrating equality by provision and adaptability to children's needs. Children need adults to provide different types of play or different ways of playing, so that children can access it. Some children may need more adult support to access play, especially if there is some form of disability or complex needs. These children may access play differently, but all children have the same right to develop in a holistic way that all children do. All children need the 'tool' of play for their own development; because play is fluid, the way the tool is used may be different.

I observed a young boy (of about 8 years old) and other children aged between 6-10 years in a social club setting. All the children, except the little boy of 8, were engaged in locomotive play. They were chasing, tickling, rolling, dancing etc throughout the night, mainly in small groups of children. The play looked chaotic but was not out of place in the setting. The adults observed this play and did not intervene. The children appeared

to have no purpose or intension but to enjoy themselves, and the value to them was in participating in the fun, making up games and dances, enjoying social activities together and passing time in an enjoyable way.

The other little boy of 8 however, did not join in any of the play, he merely acknowledged the other children. Instead of playing with the other children, this little boy stood in front of the band that was performing, and appeared to be conducting them (using a toy), virtually all night. He was engrossed in his play/work. Later on when the band had a break, he circled around the

hall floor, (walking on his toes) making 'car-like' movements. At this point the boy may have been involved in role play. However, his first play was very difficult to understand (possibly role play or practice play?) This little boy appeared to have special needs along the line of Asperger's syndrome (noted from previous study and personal experience) I suspected Asperger's syndrome because he did not communicate with the other children, contact them, play alongside them, or join in their play. When they came near him once during locomotive play, he visible repelled / moved himself clearly out of their way. He couldn't or didn't access any type of social, co-operative or

parallel play, but preferred his own solitary activity and the type of play he engaged in was repetitive. Although his play didn't make sense to me, it was meaningful to him. He appeared to believe he was truly directing the band (though they ignored him and continued their performance) however he was engrossed in roleplay or practice play and appeared to enjoy what he was doing. His play was intrinsically valuable to him and he had as much right to play in this way as the other children had to play in their way. Linden Stated "Play stems from children's own perception of the world and how it works... play is a very personal, creative activity... within children's understanding, their play is meaningful in it connection to non-play reality. (2000:43).

I also observed other types of play in other settings with younger children. The type of play I observed included socio-dramatic (2-3 year olds involved in playing with dolls, prams and accessories, going shopping etc); exploratory play (2-3 year olds exploring playdough and cutters, moulding, shaping, cutting etc); creative play - free painting, mixing paints, making patterns and pictures and epistemic play (2-6 year olds involved in table top games,

including sounds game, snakes & ladders and alphabet jigsaw). The learning processes during these observations was vast, from social skills, co-operation and concentration to language skills, physical skills, fine motor skills, mathematic skills, creative skills to cognitive skills, being used, extended and enhanced in play to the benefit of the child/ren concerned.

Play however, is not just a tool that enables development, play in itself is fun and has value in itself. Play is as valuable to the child as work is to adults. Fisher (96:103) stated "Play has its own intrinsic rewards, it is done spontaneously and voluntary and it is thoroughly enjoyable." If play is self-chosen, self-motivated and directed, then it can only be enjoyable. Theorists such as Lazarus and Garvey hold this view; indeed children would not engage in play so readily if it were not so! Linden (2001:44) stated, "children play for play's sake. The activity is an end in itself and is not undertaken for an end product."

Conclusion

In this article I have stated my theory of play as being fluid, and other aspects or definitions of play and its value in children's development. Included in this are some theorist's views of play, and observations of children's play and what they are gaining from it, noting however, that defining play in all its elements, is very difficult! Play has many facets and functions it is impossible for one or two statements to adequately state what play is or does and many theorists hold differing views, reflecting this difficulty.

Play has become a tool in the Early Years sector and education and it is key to understanding how children think and feel. It has become clearer to me that play is crucial to children's social and emotional development, and other aspects such as language skills, cognitive skills and understanding the world in which they live. It has also become clearer to me that the least amount of time adults intervene in children's play, the better! (Though of course there is a time when structured play is appropriate). Play is enjoyable and motivating and a tool that develops children holistically and plays is fluid in that it fulfils many different roles that aids children in their developmental journey.

http://childsworld.info

How Does Play Help Children's Development?
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Ruth Grigg

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Writing a Children's Book - Knowing Your Audience

If you are writing a children's book, you have to know who you are writing for. You may remember your favorite titles from your childhood. Some of them may still be popular. But without taking time to learn what children are reading today, you will be writing a children's book that will simply collect dust.

It may surprise you how much variety there is in children's literature. It would be a mistake to assume that the success of the Harry Potter books, for instance, means that the children's bookshelves are full of witchcraft and wizardry. In exploring the children's literature section of the bookstore, you will see there is no 'right' way to write for children. You have the opportunity to find self-expression and write a children's book that is uniquely yours.

You must get to know your audience. You would write differently for a five-year-old than you would for a fourth grader. You may want to cater to a specific reading level. Choose your audience before you begin, and be true to that audience.

Writing a Children's Book - Knowing Your Audience

Toddlers

Children of this age are in their explore stage. They are concrete learners and accept information at face value. They appreciate seeing colors, shapes and textures in the books they are reading. Illustrations should be big and bold, since most of the toddlers are still not able to read, they will just look at the pictures. Cloth books and pop-ups are very effective if you want to get the attention of your toddler audience. The famous book of Bill Martin, Jr., Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, made use of big illustrations of animals and simple, repeating words that children can understand easily.

Preschoolers and Primary Graders

Like the toddlers, preschoolers and primary graders enjoy picture books and early readers. This age group can identify colors, shapes, letters, and numbers, but they still prefer to read books with more illustrations. They can still appreciate books made for toddlers. In fact, you can write a book targeting both toddlers and this age group. Preschoolers and primary grade readers both like books of fiction as well as non-fiction. They like to read about animals, sports, family and school. Using repetitive verse will help these children learn to read.

Upper Primary Grade

Books for the upper primary grade children are more complex and usually have more than 100 pages. Children at this stage like to read books with chapters and will still appreciate illustrations, but not as much as toddlers and preschoolers. They will appreciate books like Judy Moody or Ivy & Bean. These kinds of books have stories that upper primary graders can relate to. The characters in these stories are regular grade school children who have lots of adventures.

Middle Grade

Middle grade children understand the world better at this point in their lives. They already know what conflicts are and will want to find out about the resolution. They can identify closely to the characters in a book and can relate the stories to real life situations. Their interests are expanding and they can read books about history, sports, crafts, science and the like. Books for this stage have fewer pictures compared to the first three age groups.

Young Adult

Young adults are the teenage group. Teenagers already have issues with love, family, friends and school. The kinds of books teenagers want to read will be about love, sex, family problems and drugs. The teen world is in between the children and the adult world, so they are usually confused and are often attracted to danger. Young adults are inclined to read more complex books like thrillers, science fiction, fantasies, romance and other exciting stuff.

To write a children's book, you should know what your audience is reading. Your best resource, of course, is the children themselves. If you want to write a children's book, you should find out firsthand what interests them. Talk to them about what books they choose to read, and what their favorites are. Read to children if you have an opportunity, and observe what gets the most animated reactions from them. It won't take long for you to get a feel for your audience!

Writing a Children's Book - Knowing Your Audience
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Encouraging Children's Language Development

Parents and carers can use a range of strategies to encourage children's language development. We thought of the following:

Talking to the child - even before a child can speak it is important for the adults and children around him to talk to him, for instance, by explaining what you are doing together ('It's time for Adam's lunch, isn't it?'), or what is happening ('It's lovely and sunny out here', 'Mummy will be here soon'). Remember to leave pauses so the child has chance to respond.

Using facial expression to convey meaning - children may not understand the words but they will usually understand the meaning if clear expression is used. For instance, if a child picks up a piece of soil in the garden and is about to eat it you might take it off him saying 'yuck' or 'nasty'. He may not know what 'yuck' or 'nasty' mean. If, at the same time, you also scrunch up your face and stick out your tongue to indicate a horrible taste, the child will understand your meaning quite clearly. Most adults do this quite naturally when speaking to young children.

Encouraging Children's Language Development

Reading and story-telling.

Social interaction. Including the child in experiences that give him the opportunity to hear conversations and meet new people.

Language and Other Areas of Development

The child's ability to communicate and use language effectively is of key importance to many other areas of their development.

Language has particularly close links with intellectual development and is the main tool by which we are able to develop our thought processes. For example, we use words to help us store and recall memories and other information.

Think about the word 'sunshine' - what memories and thoughts does this bring up for you?

Everyone's memories and thoughts will be a little bit different. When we asked a group of students this question, their answers included:

warmth light my holiday in Cyprus summer a t-shirt I have with a sun motif flowers.

This is a good example of the way in which words act as tools to help us organise and recall our thoughts and memories.

We also tend to use words mentally to direct and plan our actions, for example: "I'll drop these off at the library first and then call into the supermarket."

It follows that children whose communication skills are impaired in some way, or who have limited vocabularies, may also find it more difficult to develop reasoning skills and acquire new concepts.

Communication skills are essential if children are to express themselves clearly and understand others. It follows that there are close links between language and communication skills and the development of social skills. Poor communicators tend to find social situations difficult, and also find it more difficult to build relationships with other people.

Becoming a Communicator

Effective use of language involves far more than simply learning words - the child also needs to learn a whole range of skills around speech and communication, such as understanding how a conversation works. These are known as pragmatic skills.

Pragmatic skills begin to develop in the early weeks of life, with tiny babies 'turn taking', initiating communicative interchanges, and 'talking' non-verbally to their carers.

Pragmatic skills include:

knowing that you have to answer when a question has been asked; being able to participate in a conversation by taking it in turns with the other speaker; the ability to notice and respond to the non-verbal aspects of language; awareness that you have to introduce a topic of conversation in order for the listener to fully understand; knowing which words or what sort of sentence-type to use when initiating a conversation or responding to something someone has said; the ability to maintain a topic; the ability to maintain appropriate eye-contact (not too much staring, and not too much looking away) during a conversation; the ability to distinguish how to talk and behave towards different people and in different situations.

Many everyday activities can be used to encourage children's language development, for example during mealtimes or group work. Parents and carers should look for opportunities to help children develop their language. This would include opportunities to:

use questions listen learn new vocabulary speak.
Handling Mistakes

Young children make many mistakes in their speech. They often use grammar incorrectly and they may mispronounce words because they have difficulty in making the correct sounds. They substitute the difficult sound for an easier one, for instance 'th' for 's', as in 'yeth' for 'yes'. Such difficulties usually resolve themselves by 5 or 6 years of age.

It is very important to tackle such errors in a positive way if you are to boost the child's confidence. Avoid direct correction of errors. Show the child that you have understood what he is trying to tell you and also teach him how to say the word correctly. For example:

Child: 'mook.'

It is better to respond with 'Yes! Book, book.' than 'No, not mook, book.'

With older children too, it often helps to echo back mistakes correctly. They get the message but they do not feel criticised. This can be the key to good communication between the two of you.

Child: 'I have to do vis homework for tomorrow.'

Adult: 'You have to do this for tomorrow? OK.'

Some children are so keen to get the words out, or have so much to say, that they stumble over their words. Parents may worry that the child is beginning to develop a stutter but this is just a temporary stage that many children go through. It is not a true stutter. It is only likely to become a problem if parents or carers make a fuss and try to correct the child's speech. The child then becomes self-conscious and a real stutter may develop, at which stage the help of a speech therapist may be required.

Delayed Language Development

Children may be slow in learning to talk for several reasons, including:

genetics - it may be that the child's parents were late talkers too. he or she may have been concentrating on other aspects of development, such as learning to walk. not enough individual attention from adults - children learn to talk from adults rather than children. This can be a problem in large families or where there are twins or young children who are very close in age. lack of encouragement. deafness - A child cannot learn to speak if he or she cannot hear the words spoken by other people. They also needs to able to hear themselves so that they can improve their own attempts at words. Interestingly, during the first year, profoundly deaf babies often babble at the same time as other babies, but they stop after a few months. This may be because they cannot hear themselves and so can't reinforce their babbling.

It is extremely important to recognise deafness in children at an early age, as the earlier the child receives treatment the better the outcome. Parents and carers are ideally placed to notice that something is wrong with a child's hearing. Such problems are also often picked up at the routine developmental checks carried out by health visitors during the first year or so.

Encouraging Children's Language Development
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Linda Pollitt, Director of Studies, Learning Curve

http://www.learningcurve-uk.com

To try a free short child psychology course visit:

[http://www.onthecurve.co.uk]

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