Ideas for your Child

More to come, so check back here as time goes on. You might like to visit the songs and games page.

Books with booklists and practical information

Read to me
Illustrated by Michelle Katsouranis. ACER Press, Melbourne 2001. This easy to read book is full of practical information, ideas and resources by Australian author Gloria Rolton. The chapters cover developmental stages, selection of appropriate books, examples of suitable books, preparation for early reading and children with special needs.
The parent’s guide to storytelling: how to make up new stories and retell old favorites
Margaret Read MacDonald
Don’t leave childhood without…
A guide to the best books for children, specialist childrens booksellers, exib.i.t Harbord NSW 2002
Reading Magic
Pan Macmillan, Sydney 2001. Advice on the importance and skills of reading aloud to children, with practical examples by Mem Fox, author and literacy consultant. Mem has a website where you can listen to her reading books aloud as an example of reading to young children: www.memfox.com/welcome.html. The website has a read-aloud section on the menu on the left hand side.
The Read Aloud Handbook (5th edn)
Jim Trelease, Penguin, New York 2001. A motivational book on the importance of reading with helpful suggestions. (Updated version due in 2006.) There is a section at the bottom of this web page with substantial excerpts from Jim’s 2001 book.
The Reading Solution: Making your child a reader for life
Paul Kropp with Wendy Cooling, Penguin (may be out of print). Encourages parents to foster a love of books in their children from infancy to adult-hood, written with margins with book lists, research, statistics and advice. Includes Australian references.
The Reading Bug, and how you can help your child to catch it
Penguin. Australian author Paul Jennings helps parents with a ‘do it yourself’ combination of cartoons, anecdotes, booklists and a clear explanation of the reading process and the critical importance of parents from the early years.