A child's literacy development begins long before their formal education does. The skills and knowledge that infants, toddlers, and preschoolers acquire through meaningful, playful language and literacy experiences are the building blocks of their later success in reading and writing.

How do early childhood educators foster young children's understanding of reading and writing during this emergent literacy period? Moreover, how can they nurture a love of reading and writing? With these two questions at its core, the revised edition of this bestselling resource provides

• A comprehensive and updated overview of what literacy development looks like for children from birth through age 5


• Instructional approaches that support robust early language, literacy, and content knowledge learning


• Considerations for choosing and sharing materials and for designing the physical environment in ways that support language and literacy learning


• Recommendations for developmentally appropriate books that engage children's minds and imaginations


• Authentic writing samples that showcase young children's thinking around and explorations with mark making

Grounded in new research and drawn from the authors' extensive experience, this book gives educators the tools they need to create and build on learning opportunities that will lead to thriving, motivated readers and writers.