The conversations in our forum throw up recommendations of books of all sorts - particularly treasured children's stories, educational and pedagogical - and we list below a selection of these and others we feel may be of interest to the community.
If you would like to discuss these or other books, or offer your recommendations, we have set up a books forum which you can access by clicking hereThe books are split into categories, and can be visited individually by clicking the links below, or you can browse the whole page by scrolling down the screen.
Professional/Educational
Early Years Practice
Foundations
of Literacy (Book of Month November '04) 
Observing
and Assessing for the Foundation Stage Profile
The
Thinking Child Resource Book (The Early Years)
by Nicola Call
This accompanies the previous book, with much more detailed activities
and many resources. You can read our detailed review here
Educating
Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs
by David Weikart
High/Scope book strongly recommended by one of our members. Expensive but
apparently comprehensive.
Listening
to Young Children: The Mosaic Approach
By Alison Clark and Peter Moss
Imaginary Worlds: Creative Learning Through Play
By the West Yorshire Playhouse
Short on words but big on inspirational ideas, pictures and photographs, this
book is only available from the authors: 0113 2137290, www.wyp.org.uk
Exercising
muscles and minds: Outdoor play and the early years curriculum
By Marjorie Ouvry
One of the two classic texts on outside play in the early years
Outdoor
Play in the Early Years
By Helen Bilton
The other classic text...
Extending
Thought in Young Children
By Chris Athey
This book was written for teachers, students of education and other professionals
with a particular interest in understanding children's development in 'forms'
of thought, or schemas.
Resources for Practical Activities
The Little book of Science Through Art
By Sally Featherstone and Liz Pearsse
Featherstone Education Ltd
As stated in the introduction, many of the activities may not be entirely new to you, but they are presented here in order to identify how art activities can be used successfully to develop scientific knowledge and concepts. The Feel It! section suggests fun activities for gloop, dough, slime and other materials, together with the recipes. What can my body do? includes ideas which focus on fingers, hands, feet, faces, and blown air. Further sections are entitled:
The activities are presented alongside relevant links to ELGs and the scientific concepts are explained simply. Suggested key vocabulary for practitioners to use is also helpful. A clever idea to link art and science in the early years.
The Little Book of Role Play 
By Sally Featherstone
Featherstone Education Ltd
Such a useful reference book for busy practitioners who need some inspiration! Thoughtfully presented in three sections on each page, relating to the three major types of role play; domestic, transactional (where goods or services are exchanged for money), and imagined worlds. 21 different themes are suggested including parks and gardens, fish and chips, weddings, in the dark, and all at sea. Each section suggests key vocabulary to use, and gives further suggestions for links with maths and writing.
One of my favourite little books!
The Little Book of Outdoor Play 
By Sally Featherstone and Liz Pearsse
Featherstone Education Ltd
If you would like to improve your outdoor provision but are feeling overwhelmed with such a huge task, then this is the book for you. Each of the 23 sections suggests manageable activities and the setting up of different areas to promote planned and spontaneous learning. Very helpful sections include shelters, surfaces, textures, gardening and weather, art, writing, music, construction, quiet areas, role play and small apparatus. A great place to start.
The Little Book of Parachute Play 
By Clare Beswick and Martha Hardy
Featherstone Education Ltd
27 fun activities to keep your children learning through doing! Each activity is described clearly, with suggestions for key vocabulary, and links to ELGs. Extension activities are also offered, thus providing many more activities.
The Little Book of Light and Shadow 
By Pat Brunton
Featherstone Education Ltd
Clearly the book has a scientific focus, where children will be encouraged to explore and investigate. In addition, the authors suggest activities to 'help children to know the wonder of light, and to feel the drama of darkness'. Sections on each page include getting started, key words, talking and thinking, exploring, documenting, and more investigations. This book could obviously be used within a topic of light, but also connections are made to other popular early years themes; festivals, electricity, plants and growth, day and night, senses, sun and shadows, size, and colour.
The Little Book of Cooking from Stories 
By Sally Featherstone and Liz Pearsse (illustrator)
Featherstone Education Ltd
What a great idea this is! Using our favourite storybooks, the authors have come up with simple but exciting ideas for cooking with nursery or reception children. Handa's Surprise, Pass the Jam Jim. Elmer, Sally and the Limpet, When the Teddy Bears Came, and Dogger, are just a few of the books used for culinary inspiration.
This book can easily form the basis for weeks of cross-curricular activities for young children; the stories chosen are high quality classics and most settings will have them on their bookshelves. So, choose a book and in your next staff meeting, plan cooking, art, language (role play, writing, retelling stories, puppets), and Maths activities based on the book. Once you start, you can't stop
Plant
An Idea (Book of the Month December '04)
By Helen Bromley & Sally Player
The ideas in this book will allow you to provide exciting activities for
your children whilst developing their scientific enquiry skills. Natural
materials should always be available to young children in their various early
years settings so that they can explore their characteristics and develop
an appreciation, a curiosity and a respect for our natural world. There is
strong emphasis in the book on developing speaking and listening skills through
first-hand investigation of flowers, trees, and plants.
The 50 ideas are presented in five sections; one for each season, and one for All Year Round. Each page describes in straightforward terms what resources you will need and what you need to do. A section on Further Possibilities makes additional suggestions for cross-curricular activities, including the use of relevant storybooks and rhymes that fit with the theme.
Shopping (Activities
for 3-5 year olds )
By Caroline Quin
A popular topic for Foundation Stage settings, this little book suggests
activities that promote learning in all six areas of the curriculum. Simply
set out with an activity on each page, detailing learning intentions, resources
needed, what to do, and ideas for extension work with more able children.
The final section of each page gives the practitioner some ideas for discussion
with the children, thus developing their language and thinking and extending
their vocabulary.
Source: Brilliant Publications ( www.brilliantpublications.co.uk )
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
By Mavis Brown
This publication offers over 150 differentiated activities to support development in PSE skills. They are presented in 3 sections; personal development (covering the stepping stones for dispositions and attitudes and self-care?; social development (covering the aspects making relationships and sense of community) ; emotional development (covering behaviour and self-control and self-confidence and self-esteem) The first book I have come across which subdivides activities in this way, and it makes planning for each aspect a very straightforward process.
Source: Brilliant Publications ( www.brilliantpublications.co.uk )
Frightened/Separation
Where
Are You?
By Francesca Simon and David Melling
Grandpa takes Harry to the supermarket for the first time and Harry whizzes
off in search of cakes. Grandpa realizes that Harry is lost, but when will
Harry?
Owl
Babies
By Martin Waddell
A charming, reassuring book for any child who has ever worried about Mummy
leaving them alone, Owl Babies is a beautifully illustrated and exquisitely
executed picture book to warm the cockles of the heart.
I
Forgot to Say I Love You
By Miriam Moss
Mum and Billy are very, very late. Billy says it is all Rabbit's fault - Rabbit
wouldn't eat his breakfast and now they will have to run the rest of the way
to the nursery. Then, in the hurry of saying goodbye, Mum forgets to tell
Billy something very important.
Personal, social and emotional (PSE) development
What
Are Friends For?
By Sally Grindley and Penny Dann
A tale of two friends exploring just what it is that makes their friendship
so special - even when it looks like they've fallen out forever.
Sad/Bereavement
The
Sunshine Cat
By Miriam Moss
Sunny the cat is loved by all his human family, but one day there is a knock
at the door - Sunny has been killed in an accident. A sensitive story which
aims to help children come to terms with death.
After
the Storm
By Nick Butterworth
A storm is raging outside and Percy, the park keeper, is having a sleepness
night. When he gets up the following morning, he finds that the old oak tree
has been blown down. It is a disaster for his animal friends who live there,
but Percy soon devises a plan to help them.
The
Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
By D. Wood and A. Wood
A mouse tries his very best to prevent his beloved strawberry being eaten
by a big hungry bear. A simple text with lovely humorous illustrations, and
the children become wholeheartedly involved.
Can’t
You Sleep Little Bear?
By M. Waddell
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Smarties Prize for Children's Books.
Little Bear can't sleep because he's scared of the dark outside. So Big Bear
takes him out and shows him the moon and the stars - and Little Bear then
falls asleep.
Dear
Zoo
By R. Campbell
A letter to the zoo asking for a pet results in a succession of parcels being
dispatched - all of them containing highly unsuitable pets. All, of course,
except for the last one.
Dogger
By Shirley Hughes
Dave has a very special soft brown toy called Dogger. Dave's very fond of
Dogger and takes him everywhere. Until one day Dogger goes missing - and Dave
won't rest until he's found.
Elmer
By D. McKee
Elmer is different from all the other elephants in the jungle. Instead of
being grey he has a patchwork of all the colours in the rainbow. But one day
he gets fed up with being different and decides he'd like a change.
Mr.
Archimedes’ Bath
By P.Allen
Mr Archimedes' bath always overflows and he always has to clear up the mess,
until the day he decides to find out where the water comes from and if Wombat,
Goat or Kangaroo are responsible. (An excellent storybook to accompany a topic
on water, as it explains in a fun way all about water displacement)
Mrs.
Honey’s Hat
By P. Adams
During the course of a week, Mrs Honey's hat gradually changes without her
noticing as her nephew and a variety of animals take items from it and accidentally
leave other objects in their place.
My
Mum and Dad Make Me Laugh
By N. Sharratt
Mum is crazy about spots - from spotty clothes to spotty games like dominoes.
Dad loves all things stripy - stripy suits and ties and stripy humbug sweets.
When the family goes to the safari park, mum and dad find that their son also
has an obsession - elephants!
Owl
Babies
By M. Waddell
Three baby owls, Sarah, Percy and Bill, wake up one night in their hole in
a tree to find that their mother has gone. So they sit on a branch and wait.
Darkness gathers and the owls grow anxious, wondering when their mother will
return. But, at last, she does, and they joyously welcome her home.
Room
on the Broom
By J. Donaldson
The witch and her cat fly happily through the sky on their broomstick, picking
up passengers as they go. Is there really room on the broom for so many friends?
And what will happen when they meet a greedy dragon?
The
Fish Who Could Wish
By J. Bush
The book tells a fantastical story about a fish who has magical powers. (Wonderful
illustrations and a clever twist at the end; very good for developing children’s
imaginations…what would you wish for?)
Where’s
My Teddy?
By J. Alborough
This is a large edition of the story about Eddy and his teddy, Freddy. Eddy
has lost Freddy in the wood and goes to look for him. The wood is dark and
horrible and soon Eddy gets scared. Then Eddy meets a giant teddy bear. Out
of the darkness appears a gigantic bear - clutching Freddy. "A bear!"
yells Eddy. "A boy!" yells the bear. They both rush off as fast
as they can in opposite directions, until they are back in their respective
beds once more - each with his own teddy.
Something
Else
By K.Cave
Something Else tries to be like the others, but everything he does shows how
different he is. Then Something turns up and wants to be friends, but Something
Else isn't sure that he's at all like him. (Excellent book for developing
PSE skills…acceptance of everyone regardless of their appearance)
Children's non-fiction
One Child One Seed
By Kathryn Cave (Oxfam)
A book that can be used at different levels; from simple counting, (One
child, one seed; two hands to plant the seed; three ways to help it grow,
etc), to learning about the life of a little girl called Nothando living
in
a South African village. Lovely photographs.
A Big Book version is also available
Let's
Eat! Children and their Food Around the World
Beatrice Hollyer
Full of wonderful photographs of children from of South Africa, Mexico, Thailand,
France and India, detailing how they go about shopping for food, cooking, and
sharing mealtimes with their families. Celebration foods are included, and
the children’s favourite (and not so favourite!) foods. Recipes from
each of the five countries is a lovely final touch; Condensed Milk Pudding,
Tomato Salsa, Thai Fried Eggs, Chocolate Cake and Coconut Sweet will give children
the chance to try new flavours and express their preferences. With a preface
written by Jamie Oliver (including his recipe for chocolate biscuits), this
book would be an excellent addition to your bookshelves.
Discovery
Flaps Series
From Oxfam
The Titles are:
Come home with us! (ISBN 0-85953-791-9)
Come
and play with us! (ISBN 85953-793-5)
Come and eat with us!
(ISBN 0-85953-792-7)
Come and ride with us! (ISBN 0-85953-794-3)
The subject matter of these little flap books is based on young children’s interests: homes, play, food, and travel. Each book looks at several children living in diverse places, right across the globe. Simple text, attractive illustrations and lift-the-flaps on all pages make this a book to use with nursery and reception-age children. A map at the end of each book shows where the children live.
The books have been authenticated by Oxfam as the books genuinely help young children develop a sense of community with people all over the world. If you’re finding it difficult to source high quality books with a multicultural emphasis, you would do well to add these to your bookshelves.
The Little Book of Cooking From Stories
By
Sally Featherstone
The
Book Reviewed.