STEP into Storytime: Using StoryTime Effective Practice to Strengthen the Development of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds

This effective manual focuses on using StoryTime Effective Practice (STEP) to strengthen the development of newborns to five-year-olds. STEP is an approach that combines the background knowledge of children's books with factors such as emotional, social, physical, cognitive, and language skill development for children. This important resource discusses how to deploy the STEP philosophy with library staff as well as how to communicate the practices to parents and caregivers. Competencies and applications are demonstrated in in-depth chapters that show readers just how simple it is to incorporate this practice into every storytime. Using the Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) approach, ideas and suggestions are given to lead a STEP storytime. Included in the manual are 30 storytime guides that are categorized by age groups. These guides provide program ideas that include opening songs, reading suggestions, parenting tips for early literacy development, and extension activities all within a particular theme. This book is a valuable resource and one that should be a part of every professional development collection for youth services staff. It is a refreshing take on library program guides that offers an accessible method of reinvigorating storytimes while providing deeper insight into early literacy development.—Allison Santos, Princeton Public Library, NJ