Reading and writing are the most important skills a child acquires during his or her lifetime--and it all begins in the early childhood classroom, where creative play, discovery and time to explore are at the heart of a developmentally appropriate and child-centered curriculum. Striking a balance between these often competing priorities can challenge even the most experienced educator.

Reading and writing are the most important skills a child acquires during his or her lifetime--and it all begins in the early childhood classroom, where creative play, discovery and time to explore are at the heart of a developmentally appropriate and child-centered curriculum. Striking a balance between these often competing priorities can challenge even the most experienced educator.

The #1 New York Times bestselling (mostly true) memoir from the hilarious author of Furiously Happy. “Gaspingly funny and wonderfully inappropriate.”—O, The Oprah Magazine When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it. In the irreverent Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson’s long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments—the ones we want to pretend never happened—are the very same moments that make us the people we are today. For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives. Readers Guide Inside

What happens when all the parts of the body stop cooperating? Well, Coach Brain is about to find out. She’s the brains of the outfit—literally! But Coach finds herself stumbling along until she remembers what it really means to be a team. This entertainin

Do you shy away from situations that require you to speak in English? Do you wish to command an army of words at a moment’s notice? Filled with innovative and practical learning devices, this book is a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of reading, writing and speaking English. As a learner who has spent many years navigating the treacherous slopes of the language, Manish Gupta understands the challenges faced by an Indian learner. He recounts his own struggles and narrates his interactions with people to outline tips and tricks to improve vocabulary, pronunciation and spoken English.

"Let's Talk is a small rhetoric that covers genres of writing students are most often assigned to do. It also provides everything they need for doing research, including explicit guidelines to help them decide which sources to trust - and how to fact-check any that they question. And it includes assignable chapters on listening with an open mind and engaging respectfully with others. Students are encouraged to seek out, engage, and listen to people with viewpoints that differ from their own"--

Many parents worry about their child's sleep, and parents of new babies are often exhausted - but there is hope. This realistic, reassuring, and refreshing guide to sleep looks at sleep for both parents and children, and aims to empower and encourage parents to feel calm, confident and compassionate in their parenting. It strikes a balance between prioritising infant and child mental health and attachment, and being compassionate about the reality of raising a family in today's society, with social support and understanding often in short supply. With practical and easily implementable ideas, and clear explanation of the many myths surrounding infant and baby sleep, this gentle and holistic guide is sure to allay many parents fears and help everyone in the family get the rest they need.

Children play at being spies, but the tables turn.