Contact: Phil Hearn
A story book aimed at preschool-aged children soon will be distributed at several "Leaders in Literacy" sites by Mississippi State's Early Childhood Institute.
A thousand copies of "My Little Story Book" will go to early childhood sites in West Point, Greenville, Jackson, and Meridian, according to Nancy A. Verhoek-Miller, literacy professor in the university's curriculum and instruction department. She also is one of two authors of the 20-page publication.
"The book, completed over six months, is a collaborative reading project," said Verhoek-Miller. "It is oriented toward 3- and 4-year-olds. A parent, teacher or older sibling may share the short stories with a child."
The four stories include: "The Story of the Little Spoon," "The Story of the Child and the Puzzle," "The Story of a Picture of Nature," and "The Story of a Thank-You Letter." In addition to Verhoek-Miller, they are the creations of Edwina "Mother Goose" Williams, children's librarian at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library in Columbus.
Blank spaces in each story allow the reader to insert the name of the child to whom the story is being read, so the child may become more personally involved in the story line. "Story Sharing Tips" and "Story Extension Ideas" are listed at the end of each story to help the reader emphasize key ideas and reinforce educational points.
"There are a variety of predictable story patterns and the child may chime in as the stories are being read," said Verhoek-Miller.
The story book project was co-directed by Cathy Grace, executive director of both MSU's Early Childhood Institute and the National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives; and Esther Howard, head of the curriculum and instruction department that houses both the ECI and NCRECLI.
Lark O. Tynes of Moss Point, a senior elementary education major, handled the book's design and layout.
The ECI's "Leaders in Literacy" project is an initiative to evaluate different models for enhancing child relationships and learning environments so young children are better prepared to learn to read. The initiative began with collaboration among the Barksdale Reading Institute and received subsequent funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Phil Hardin Foundation, Day Foundation, and U.S. Department of Education. The initiative involves teacher mentoring projects in West Point, Greenville, Jackson, and Meridian.
The Barksdale, Day and Hardin organizations are all based in Mississippi; the Kellogg Foundation, in Michigan.