It's Time to Start Using Your Words

Young children accustomed to expressing themselves with tantrums, gestures, or simple silence need to learn that using their words is the best way to make their thoughts and feelings heard. This book helps kids learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' and express themselves in productive ways.

It's Time to Start Using Your Words is written by child psychologist Lawrence Shapiro and includes language development information and advice for parents. Reading this book at storytime is a great way to encourage your child to communicate with words and leave crying and shyness behind.

The Transition Times series offers charmingly illustrated children's books for handling some of the major transitions of childhood.

School Library Journal

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Each book tackles a problematic transition that many children go through. Bed and Sit Still include a small story about a child with the title concern and how the parents solve it. The other two are more universal, highlighting a series of different situations and depicting a multiethnic cast of children. The illustrations are amateurish, portraying round-headed, round-eyed children on pastel backgrounds. The back matter includes step-by-step advice in handling the title situation, a Web site to help, and a disclaimer stating that the publisher is not "engaged in rendering psychological or other professional services." Perhaps not, but these titles read more like an attempt at self-help books for children and their parents than any form of literature. There are plenty of good books that deal with developmental issues. Leave these titles for the pediatrician's office.-Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

Lawrence E. Shapiro, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized child psychologist who is particularly known for his innovative play-oriented techniques. He has written over two dozen books and created over forty therapeutic games. Shapiro is founder of the Childswork/Childsplay catalog and publishing company, a leading distributor of psychologically oriented toys and games. He is author of numerous books, including How to Raise a Child with a High EQ and An Ounce of Prevention.

Hideko Takahashi was born and raised in Japan. She graduated from Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan, and Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. She has illustrated many children's books including Come to My Party and Other Shape Poems. Her favorite things to paint are kids, bugs, and dogs.