Endorsements
“Luna and Floyd by Lauren Levine is a unique book that provides an opportunity for parents or caregivers to interact with their child while reading. The page by page suggestions give detailed descriptions of body movements, questions and comprehension activities that help to foster the child’s cognitive skills while providing stimulating physical activities. As an early child educator and gifted resource specialist I am pleased to see attention given to the reader of young children. Many adults do not fully engage in the reading process when dealing with young children, thus missing out on this valuable time for early reading instruction. By following Ms. Levine’s guidelines parents will be able to enhance their child’s ability to focus on the key elements of the story. The questioning technique will lead to further understanding of vocabulary and develop comprehension skills that will follow the child through life. I look forward to more of these interactive books and hope to see them utilized by families and day care of young children.”
– Ronni Cook
Gifted Education Specialist, Prince William County Schools, Manassas, VA
Small children giggle when their parents and other caretakers play patty-cake, bouncy-bouncy, and eensy-weensy spider up the water-spout, and also when they talk about the illustrations and meaning of the story they are sharing together. Yet a parent or other reader such as grandma and grandpa, may not always know how to make the most of having a child with a book on their knee.
Luna and Floyd Visit Their Grandparents: An interactive book, was written by a Lauren Levine, a teacher and mother who saw a need for such a book. The illustrations by Eric Ebbeson are simple and colorful and correspond to the text. The real bonus, however, is in the small print telling readers what to do and say while reading each page. For example, one early page shows an appealingly round rust-red dog washing her hair. The accompanying text says, “Luna washes her hair.” The small print tells readers to “Rub your child’s head. Ask: “Can you find Luna’s chin?”
Best of all, after enjoying this book a few times with children, any reader can learn the skills needed to bring their own creative interactions to whatever child’s book they might choose next. Luna and Floyd is like taking a “class” in early childhood pedagogy!
– Carol Dugan
Literacy/Reading Specialist, Barnard School, South Hampton, NH
Lauren Levine and Eric Ebbenson have created a wonderful book for helping parents engage their children in age appropriate literacy activities. With each page, the child is drawn into the story through the use of interactive instructions provided for the parent. Physical actions demonstrated by the parent and questions asked to the child help children to sustain interest and engagement. This book will help parents to develop their child’s love of reading. As you read this book with your child, you will notice them drawing closer to you with each turn of the page!
-Jane McCaffery
Literacy Specialist (retired), Main Street School, Exeter, NH