Literacy Development in the Early Years: Helping Children Read and Write explores both the science and art of teaching literacy from birth through Grade 3. It presents a wealth of theory, research, practical strategies, and perspectives about how children learn literacy skills – while recognizing that literacy development is an active process between educators and their students. Renowned author Lesley Mandel Morrow utilizes her own research and experiences as well as the research of others to consider historical theories and philosophies about how children learn, policy changes in teaching reading, new laws and challenges in the area of testing and assessment, the place of diversity in today’s classrooms, teaching English learners, and more.

Reorganized with shorter, easier-to-read chapters, the 9th Edition contains added strategies for developing literacy in writing workshops, reading workshops, independent and partner reading, organizational methods, and comprehension development. Additional assessments allow teachers to carry out a more complete case study of a child’s abilities and needs.

Lesley Mandel Morrow is a distinguished professor of literacy at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education, where she is director of the Center for Literacy Development. She began her career as a classroom teacher, then became a reading specialist, and later received her Ph.D. from Fordham University in New York City. Her area of research deals with early literacy development and the organization and management of language arts programs. Her research is carried out with children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Morrow has more than 300 publications, including journal articles, book chapters, monographs, and books. She has received Excellence in Research, Teaching, and Service Awards from Rutgers University. She was the recipient of the International Reading Association’s (now known as the International Literacy Association, or ILA) Outstanding Teacher Educator of Reading Award and the William S. Gray Citation of Merit, and ILA’s Special Service Award. She also received Fordham University’s Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement. In addition, Dr. Morrow has received numerous grants for research from the federal government and has served as a principal research investigator for the Center of English Language Arts, the National Reading Research Center, and the Center for Early Reading Achievement. She was an elected member of the board of directors and president of the ILA, an organization of 60,000 educators from 100 countries. Dr. Morrow was elected into the Reading Hall of Fame and was president of the Hall of Fame as well. In 2010 she received the Literacy Research Association’s Oscar Causey Award for research that has added knowledge to and caused change in literacy practice. She is extremely proud of the work done in the Center for Literacy Development, which provides coaching in schools throughout New Jersey. She has provided professional development for the Rutgers Reading Club and after-school program for struggling readers, which is training she created with Susan Dougherty. Dr. Morrow, has also provided professional development at conferences she organized with well known speakers from around the country and abroad. In addition, she is the proud grandmother of James Ethan and Natalie Kate.