For decades early childhood educators in high-quality programs have
understood that the transition into reading and writing occurs naturally
when young children are surrounded by opportunities to interact with
print in ways that are meaningful to them. The original edition of More
Than Letters, first published in 2001, showed teachers how to
intentionally help children develop literacy skills through hands-on,
play-based activities. Like the original edition, the Standards Edition
is based on theory and research. It contains new chapters that
specifically focus on developing the skills needed to decode literature
and informational text. Expanded chapters include activities that target
specific concepts included in national literacy standards.