LITERACY THROUGH PLAY.

LITERACY THROUGH PLAY. Gretchen Owocki. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999. 126 pp. $17.00. Literacy Through Play is quite likely to find its way into many educators' professional libraries. Owocki presents a readable theoretical rationale, as well as many practical ideas for using play to encourage literacy development.

Don't be fooled by the size of this slender volume! Owocki packs a lot of information into its pages. The book has six concise and well-organized chapters, each easily readable in one sitting. The first chapter discusses developmentally appropriate practices, as well as play's potential for facilitating literacy. Chapter 2 brings the reader into a preschool and a 1st-grade classroom. The third chapter presents the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and related classroom implications. Next, the author discusses how children construct knowledge about written language. The sixth chapter outlines practical ways to create a literate play environment.

Although Literacy Through Play presents important information about theories and language, the reader does not feel bogged down with background information. The text is interwoven with examples, anecdotes, ideas, and children's conversations and literacy samples, so that it holds the reader's attention throughout. Especially insightful are the sections in chapter 4 titled "In Support of Literacy Development," which discuss implications for the classroom.

This versatile book could serve as a text for teachers-in-training, as a guide for first-time teachers, or as a refresher course and idea-sparker for veteran teachers. This reviewer intends to use it as a source when presenting a parent-education workshop on literacy development. Literacy Through Play will likely serve as a standard reference for years to come. Reviewed by Carolyn Kramer, Vienna Baptist Children's Center, Vienna, VA