See Who’s ‘Flipped’ Over Begin Smart Books!
The reviews keep coming in -- this time, from the FlipFlop Mamma:
'Begin Smart has taken all the guess work out for you. They have wonderful books by age and color coded so you know which ones are just perfect for your wee one. I don't know much about the brains behind Begin Smart, but they know what they're doing.'
To read the entire article, just visit the FlipFlopMamma blog!
‘DoubleBugs.com’ Thinks Begin Smart is ‘really cool’…
Doublebugs.com is a blog maintained by a stay-at-home mom of toddler-aged twin boys. We were thrilled that she took time out to review Begin Smart.
'Most if not all of the modern bookstores carry books for young children, but always lump them together in such a wide age-range. As a parent, I go into a bookstore and spend a good deal of time in the 0-3 year section, looking for books that I think the boys may like and for the most part you have no clue and are blindly picking up books. These particular books I like. I like them because they give you a clear direction in what to choose (color coded by age) The colors are bright and the activities are fun. My two loved the “Look at Me!” book and took turns holding up to their face and “roaring like a lion” or “oinking like a pig”. The activities are simple and versatile which encourage imagination and variety of learning opportunities. I look forward to seeing more from this company in the future..excellent choice in books! Look for them in your local bookstore…definitely worth picking them up for your little one!'
Check out the Doublebugs.com review, for more - and especially for the too-cute slide show!
‘Booking Mama’ Blog Reviews Begin Smart
Wow - another great review from a really cool blog!
Booking Mama 'shar[es] ideas on books and book clubs' and is written by a book-loving, stay-at-home mom.
She says, 'I wish these books had been around when my kids were little, because they are perfect for little ones (at least I'm still getting some new nieces and nephews.) These books would make wonderful gifts for the babies or moms-to-be in your lives; and I know they will just love them.'
You can check out the full review at the Booking Mama blog.
Review from ‘An Ordinary Mom’
We were fortunate to get some feedback from a great blog called "An Ordinary Mom", where a review was posted this week.
"After being able to view and read a variety of these books first hand, I must admit they are excellent! The colors are bright, the content is definitely age appropriate and engaging, and the material the books are made out of is extremely sturdy. They definitely seem resilient to infant and toddler slobber and rough handling."
Why, thanks! For the entire article, visit the blog!
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Publisher’s Weekly: “New Book Program Offers a Smart Start”
May 15, 2008 -- Publisher's Weekly, the publishing industry's 'go-to place' for book news and reviews, featured a story about Begin Smart Books in their section called 'Children's Bookshelf'.
Click Here to see what they had to say!
Read the Official Begin Smart Announcement
Begin Smart Books Offers a New Developmental Read-and-Play Program for Babies and Toddlers
Innovative, Age-Leveled Books Available in June
NEW YORK, May 5, 2008 -- Begin Smart™ books, to be distributed by Sterling Publishing Co., give parents access to a unique array of books based on current research about how babies develop in the first two years of life.
Begin Smart books are age-appropriate in both content and format and carefully leveled in six-month increments. They feature bright bold colors, unique designs, and a variety of formats. Each title will attract and keep babies’ attention and give mothers, fathers, grandparents and other caregivers an opportunity to bond and interact with little ones in ways uniquely afforded by reading together.
Begin Smart books were developed by children’s author and publisher Harriet Ziefert, who envisioned books truly geared to the emerging skills of infants and toddlers. Most of the existing titles she found in the marketplace had age ranges spanning several years – for example, newborn to three – and she concluded, after many years of observing babies, that such leveling made no sense in relation to what she saw in reality.
“I decided to begin smart,” says Ziefert. “I chose to learn everything I could about infant development and use ‘the observed baby’ as my starting off point. I did not begin with a list of skills, or a group of stories, or a particular character, or concepts to be learned. I began with the conviction that everything is new to a baby and the best books for babies are the ones that help them make sense of the complicated world around them.”
Begin Smart titles are grouped by age: newborn to 6 months; 6 to 12 months; 12 to 18 months; and 18 to 24 months. A variety of sturdy and engaging formats give babies many opportunities to touch, explore, learn, and react with feeling.
Reflecting the importance of safety and quality in a children’s product, the materials, construction and inks all meet the exacting safety standards of ASTM (for the U.S.) and CE (for Europe).
“Begin Smart books respect babies’ milestones of development. They are perfectly leveled to match a growing child’s skills and natural curiosity,” added Frances Gilbert, Children’s Editorial Director at Sterling Publishing.
The initial set of Begin Smart books launches in June. Every book in this series offers these helpful features:
Color Coding – Books are clearly color-coded by age.
Developmental Skills – Every book includes a list of skills which are aided by that book.
Parent Notes – The parent notes expand on the list of developmental skills and suggest several ways to read the book.
Promotional DVD – A 12-minute video shows the books being used by moms, dads, and grandparents and offers tips about how to read to babies of different ages.
Website –www.beginsmartbooks.com
On the Begin Smart website, parents can find advice from child development experts, tips for creative ways to read the books, and an overview of the entire program.
Begin Smart™ is a trademark of Begin Smart, LLC.
All titles are distributed by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
