Self and Story in Early Childhood: Children's Developing Minds Revealed by Parent-led Research

Our children grow up into a world of stories—in books, on screens—but  what do they make of the stories we offer them? What do they think and  feel as they listen to a parent read a picture-book? What if a story  confuses or upsets them?

Over the past fifty years, several  intelligent, committed mothers undertook the onerous task of recording  exactly what their children said and did in response to the stories they  shared. Some of their records extended over five years, or even longer.  Their research, done without funding or academic supervision, offers us  unparalleled insight into children’s minds long before they learn to  speak—let alone learn to read.

In Self and Story in Early  Childhood, Hugh Crago draws on his unusual combination of expertise in  literary studies, developmental psychology and psychotherapy to  re-examine the startling implications of this neglected body of  evidence. He highlights how much children can achieve without formal  teaching, but with the supportive presence of a trusted adult who will  participate with them in the story experience.

This book will be  of great interest to scholars of developmental psychology, early  literacy and narratology, as well as to professionals working with  preschoolers. Most of all, it will fascinate parents who themselves  share stories with their child.