Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Paperback)

“Santomero is a bigger showrunner than Vince Gilligan, David Milch, and Judd Apatow combined—to a kid. The driving force behind the best educational programming for children.” —FATHERLY

In her engaging, new book PRESCHOOL CLUES: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World (April 3, 2018; Touchstone; Trade Paperback Original; $16.99; 978-1-5011-7433-9), ANGELA C. SANTOMERO, M.A.—award-winning co-creator of Blue’s Clues and creator of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Super Why!, and more—takes us behind the scenes of children’s television to teach parents how to choose healthy, research-based media and use the theories behind each show to help preschoolers flourish academically, socially, and emotionally. Along the way, she shares how excellent educational media empowers, challenges, and builds the self-worth of children, all while making them laugh.

With endless accolades, such as the prestigious Peabody award, two TCA awards, twenty-five-plus Emmy nominations, and seven Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, Angela has a gift for creating high-quality programs that help young viewers develop the basic skills they will call upon for the rest of their lives. At only twenty-five years old, Angela cocreated her legendary and wildly successful show Blue’s Clues, the first preschool program to actively and consistently invite audience participation. With her first foray into the entertainment industry, Angela forever changed the way young children watched television, destroying the myth that TV is a passive medium.

In this passionate, practical parenting guide, Angela distills the latest research in child development and translates her tried-and-tested learning philosophy beyond her award-winning shows, straight into easy, actionable advice and exercises for parents and educators. Angela’s eleven ‘clues’ can be used in everyday scenarios:

Clue #1: Play: Through co-play, parents help children understand their thoughts, feelings, and the world around them.
Clue #2: Pause: An intentional four-beat pause after a question enables a preschooler to find her voice.
Clue #3: Repeat: Preschoolers instinctively know that watching something repeatedly leads to learning and mastery.
Clue #4: Think: Practicing higher-order thinking helps little ones see possibilities as opposed to obstacles.
Clue #5: Resolve: Parents can teach preschoolers how to use play, empathy, books, and art to solve problems.
Clue #6: Respect: Respectfully communicating by using rich, expressive language builds a child’s self-worth.
Clue #7: Help: Honing in on a toddler’s desire to help will teach him to prioritize kindness for the rest of his life.
Clue #8: Model: Kids depend on adults to model concepts as simple as eating healthy or as complex as independence.
Clue #9: Observe: Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary can spark our preschooler’s passion.
Clue #10: Enjoy: Songs and humor are educational tools every parent can has the creativity to use.
Clue #11: Celebrate: Celebrating the small things grows a preschooler’s sense of optimism and intrinsic motivation.

Filled with examples of day-to-day interactions with little ones, PRESCHOOL CLUES is an invaluable guide to how quality media helps children learn—and explains how everyone can extend Angela’s successful learning techniques when the show is over.

About the Author: Called a “modern-day Fred Rogers” by his wife, ANGELA C. SANTOMERO, M.A., is the cocreator of Blue’s Clues and the creator of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Creative Galaxy, Super Why!, and Wishenproof. Her work has been cited in numerous publications including Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller, The Tipping Point. She lives in New York with her husband, daughters, and their two dogs. Preschool Clues is her first book.

Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Paperback)

http://www.simonandschuster.com

List Price: $ 16.99