This book reviews findings on how much infants, toddlers and preschoolers know and are capable of expressing from the early months on. Chapters covering each year of a child"s language growth link this knowledge to McGuiness"s own programme for children"s reading. McGuiness charts how a child first makes sense of the world of sound and symbols, and then progresses from recognizing and decoding words to developing a vocabulary and using it to become a good listener, reader and eloquent speaker. She offers advice to parents on how to maximize interactions with their children and be a positive force in nurturing their child"s language from day one.