This gentle and joyful book explores ways in which we can harness young children's natural storytelling ability to help them become readers and writers at an early age. The detailed lessons throughout the book use the power of stories - personal narratives, folktales, and fairy tales -- to deepen literacy experiences and make reading and writing a part of every day. Teachers will find a wealth of resources, including practical models; teaching schedules; examples of student work; parent education materials; and ideas on how to manage assessment.