3V0357.02 Reading 1/14/79
READING — When I tired of pipe play and put them away, Peggy pointed to the book about puppies Miriam has given her. Peggy played contentedly for a minute or a few — then she gave the book to me. I thanked her, admired the book, and returned it to her. She was not happy. She kept pointing to the animals (saying /daet/) and I responded “puppy”. On the various pages distinguishing between the puppies and other objects by name and intonation as well. Thus “puppy, puppy, puppy, telephone.” Peggy kept giving the book to me, and I continued returning it. Her frustration grew. I finally caught on. Peggy wanted me to “read” to her. She was contented when I held the book before her, turning the pages when I thought her ready, naming the objects she pointed to. Gretchen has “turned the pages” with Peggy and Miriam has “read” to her.
RELEVANCE — Because books appear to offer an interesting and flexible extension for Peggy’s new interest in pictures I feel we should capture now the style each of us “readers” brings to our book-focused playing with Peggy.
Further, books have the interesting property of being boxes without hollows. I have seen Peggy open a book, put in a teething ring,, then try to close the cover on it. Perhaps we can have her contrast the two in another part of P 51.