Review of the Book Children, Language, and Literacy:Diverse Learners in Diverse Times

This article is to review the book Children, Language, and Literacy: Diverse Learners in Diverse Times, published in 2009, by Celia Genishi and Anne Haas Dyson. This book aims to explore the central premise that “diversity is the norm” through examining classroom activities that unfold young children’s interaction and learning as well as teachers’ instructional design and strategies. It provides insights into diverse child-centered curricula where children’s flexibility and adaptability in literacy development are stressed. Key focuses throughout this book rest on various dialects of English, sociolinguistic flexibility, pedagogies, assessments, flexible and play-based curricula. As expected, this book would contribute to studies of early childhood literacy, language diversity, and bilingual education. Specifically, it would benefit intended audiences: teachers and educators of young children, particularly teachers working with English language learners, emergent bilinguals, and special needs learners.