New Releases by Maggie Smith

Flora and her Dad are shopping at the farmer''s market in the parking lot of their local grocery store. They buy everything they need to make spaghetti at the farmer''s market - except for the pasta!

When Nana comes to visit, it''s the best day of the week.

A worry settled deep into my claws. Attila the Hummer is the meanest, nastiest, toughest one of the bunch, and now he''s my group leader!

Celebrates the bond between mothers and babies, from a dog and her puppies to a cow and her calf to a human mother and her child.

Explores the men behind what was once the largest industrial building in the world.

Noly is the best doll anyone could have because she understands about bee stings, brussel sprouts, and scary things.

She may not be the Downton Dame, but Maggie Smith is also in her mid-eighties - and a writer whose first three decades encompassed World War II and massive post-war social changes. This is not a misery memoir but a tale of the survival of a bright girl from a family where only a boy would have been worthy of higher education. Written with energy and humour, it was intended originally only for her own family, but readers of all ages have enjoyed the more unusual anecdotes you won''t read in social history book. How many children do you know who were evacuated while sitting on crates of TNT in the back of an ammunition lorry? Did you know that in 1956 women in the Civil Service could on marriage forgo their pension and take instead a dowry of a month''s salary for every year they had worked? Or that Swedish furniture was trendy in the fifties, well before IKEA ? A fascinating read!

Delving into the depths of fairy tales to transform the daily into encounters with the marvelous but dangerous, Maggie Smith''s poems question whether the realms of imagination can possibly be safe. How do we protect our children from the brutality of the world they live in--the world we brought them into--without also keeping them from the dark forest''s wonder and beauty? Even as her compressed stories are unfolding on a suburban cul de sac, they are deep in the mythical woods, "where children, despite their commonness, / are a delicacy."

‘The number of two-year-olds entering our settings has been increasing over the last few years, and with the government set to continue with the expansion of free places, more and more practitioners will be caring for children in this age range for the first time. For those who still think in terms of the ′terrible twos′, this book serves as a vital and urgent wake-up call. Whether experienced professional or someone starting out on an early years career, it has a great deal to recommend it. ‘ – Neil Henty, Editor and Associate Publisher, The Early Years Educator Do you want to know how best to provide for two year olds in your setting? Do you need effective guidance and advice on how to achieve this? This is an unmissable guide to working with two year olds, offering practical tips and tools to support practitioners, professionals and lecturers in meeting the unique set of needs of this age group. Written by two experienced early years’ professionals this resource covers all aspects of provision and best practice for successfully working with two year olds, including key concerns such as: the completion of the Two Year Progress Check transitions into a setting child development formative and summative assessment effective learning environments working with parents. All this plus charts, pro forma, activities and training materials as well as further reading and access to websites, providing you with all you need to respond to the needs of two year olds with confidence. Chris Dukes and Maggie Smith are both Area SENCOs in London and experienced trainers and authors in the Early Years.

When the narrator of this story discovers she''s going to have a new little brother, she''s not so sure she wants one. Neither is Bubbit, her very special blue wool bunny. Her grandmother, Nonni, made Bubbit for her when she was born, so they''re practically like twins. Soon it''s time for the baby to be born. Nonni comes to stay, and she brings her sewing box. And before long, the narrator has decided to sew her new baby brother something almost as special as Bubbit. Sweetly illustrated, this is the perfect book for crafty kids as well as families expecting a new baby.

East Surry High School Senior Maggie Smith''s first book of poetry was her senior project in 2013.

Maggie Smith-Bendell provides more of her vivid memories, set in the context of the long history of the gypsies.

Join the Mousekin family as they prepare for Christmas! Filled with crafts and recipes, poems and stories, this is a Christmas book to share with the whole family, year after year. All the highlights of a great December are here. The Mousekins pick out and decorate a tree. Make paper snowflakes with Nana Mousekin. Bake cookies for friends and neighbors. Write letters to Santa Mouse. Welcome carolers. Sled and skate and make a snowmouse. Share family stories of Christmases past. And find secret corners of the house to work on surprise presents for each other. You can celebrate along with the Mousekins—this book includes recipes for cookies, instructions for paper and felt crafts, and stories and poems to share with your family. Maggie Smith perfectly captures the happy whirl that is Christmas—when the house smells of cinnamon and ginger and you’re putting the finishing touches on homemade gifts, and the excitement of secrets soon to be revealed is buzzing in the air. Open these pages and step into the warmth of family, the spirit of sharing, and a season full of love.

Illustrations and alliterative rhyming text welcome the reader to a slumber party hosted by Penelope Pig.

Paisley has been sitting on the shelf at Big & Little Toys too long. He’s seen other animals come and go, but somehow he’s never found his perfect match. And so, taking matters into his own hands, Paisley sets off on a quest to find the special someone he knows is out there for him. He braves many perils in his search, but his intrepid determination is rewarded when he finds the girl of his dreams at last. Well, that’s the way Paisley tells the story. Maggie Smith’s wonderfully warm and touchable pictures tell a different tale. In truth, Paisley is mistakenly thrown away, tossed about, and then left in the lost and found at Lolly’s Laundry, where a curious little girl happily discovers him. But when Pearl and Paisley get together, it doesn’t matter who found who—they are a perfect match. Children will laugh at Paisley’s almost-true telling of his tale and will readily understand his need to feel like he’s in control. Sure to melt your heart, this is a love story that celebrates the power of a positive outlook.

Count your way through a baby’s busy day! Count from 1 to 10 as this adorable baby takes a bath, gets dressed, and eats a snack. Through a day of splashing in puddles and playing with puppies, we count down from 10 to 1. By the end, baby is happy and tired—and dirty enough for another bath! “You can’t miss with a wet baby fresh from the bath, making a gleeful escape covered only by a purple towel. . . . Fans of counting and bath time will be satisfied.” —The New York Times Book Review

Born on a Somerset pea-field in 1941, the second of eight children in a Romani family, Maggie Smith-Bendell has lived through the years of greatest change in the travelling community''s long history. As a child, Maggie rode and slept in a horse-drawn wagon, picked hops and flowers, and sat beside her father''s campfire on ancient verges, poor but free to roam. As the twentieth century progressed, common land was fenced off and the traditional ways disappeared. Eventually Maggie married a house-dweller and tried to settle for bricks and mortar, but she never lost the restless spirit, the deep love of the land and the gift for storytelling that were her Romani inheritance. Maggie''s story is one of hardship and prejudice, but also, unforgettably, it recalls the glories of the travelling life, in the absolute safety of a loyal and loving family.

"Tight and purposeful as a fable, The List of Dangers gives us sorrows and warnings from a world imbalanced by beasts and little beauties. The images are precise as a child''s playroom--keyholes, miniature candelabra, the ''trebly notes'' of wrens and gypsies-- but perilous in their tender transformations. Maggie Smith''s rich lyric gifts produce here a poetry of balancing composure in the face of peril and pretty chance." --David Baker, author of Midwest Eclogue "In Maggie Smith''s The List of Dangers, as in the Brothers Grimm, we learn early how hazardous life is and how eagerly our fate awaits us. In these inventive new poems, Smith borrows elements from folktales, fairy tales, and fables to remind us once again that ''Nothing stays good for long'' and ''No one [is] preserved.'' And just as before, we''re thrilled by each tale and tickled to death at our own imperilment." --Kathy Fagan, author of Lip

The purpose of this study was to understand the content and delivery of political art by contemporary women artists who are represented in their artistic medium; discover when and how their self-expressive art was developed; and ascertain how this information could assist students. The study explored whether these artists'' political viewpoints were formulated due to life experiences or encouraged through art education classes. The study used a qualitative, narrative inquiry research design, which allowed the researcher to learn from the participants through storytelling. In-depth interviews were conducted to reveal the stories of four practicing contemporary women artists who translate gender, culture, government, and environmental issues into their art. Each participant had a unique viewpoint that is personal in nature and is expressed as a fulfillment of themselves and others. There were ten major themes that emerged from the study. These included cultural influences on political viewpoints, impact of government on political voice, impact of family on artistic and political voice, the emergence of self-expression through life experience, influence of art education at an early age, the return to school later in life, political voice encouraged through art education, empowerment through understanding of self and the human condition, issues of culture, and the power of art and expression. From these themes, suggestions for art educators were identified as possible strategies to effectively employ artistic practices for teaching and learning. Learning how visual artmaking and teaching practices transform into ways of understanding self-expression in the lives of art students can impact practices in the field of art education. Understanding the stories of the four political women artists can also translate into the classroom by offering examples of successful women of diverse cultural backgrounds who have found their voices and the courage to express their ideas and beliefs.

Making sure that young children with special educational needs have the right support is a top priority for all early years settings, but spotting additional needs can be tricky. This book is the ultimate resource for busy practitioners who want good, clear advice on what to look for and how to set up the necessary provision. From an award-winning author team, the advice contained here will empower you, and give you the confidence to identify and plan for the needs of every child in your care. Topics discussed in chapters are as follows: - observation and assessment of needs - physical development, and how to spot problems - communication, language and literacy, and how to spot difficulties - personal, social and emotional development, in line with the holistic child emphasis of the EYFS There are also: - case studies of children between 0 to 5 years - sample policies - lots of photocopiable material, on the CD-Rom that comes with the book Suitable for all early years students and practitioners, this book reminds the reader that all children require additional support at some stage, and that providing it is an essential part of good practice.

Maggie Smith-Bendell and her family are Romani Gypsies and, as she grew up, Maggie learned the old crafts and customs of the Gypsies'' traditional way of life. In this memoir, Maggie describes a way of life that has more or less vanished in the 21st century.

First published in 1995 by Orchard Books, this book takes one baby, two dogs, and three bicycles on a journey from the big city to Maine''s seacoast. Objects packed for the trip and things seen along the way are all happily counted, finishing in a shining finale as the family tallies 20 fireflies found during their last evening in Maine.

Includes CD-Rom `This book is highly recommended for all practitioners interested in improving their practice in developing young children′s communication and language. The ability to print material form the CD-Rom enables the information to be accessed by practitioners working with children of different ages in different rooms in a setting′ - Early Years Update `A very clear and easy to read style of text...This book has a common sense approach to good practice. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone wishing to develop this area of childminding work′ - National Childminding Association `An excellent resource for all those working with young children...the ideas are tried and tested, user-friendly and research-based, and can be trusted and implemented with ease′ - Early Years Educator `This book will be an invaluable support: a treasure-chest of superb resources, materials, ideas and suggestions for the busy early years practitioner who is keen to develop the language of the children in their care. The CD-ROM will save some of that precious time we all strive to expand, and the practical strategies offered will be a boon to practice in the setting′ - Collette Drifte Looking for advice on how to develop communication and language skills in the pre-school? Packed with helpful advice on supporting and developing the crucial language and communication skills of the children in your early years setting, this book provides clear guidance on appropriate expectations for each age group between birth to five. The book includes: - advice on how to support language development in all children, including those with special educational needs - practical ideas and strategies for practitioners and parents - guidance on when to seek advice and working with other professionals - activities and case studies - a CD Rom with useful photocopiable resources. This book is ideal for all those working with the 0 to 5 age range, such as pre-school practitioners, nursery managers, advisory teachers, SENCOs, Inclusion Officers and Child Care and Education students and tutors. Chris Dukes and Maggie Smith are both Area SENCOs who work closely with pre-school SENCOs and Managers on a daily basis.

Includes CD-Rom `This very timely book...aims to support practitioners to work in partnership with parents, particularly those parents whose children have special or additional needs...It very clearly sets out the principles, legislative framework and processes which are essential knowledge for all SENCOs and managers in early years settings′ - Early Years Update `The book has a positive approach to all aspects of working with parents and children...It′s a book you can easily dip in and out of and is written in plain English...There aren′t many textbooks I can read from cover to cover but this is one - I found it really interesting and enlightening. Score - 10 out of ten′ - National Childminding Association `In short, this book provides almost everything you need in order to work successfully with parents′ - Early Years Educator Are you looking for advice on how to work successfully with parents? Every practitioner knows that it is vitally important to work well with parents and make the relationship a positive and productive one, to ensure the best support for the child with special educational needs. This book offers clear strategies for ways to forge successful and lasting relationships with parents. It includes: - advice on working together with parents to improve the child′s learning - strategies for communicating effectively with parents - help for the pre-school SENCO, showing how they can lead the process - tips for building successful links with other related professionals - activities and case studies - a CD Rom with checklists and useful photocopiable material. This book is ideal for all those working with the 0 to 5 age range, such as pre-school practitioners, nursery managers, advisory teachers, SENCOs, Inclusion Officers and Child Care and Education students and tutors. Chris Dukes and Maggie Smith are both Area SENCOs who work closely with pre-school SENCOs and Managers on a daily basis.