Bad Guys Don't Have Birthdays: Fantasy Play at Four

by Vivian Gussin Paley

Book Overview

Bad guys are not allowed to have birthdays, pick blueberries, or disturb the baby. So say the four-year-olds who announce life's risks and dangers as they play out the school year in Vivian Paley's classroom.

Their play is filled with warnings. They invent chaos in order to show that everything is under control. They portray fear to prove that it can be conquered. No theme is too large or too small for their intense scrutiny. Fantasy play...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226644960
• ISBN13: 9780226644967
• Release Date: May 1991
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

One of my all time favorites by Paley

Vivian Paley is a master at decribing young children's capacity for story telling. Her books are worth twice the price, and extremely readable, informative and thought provoking.

Fantasy Play is amazing!

I really enjoyed this book because it allowed for super hero play which is often frowned on in early education classrooms. Children are allowed to express themselves thru play and their imaginiations can run wild. This book did a great job of showing the reader just how children use their imagininations in play and just how quick the theme can change. This is a great book for anyone who is in the early childhood education field. It makes an easy read and it is truely a great book!!