Olivia N. Saracho is Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland at College Park. Her teaching experience includes public schools (all levels) and university experience (graduate and undergraduate levels). Her research and writing include language development, whole language approach, emergent literacy, family literacy, the roots of reading and writing, literacy activities in a play environment, children’s play, teacher preparation, and many others. She is co-author of Foundations of Early Childhood Education (Prentice-Hall), Right from the Start (Allyn and Bacon), and Individual Differences (Longman). In addition, she is the author of An integrated play-based curriculum for young children (Routledge), co–editor of the Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children (Routledge), and editor of the series Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education published by Information Age.