Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk by Linda Acredolo & Susan Goodwyn

If you are interested in teaching your baby to use signs or gestures to communicate as a means of supporting later verbal language development, this is a really nice, low pressure resource. The book provides a great rationale for why using gestures and signs can actually support later verbal language development. It also discusses how to use gestures to alleviate frustration in young children who are not yet talking or for those who are just learning how to use verbal words. What's really nice about this approach to teaching signs and gestures is that the authors encourage parents to use both standard ASL (American Sign Language) signs as well as natural gestures (both conventional and ones they make up themselves). There is a great picture dictionary in the back of the book that will help parents get started on their way to using gestures with their infant, toddler, or preschooler.