"A beautifully written and compelling journey into the complex social worlds of young children, Ron Grady explores how play binds and connects children with materials, space, and one another throughout the school year. Continuing the legacy of Vivian Paley, the book makes central the voices and stories of children—from birthdays to battles, through celebrations to conflicts. It is a powerful reminder for adults to listen to children and attune to the seasonal shifts of the year, the rhythms of school days, and the rituals that mark out their experiences."Haeny Yoon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Director, Early Childhood Programs, Teachers College, Columbia University"In this respectful, lovingly rendered account of the year he spent learning from and with young children about the power, challenges, and pleasures of their friendships, Ron Grady captures and contemplates the richness and complexities of children’s talk, play, and relationships. Grady’s humility, genuine curiosity, and caring consideration are abundantly evident throughout his insightful commentary. Through his meticulous descriptions and thoughtful reflections, Grady kindly and gently guides readers to notice, wonder about, and appreciate how children make sense of the world, engage with each other, co-create knowledge, and grow together."Judy Y. Chu, Ed.D., Author of When Boys Become Boys: Development, Relationships, and Masculinity"In this beautifully written and executed ethnography Ron Grady captures an inside view of the evolving friendship of three preschool boys over the course of a year. The analysis is insightful, exciting, and endearing. We see how their friendship with its conflicts, challenges and joys is embedded in the more general life of the preschool with their peers, teachers, and the researcher. In many ways groundbreaking in the honesty and modesty of its scope, we should expect major work ahead from Grady on the wonders of early childhood"William A. Corsaro, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington and author of We’re Friends, Right? Inside Kids’ Culture and The Sociology of Childhood, 6th edition
