Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Review Update: This set goes well with the "Signing Time" video series. There's also a "Signing Time" website, which may have products similar to Garcia's. I still have the handy 3-fold sign reference card from Garcia's set. It is marked with the dates of when a sign was introduced & when it was actually used by each child (I have 2 kids). It was handy for babysitters & relatives & is now a cherished momento of my kids' babyhood. The "Signing Time" series is great for kids, and Garcia's is good for adults as an 'all-in-one' reference with 'just the facts'. I think he even has an alphabetical sign list in the back of the book & the signs are listed @ the end of the video as well. Hope he has a DVD version - VCRs are so outdated these days... 10/12/2010 Well, I tried Baby Signs and found it to be full of talk about using Baby Signs and short on instruction on when, where, how and why to use Baby Signs. Making signs up was very frustrating - I'm not a creative-type person. I want a system that's proven and works. Then I found Joseph Garcia's book here at Amazon.com. Garcia's book is excellent! Garcia's book is clearly written. It tells you exactly why, when, where and how to use American Sign Language with your baby. Garcia also reviews several studies reporting the benefits of sign language for hearing children. The instructions on how to teach the signs and how to make the signs are quite detailed and specific, so you'll know exactly what to do. (But not so detailed that you're lost!) Garcia also discusses how children sign differently than adults and how their signs may change as their signing ability improves. This is useful in "detecting" a child's first attempts to use a sign. If you're not watching carefully, you'll miss them! The video is enjoyable and well-done - it's broken up into short, easy segments. It adds another dimension - you see many examples of children signing so you'll know what to expect from your child. More tips are given for teaching signs, including specific recommendations for additional signs to teach later. Garcia performs all the signs at the end of the video as a reference library of sorts. Seeing the signs in action was very helpful. Illustrations of signs can only show so much. The signs are timed so you can forward to the exact point where a sign is for easy review. It's also a neat way to show the signs to your child. Lastly, the quick reference guide is very handy. It's much quicker than fumbling through the reference section at the end of the book. The guide is laminated, so baby won't tear it up easily. There's also a place to mark which signs you have shown baby and which signs baby can perform. It's useful for showing relatives or babysitters what baby is "saying" to them. You might want to get a spare guide just in case. In summary, I've found the book, video & laminated reference guide to be very useful and helpful. I highly recommend them all!