In Path for Words, speech-language pathologist and behavior analyst Marie Martinez helps parents teach early communication skills to their toddlers through fun activities that mesh seamlessly with everyday life.

After 15 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist and behavior analyst, Martinez saw a need for parents to be able to assess their preschooler’s verbal ability and to know when to seek professional help for potential developmental delays. She warns parents not to “wait and see” if their child is behind in language learning, stressing the importance of early intervention: “I’ve seen a large number of children whose communication could’ve been significantly improved with early intervention … However, many caregivers don’t know what signs to look for …”

In this robust self-help guide, Martinez equips parents with the knowledge to advocate for their child with health-care providers, specialists and caregivers. She provides checklists, guides, activities and an abundance of additional resources for parents to understand the developmental milestones of their preschoolers and help them succeed.

Martinez recognizes “that there’s no changing the twenty-four-hour clock” and has, thus, created learning activities that fit naturally into the rhythm of daily life with a 1- to 3-year-old: bath time, diaper changes, snack time, outside play and more. She also shares real-life stories from her work as a speech and language pathologist that beautifully illustrate how the activities might play out in the real world.

Martinez’s passion for her work and love for children are evident throughout her writing. (Her repeated use of the term “kiddos,” however, becomes distracting.) Overall, her tone is consistently positive and encouraging and will breathe new hope into the hearts of frustrated parents whose children may be relying on “concerning behaviors instead of using more complex, safer communication.”

Parents and caregivers of preschoolers struggling with communicating, as well as those who are curious about natural milestones for early verbal communication, will find Martinez’s work invaluable.