The only book you'll ever need to read... kind of...

Four teachers teachers at school and I are part of a reading and study group at school. We picked three different books that we'd like to study, and spend an evening a month discussing what we've read. One of the books has seriously changed my life and how I plan to parent my children (in 10 to 15 years - the principles will be the same then!). That book is The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.


I've known the power that early reading has in the life of a child. I've written papers about the need for a child to have 1000 hours of reading experience under their belt by the time they reach kindergarten. I know that kids who have been read to have larger vocabularies, are more likely to enjoy reading as they grow up, and are on track for success in school and in life. This book has put all these things together in very practical application. It gives so many examples of why reading aloud to children is important, ways to put this practice into your life, books to read, and more.

The message of the book is this: start early in reading aloud to your child (even before they're born!), continue reading to them as they grow up (who doesn't enjoy being read to?), and enjoy the relationship you and your child build as you read books together.

This is the only book you need to read... until you start reading with your children!