(Review of 6th edition)

This is truly a wonderful book. Before reading it, I never fully comprehended just how crucial it is to read aloud to your kids. It has completely changed my perspective and made me extremely excited about helping my children develop a love for reading.

I firmly believe that this book should be mandatory reading for parents and teachers alike, regardless of where they are. It provides such valuable insights and practical tips.

In fact, I have already decided that this will be the next book I purchase for my friends who have recently become parents. What's more, the last half of this book is a comprehensive listing of great books to read to kids. Thanks to that, I now have a list of approximately 20 books that I'm eager to go out and find.

I can't wait to share these wonderful stories with my kids and watch their faces light up with joy and wonder as they embark on these literary adventures.

At first, when this book was recommended to me, I thought the contents of the book would be obvious - read aloud to your children. And indeed it was! However, it didn't merely stop at that. It didn't just tell me HOW to read out loud to my children; rather, it delved deeper and told me WHY to read out loud to my children and also why I needed to be reading to myself too. Fortunately, this has always been the case for me, but now I have a much better understanding of the significance of it.

One thing that was emphasized repeatedly was the importance of reading and going to the library. I grew up in a very impoverished home where we simply couldn't afford family vacations. My mother always felt bad about this. So, to make up for it, she took us to the library every Tuesday afternoon during the summers. We would read and spend a few hours there, and then come home with our arms filled with books. We also always had to wake up extremely early and finish all our chores for the day promptly. When we were done, we were free to play with our friends. However, in most cases, all of my friends would just be getting out of bed, and they would then have to do their own chores. So, I would go home to my stack of books and read and read until they could play. Now I realize what an amazing gift my mother gave to me by taking me to the library and making us wake up early, giving me hours of uninterrupted time to fall in love with books!

The Read Aloud Handbook is a remarkable resource.

The first half presents a wealth of facts, figures, and anecdotes that vividly illustrate the numerous benefits children gain from being read aloud to, starting from the fetal stage and continuing long after they can read independently.

For a book lover, much of this might seem like common sense. However, as in life, just because something is common sense doesn't mean we always take the time to ponder it. For instance, it makes perfect sense that children still benefit from being read to even when they can read on their own, as their listening level is often higher than their reading level. I, for one, had never considered this before. But The Read Aloud Handbook made me think about it, and now I'm determined to read to my children forever.

The second half of the book is a wonderful compilation of great books for reading aloud to your kids. They are sorted by type, such as wordless, picture, novels, poetry, etc., and labeled by listening (not reading!) level. My only minor complaint is that many of the recommended books are about school or school-related events. Since I plan to homeschool my children, I'd prefer to avoid the school topic. But this is completely a personal preference and not the author's fault.

I initially borrowed this book from the library, but in the future, I'll definitely be purchasing a copy for myself to keep as a valuable reference.

This book has truly been a revelation for me, providing numerous profound insights into both reading and parenting. It has also offered an abundance of encouragement to continue reading aloud.

The author has written this book with the American reader specifically in mind. As a result, a significant portion of the text is dedicated to exploring the US school system and national reading levels.

However, despite its American focus, the book contains a wealth of information that is highly relevant and extremely useful for anyone who is striving to raise children who will become lifelong readers.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, or simply someone who is passionate about the power of reading, this book is definitely worth a read. It will inspire you, educate you, and provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to foster a love of reading in the next generation.

As always, this is a great read that truly captivates the reader.

Not only is it interesting and engaging, but now it has also become highly relevant for both my job and my personal life.

The author has provided some excellent book recommendations that have piqued my curiosity and excitement.

I simply can't wait to explore these recommended books and see what new knowledge and perspectives they have to offer.

It's amazing how a single article can have such a profound impact on different aspects of our lives.

I'm looking forward to delving into these books and sharing my thoughts and experiences with others.

Overall, this has been a wonderful discovery that I'm sure will enrich my reading journey and bring many benefits in both my professional and personal endeavors.

I have just completed rereading this remarkable book, and I firmly believe that it should be compulsory reading for every parent and teacher.

It focuses entirely on the significance of reading aloud to children, all the way up to 8th grade. There are numerous advantages. Firstly, it helps in building vocabulary. By exposing kids to a wide range of words, they expand their language skills. Secondly, it associates reading with pleasure. When children hear stories read aloud in an engaging way, they start to enjoy the process of reading. Thirdly, it creates background knowledge. They learn about different cultures, historical events, and various other topics. Fourthly, it provides a reading role model. Parents and teachers who read aloud set a good example for the kids. Finally, it instills a desire in kids to read even more.

The final section of the book is an extensive and wonderful book list that both parents and teachers will surely love. It offers a plethora of suggestions for further reading. I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is truly a gem that can have a profound impact on the lives of children.

I read the 7th edition of this book which is translated into Indonesian and published by Noura Publishing.

This book not only discusses the issue of read-aloud but also the theory and case examples related to the literacy skills of young children.

These literacy skills are not limited to the process of reading or being read to a book but also about the formation of habits, discussions, and challenges from distractions.

This book is supported by many scientific studies related to the impact of reading on a person's performance.

No wonder this book is very important and a "must-read" for early childhood literacy practitioners.

What makes me not give 5 stars to this book is:

- This book is richly illustrated with examples of classic children's books such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', but I believe not all Indonesian parents can picture what the book looks like. (Note: In this edition, Noura provides a list of Indonesian books)

- The part that discusses digital learning seems too defensive to me. Especially after the pandemic ends and we all have to be ready to face the transformation, it feels like we all need to find a middle ground to remain alive and creative in this era full of distractions.

As a huge proponent of reading aloud, I firmly believe that this book is one that I would highly recommend to any parent or teacher.

It is truly remarkable as it cites over 400 pieces of research, which clearly demonstrate the undeniable importance of sharing stories with young children.

Jim Trelease has done an outstanding job in presenting a wonderful argument for being an active part of the education of young people.

By reading aloud to children, we not only expose them to the magic of language and imagination but also enhance their cognitive development, vocabulary, and listening skills.

Parents and teachers play a crucial role in this process, and this book provides valuable insights and practical tips on how to make reading aloud a fun and engaging experience for children.

Whether it's at bedtime, in the classroom, or during family time, reading aloud can create lasting memories and a love for books that will stay with children throughout their lives.

So, I urge all parents and teachers to pick up this book and start sharing the joy of reading with the young ones in their lives.

I read this book as part of an online book study I participated in to obtain CEUs for renewing my teaching certificate.

Most of the teachers in the study were elementary teachers, and the book is more targeted towards elementary teachers and parents of elementary-aged students. However, the content is relevant and applicable to all ages.

I appreciate that this book provides research to back up what I already knew - that reading aloud is beneficial for us, both when we listen and when we do it ourselves.

In addition to the supporting research, the chapters also offer ideas on how to integrate reading aloud into our daily lives.

After the 10 content chapters, there is a book treasury, which is a list of recommended read-aloud books along with age-level and summary information.

I plan to work my way through this list over the next few months.

Overall, this book is an excellent resource for both parents and teachers. It offers valuable insights and practical suggestions for promoting the importance of reading aloud and enhancing the reading experience for everyone.

This book offers valuable guidance to parents on how to inspire their children to develop a love for books.

The author delves into numerous topics that might not have crossed one's mind before, like the significance of setting aside dedicated time to read with each child separately.

It is truly a remarkable resource that I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who is keen on enhancing their parenting abilities.

Moreover, it features an outstanding section that recommends books suitable for kids of all ages.

This not only helps parents in choosing the right books for their children but also broadens the children's literary horizons.

Overall, this book is a must-read for all parents who want to foster a love for reading in their children and create a positive and enriching learning environment at home.

5 stars for the treasury at the end and for how passionate Jim Trelease clearly is about kids and reading. This book offers a unique perspective as it wasn't written specifically for the homeschool crowd. In fact, I believe that today, it's more likely to be read by that group. There's a wealth of information about schools and, unfortunately, test scores.

Some of the information, anecdotes, and studies presented by Trelease might be met with rolled eyes or dismissive responses, especially from those who are defensive of public schools and school reform. As I mentioned earlier, he is extremely passionate, and it seems like he used many things as evidence to support his case. I'm convinced by his conclusions, but I haven't delved into the footnotes to truly understand what lies beneath.

Anyway, it's a great book, and probably one that all parents should read. It provides valuable insights into the importance of reading for kids and offers practical suggestions on how to encourage it. Whether you're a homeschooling parent or not, this book has something to offer. So, pick it up and give it a read!

I picked up this book with the anticipation of being amazed by the overwhelming evidence that would convince me to read more to my kids. And boy, was I not disappointed!

In the approximately three weeks that I have been engrossed in this book, I have made a significant change in my routine. I have started reading to my kids more frequently.

It's truly remarkable how this simple act has snowballed into something much bigger. It's now like a runaway train, gathering momentum with each passing day.

The joy and excitement on my kids' faces as they listen to the stories is priceless. I can see the positive impact it is having on their language skills, imagination, and overall development.

I am so glad I picked up this book and took the leap to read more to my kids. It has become a wonderful and essential part of our daily lives.