The Book Blab Episode 12: The Joy of Reading Aloud

This just might be my favorite episode of the Book Blab yet. Suzanne and I discussed the ins and outs of reading aloud, a subject that I am quite passionate about (I definitely do more than my fair share of talking in the video--sorry, Suzanne!). Enjoy, and please share your own thoughts, tips, and read-aloud recommendations in the comments!

0:24 - The topic of this episode: How to make reading aloud a part of your family
0:58 - Reading aloud can be enjoyed by anyone of any age
1:58 - Why is reading aloud so important?

• 3:38 - Great relationship builder
• 4:51 - Navigate difficult topics
• 5:30 - Physical closeness

7:15 - Tips and tricks for making reading aloud work in your family

• 7:25 - How to make time/fit in reading aloud
• 10:50 - How to manage different ages/levels/interests
• 13:25 - How to pick interesting books to read aloud
• 17:00 - How to keep kids engaged while reading aloud (quiet activities)

20:35 - When is an appropriate age to begin reading aloud chapter books?

23:42 - A few fun read-aloud recommendations

31:50 - Two favorite read-alouds from our own childhoods:

• 32:15 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 34:30 - Amy's recommendation

37:15 - Conclusion and reminder: Mini-book club next episode: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Links and books talked about during the show:

The Read-Aloud Revival with Sarah MacKenzie (podcast and website)

All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (Amy's review)
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (Suzanne's review)
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary (Amy's review)
Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary (Amy's review)
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling (Amy's review)
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (Amy's review)

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (Amy's review)

By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman (Amy's review) 

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat (Amy's review)

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (Amy's review // Suzanne's review)

Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown (Suzanne's review)

Rascal by Sterling North (Amy's review)

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

Little Britches series by Ralph Moody

In Praise of the E-Reader

In the great e-readers vs. real books debate, I have always stood quite firmly on the paper and ink side of things. I didn't own an e-reader (and never read on my phone) and had no desire to acquire one. I loved the feel of a real book in my hands and couldn't imagine that holding a slim plastic screen could ever bring me the same kind of pleasure.

But as life goes, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I had a legitimate reason to want, and even need, an e-reader. That reason was our summer trip to Europe. Mike informed me in no uncertain terms that I would not be able to bring a whole bag of books on the plane. As loyal as I am to paper books, I'm more loyal to just reading in whatever format I can get it, so I buckled and agreed this was maybe an appropriate time for an e-reader.

Mike got me a Kindle Paperwhite for Mother's Day, and I forced myself to read one book on it before we left on our trip so that I didn't have to adjust to it while we were traveling. That first experience wasn't awesome, but luckily, two weeks of traveling followed closely on the heels of it, and I soon discovered a multitude of reasons not only to tolerate it, but to, dare I say it?, love it.

First of all, and probably most obvious, is that it is just so portable. Before the trip, I kept a close watch on  Modern Mrs. Darcy's kindle deals page and stocked up on books that were already on my to-read list. By the time we left, I had a nice little stack . . . except it wasn't an actual stack. I didn't have to agonize over a single book decision before we left. In fact, it was the easiest part of my packing. I just put the kindle in my purse, and I was set for whatever sort of reading mood I found myself in.

I usually love the weight and heft of a real book, but sometimes the compact size and lightness of the kindle can be very appealing. For example, I was so excited to read Sense and Sensibility because I'd purchased the Penguin clothbound edition, and it was just so pretty. But the spine was stiff, so it wouldn't lay open very easily (and I didn't want to crack it!), and it was thick enough that it was difficult to hold open with one hand. So I got the kindle edition and read most of the book that way (although I would sometimes switch to the paper copy for the fun of it). As another example, I'm debating including Cheryl Mendelson's Home Comforts on my reading goals for 2017, but it is massive (like, 900 pages massive--who knew keeping your house clean could be such an intense subject?). I knew that I would be much more likely to read it if I didn't have to deal with such an unwieldy size, so when the kindle edition recently went on sale for $3.99, I snagged it.

And can I talk about reading in bed for a minute? Because that was one of the advantages of the kindle I was not prepared for. The first night I read it in bed and didn't have to turn over from side to side depending on which side of the page I was on was like a miraculous discovery. I also love that if I accidentally fall asleep, I don't club myself in the face with a behemoth of a book.

And then there are the "pages" themselves. When I'm reading on my kindle, I do miss rubbing the page between my fingers and absently rifling through the edges and feeling how much I've read and how much I have left. I love the act of turning over the page and dog-earing the corners. And of course, the sweet, aged, sometimes dusty, smell of paper just can't be beat. Reading can be such a tactile experience for me, and I miss it when it's not there.

However, I will say, I've been super impressed with the way the kindle page looks. The Kindle Paperwhite's screen doesn't have a glare, and Mike pointed out that when you go into the sun, you can actually see the page better, just like a real book, not worse like you would if you were reading on a phone or tablet. But it also has a built-in light so that if it does get dark all of a sudden (like if you drive into a 15-mile long tunnel in Norway), you can keep right on reading without missing a beat. I've found that I actually don't need the light turned up much at all to see it just fine in the dark. (And of course, this is another plus for reading at night or when I'm rocking my two-year-old to sleep . . . shhhhh, I didn't just admit that I do that.) So yes, the page doesn't feel the same, but really, essentially, it looks the same.

I'm a very visual person, and one thing that was difficult for me with the kindle at the beginning was that I couldn't flip back through the book to refresh my memory about a particular scene or character. I can often remember the general location (left or right side, top or bottom of page), and so it's fairly easy to find info if I need it again. But of course, with a kindle, this is impossible. This frustrated me so much at first, but I've started to employ two different features that have countered this quite well.

First, I use the highlighting tool to mark anything I want to remember or come back to. This actually works quite a bit better than my traditional dog-earing method because I can add a little note and mention why I highlighted that particular passage (you'd be surprised how often I come back to sections, only to wonder what struck me about them the first time). I also use the search tool to help me find a specific passage. This is especially helpful if I want to reread the first scene with a specific character or if I can't place where I've already heard about a particular object or place. In other words, it doesn't help so much if I'm searching for something about the protagonist, but if it's something that has had only infrequent mentions, it can be a really efficient way to go back.

I know some people really love the statistics that run along the bottom of the kindle page--76% complete, 3 minutes left in chapter, 1 hour 17 minutes left in book, etc.--but I often turn them off because I get distracted by them (plus, the time left in the chapter/book is usually not anywhere close to being accurate, so it's not even helpful). I find that I get lost more easily in the story if I'm not worried about when that darn percent is going to go up again. However, without page numbers or the feel of the pages in my hand, I tend to feel a little adrift without some type of gauge for how much I've read, so I usually check in with the stats when I'm done reading for right then.

I've also become a fan of digital checkouts from the library. As far as brand-new releases go, it's not usually that helpful because you have to wait a really long time for your turn (although, I reserve them anyway and just hope that when they come up six months later, I still want to read them). However, for backlist books, digital checkouts are great because you can usually download them instantly without any need to go to the library and then they automatically return themselves when they're due. What service.

One other thing  I wanted to mention is that I use my kindle for reading and reading only. I don't know how to use the Wi-Fi on it (and I don't want to). I don't have games or apps or anything else on it. When I'm reading on it, my only option is to read. I'm not distracted by anything else, and I love that. My kids have no idea that it has any capabilities beyond holding books, so they know if I'm looking at it, it's because I'm reading. This was something that was really important to me. I didn't want it to just become a kind of tablet, and it hasn't.

Of course, my experience with an e-reader hasn't been one hundred percent positive (and I've mentioned a few minor drawbacks already). The first book I read on my kindle was Heart of a Samurai. The overall reading experience was okay, although it seemed to feel a little more tedious than a traditional book. However, when I got to the end of it, I found a glossary of definitions for Japanese words and a pronunciation guide and a couple of author's notes about the social and economic impact of some of the events. I was so disappointed to find these helpful guides after I was done with the book because it would have been so nice to have while I was reading it, but I didn't even know they existed because I was reading it on my kindle.

But overall, my transition to an e-reader has been smooth and painless and overwhelmingly, and surprisingly, positive. I've learned to embrace both digital reading and traditional reading. I can candidly acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of both and select the appropriate format for the book and/or situation. And having more options is incredibly freeing.

What do you think? Do you own an e-reader? How and when do you use it? What do you like/not like about it? Please share your opinion!

Raising Readers: Everyday Tips (Guest Post)

I feel a certain kinship with today's Raising Readers guest. Ana is a mom of four boys who loves to read. Sound familiar? (wink wink) I found her blog several years ago and felt that instant connection that comes from similar interests and experiences. Her boys are a little bit older than mine, and I love her posts about what they're reading (she breaks it down into the 4-6 and 8-12 year range) because I always come away with new ideas for my own kids. I also enjoy the things she shares about the books she's reading herself, personality types (we're both introverts), parenting, and cooking.

In this post, she gives a number of easy-to-implement, but instantly rewarding, tips for raising readers. We follow pretty much all of these in our home in one form or another, so I can vouch for them! Please share your own tips in the comments!
 

By reading a book, we learn compassion and empathy by walking alongside a character with a completely different worldview and life experience than our own.  We can relive history, or explore fantasy worlds that exist only in the imagination.  Reading engages our creativity and imparts wisdom.  It connects people across time and space.  It allows us to vicariously experience things we would never otherwise be able to.

I've always been a bookworm, so it makes me happy and proud that today my boys are all strong readers.  However, they weren't all born loving to read.  Anyone, child or adult, can develop a love of reading.  Reading is something I've spent time nurturing and reinforcing in my children, because I feel it's important.  Here are my secrets to raising kids who love to read:

Start early, if you can
Two of my four boys started life out as preemies in the NICU.  The doctors and nurses encouraged us to read to them, so we sat next to their crib, making our way through piles of children's books.  Babies love the sound of your voice, and the earlier you can start reading to them, the better. However, I freely admit that this strategy was much more difficult to implement with my last baby.  We logged a lot of reading time in the quiet NICU, but once he came home, one-on-one time was scarce, as I also had a houseful of older brothers to contend with.

Use technology to include reading in more active parts of their day
I often play audio books when the boys are busy with Legos, trains, cars, art projects or play dough.  (This helps the overall noise level of our house as well, which helps keep me sane).  I fight my type A personality's tendency to push pause if one of them leaves the room, or to meticulously note the exact second where we left off at our previous listening session.  I think they absorb a lot while the audio book plays, even if it doesn't have their undivided attention.

We also use audio books on car trips of 45 minutes or longer. It makes the time pass so much faster, and is great for books that are slightly above their reading level.

My oldest son really enjoys listening to books on playaway devices, which he checks out from our library.  If you're not familiar with them, a playaway device is about the size of a deck of cards.  They're battery operated, and you listen to them with ear buds.  They're so small and light, you can take them about anywhere.

Don't overwhelm kids with books too far above their reading level
I have learned to relax and adjust my standards a lot over the course of my parenting journey.  I read Farmer Boy to my oldest son when he was three years old, and I expected him to sit quietly and listen attentively for long periods of time.  I had this idyllic image of him sitting for hours on end, enraptured with the story, and I was disappointed when that didn't happen.

As a bookworm parent, I knew the world was filled with great books, and I just couldn't wait to introduce the boys to my favorites!  So I jumped the gun a little.  Many classic books have early reader abridged versions for children, and even picture book adaptations for toddlers.  These are wonderful ways to introduce characters and story lines to children, and as they grow, they can revisit these familiar friends in more advanced and original editions.

Let them read what they want to read
One of the most important lessons I've learned when it comes to books and kids is that reading is reading is reading.  Often what I want my boys to read doesn't line up with what they're interested in.

One of my middle sons didn't begin life as an enthusiastic reader.  In my struggle and frustration, I searched for anything he would read, and I struck gold with Star Wars.  In my desperation, I brought home bags of Star Wars books home from the library, and they ended up converting him into an eager reader.  He now reads well above his grade level in school and reads a (mostly) wide variety of books.

I often remind myself that I loved Baby Sitter's Club books as a young teen.  Even if your children NEVER read the classic literature you want them to, reading books improves the mind.  Period.  (Although on the flip side, I also believe in gently encouraging your children to stretch their comfort zone in the reading material they choose).

Reward reading and encourage growth in reading selections
This summer, I came up with my own reading program, which we'll do in addition to our library's summer reading program.  My program gives more points for reading books they've never read before, and less points for books about video games.  There are also bonus points available for types of books I would like them to read.  They're still free to choose what they want, but hopefully the incentive will influence their book choices.

We let our boys check out anything (appropriate) they want from the library. I also check out things I hope they'll read, and leave the books around the house in plain sight. It doesn't always work, but it often does, and I don't make a big deal out of it if they don't want to read my choices. I just keep requesting more.

Visit your local library regularly, and for more than just the books
When the boys were little, we were regulars at our library's story time. We're really blessed to have a great library system that has lots of quality children's programs and events. Just making the library a familiar, happy place with good memories in it, lays the groundwork for the habit of reading.

Libraries  are a goldmine of resources for all kinds of interesting learning experiences for children and adults.  Our library has classes on making artisan ice cream, growing berries, reading clubs for children and adults, concerts put on by local musicians, and much more.

Limit screen time
Outside of school, our boys get 30 minutes of screen time of their choosing, for either TV or games/other electronics. Some families probably think that's too harsh, and some probably think it's too lenient, but it works well for our family. As a result, our house watches little TV, which means more time for reading.

If you watch a movie, make sure to read the book first
I also try to always have my boys read the book first, before we watch the movie version. Often, movies are somewhat empty shells of books, and that's even when they're done well. Most books contain way too many details to fit into a hour and a half time frame, so lots of things get cut. By reading the book first, it forces their imaginations to do all the work.

Reading has brought so much enjoyment to my own life, I naturally wanted to share that with my children.  By instilling the love of reading in a child, you broaden the horizons of their world.  For a little while, they can see life through the eyes of a King or Queen, an astronaut, a Roman soldier, a pioneer, an alien or a dog.  Summer is a great time to strengthen your child's love of reading, no matter where they're starting from, so visit your library and help them pick out books they're interested in, and read together.

Ana lives in an old farmhouse, where she wrangles a pack of boys.  When she's not refereeing light saber battles or watching backyard baseball games, she loves to read, garden, craft and cook from scratch. She blogs about it all at Lessons From Yesterday.

Raising Readers: The Quick and Easy Method (Guest Post)

Out of all of the Raising Readers guests I've had here on the blog, today's is the first one I've actually hung out with at the park. Jen is one of my very dear friends, and, after today, I'm pretty sure you'll wish she was one of yours, too. Jen was a special guest at my little preschool co-op, she filled in as book club host for me one time at the last minute, and she even saved my life after a bad reaction to the flu shot (true story, although maybe slightly exaggerated).

We share a love of books and reading (although she likes science fiction quite a bit more than I do), and you've probably heard her name mentioned on the blog before because she's the reason why I stuck with Middlemarch last year. Ever practical and down-to-earth, I think you'll enjoy hearing about the way she's fostered a love of reading in her home.

Let me just start by saying that I am a Sunlit Pages superfan.  I am lucky enough to know Amy IRL (in real life – see? I’m hip) so I know that her blog isn’t a carefully curated game of smoke and mirrors.  She is actually that awesome. IRL.

Now, I’ll be honest, when I read Sunlit Pages, I am 90% inspired and 10% overwhelmed (the ratios skew toward overwhelmed if a glue gun is involved).  When Amy asked me to write this post on Raising Readers my initial thought was, “what could I possibly have to add?” because probably the most thoughtful thing I do to foster a love of reading in my kids (my son is 8, daughter 4) is follow this blog for suggestions!

But Amy and I are Book Friends. I’m sure you know what I am talking about. Yes, we have kids the same age (we met while pregnant!) and we are both stay-at- home-moms (or co-workers, as I like to say) but the core of our friendship is our mutual love of books. We are in the same Book Club and have even branched out to our own mini-book clubs (Middlemarch, now Crossing to Safety). So, how could I say no?

As a way of introduction, I should mention that I am a bit Type A. I am a physician by training and one does not survive medical school and residency without organization skills. I am a planner, a researcher, an organizer. I subscribe to Consumer Reports, I was buying BPA-free plastic before it was trendy, and this is what we look like during a smog-filled inversion:

So I guess I was a little surprised when I realized I haven’t been exactly meticulous with respect to my children’s reading education (it’s also surprising that I am fairly messy – my husband is nodding in the background). I have spurts of effort where I try to be more thoughtful and intentional about encouraging a love of reading. (These spurts usually involve searching Sunlit Pages and putting a flurry of holds at the library.)  But mostly I depend on it just soaking in somehow. But I do have one tip.

Are you ready for my secret technique?

Ignore Your Children.

I am confidently teaching my children that reading is important by showing them that it is even more important than them sometimes!

I remember when my son was learning to walk and I moved the furniture around our small apartment’s living room so as to form a sort of pen.  He wandered around and around the pen holding on to the furniture while I sat in the middle with a book, periodically looking up to smile and clap.

I still do that. My kids build forts, set up imaginary shops or play in the backyard, and I am reading.

One thing I am always careful about is reading an actual book.  Since I get the majority of my books from the library, this is not difficult.  But I don’t want there to be any confusion about why I am ignoring them.  Mommy is not on the iPhone, she is not playing Plants vs. Zombies, she is READING. A book.  It’s Important.  Even when I listen to a book with my headphones while cooking dinner I make a point to tell them that’s what I am doing.

Ok, I have one more.

Let Them Have Farts.

There appears to be no end to an 8 year-old’s fascination with farts, poop, burps and all other manner of grossness.  I have just decided to accept it and move on.  When I think back to my favorite books as a tween and teen I would be remiss if I didn’t note that in addition to James Harriet and Beverly Cleary, my addiction to Sweet Valley High was profound. So when my 8-year- old wants to read Calvin and Hobbes before bed or checks out Captain Underpants at school, I shrug and am grateful he is reading.

I come from a long line of Bibliophiles. Long before everyone was sitting in the same room ignoring each other by looking at their smartphones, my family was sitting in a room ignoring each other while immersed in our books. My mom has over 500 titles on her Amazon reader account, and it is only 5 years old. My dad spends more time planning what books to pack for a trip than clothes. This is considered normal behavior:

(One of my father’s bookcases)

So, I guess what I’m saying is that in justifying my parental laziness when it comes to encouraging my kids to love books, it boils down to this:

It’s never occurred to me that they wouldn’t.

Jen will always be a Californian at heart but is ecstatic to have landed here in beautiful Utah. She has an abiding love of books and all the questions contained therein. She's into Dutch braiding, Bento box lunches and the Twilight series, and she doesn't care who knows it. 

Raising Readers: How to Raise a Family of Readers (Guest Post)

Today I'm pleased to introduce you to my blogging friend, Erin, who hails from the land down under. I believe we first "met" through the Read-Aloud Revival facebook page (when it still existed). Erin is a homeschooling mom of ten children (yes, ten!), and I'm continually inspired by the way she balances education and real-life experiences and fun. They are currently renovating their house, and the whole family is involved in the construction. (I'm especially excited to see their completed home library--squeal!!) Her blog posts about books and glimpses into everyday life in rural Australia are not to be missed, and she is just an all-around really nice person. I hope you'll appreciate her insights into how she and her husband have raised a family of readers.

Reading in our household is an integral part of our family culture: our children are read to from birth through to their teenage years, reading independently is nurtured, and reading as a pastime is highly valued. Our children are surrounded by books as our home literally contains thousands of books: books purchased, gifted and found at book sales. Both my husband and I are readers as are our children; conversations, activities and movie watching are entwined around our love of reading.  Simply, reading is something we do as a family. 

As I reflected upon how we have grown a reading culture, I asked our adult children and teens who have been nurtured in this environment to contribute their thoughts as to how we’ve managed to raise readers; the younger children also wanted to contribute. The children’s insights are fascinating,
and it was enlightening to hear reoccurring themes. Essentially, our children felt the key components of raising readers in our family have been: our family read-alouds, the emphasis placed on the value of reading and the time allowed for this, our insistence on quality literature, the teaching and nurturing of burgeoning readers, sibling interest and passion shared, a family culture created, the sheer amount of books they are surrounded with, and my willingness to search for books of interest for each individual child and my quest to provide them with these books, whether via our own shelves, the library or purchasing. Admittedly, scouring book lists and searching for the ‘morsel to tantalise the taste buds’ of some of our children is an endeavour that has consumed many hours over the years.  I’ll allow the children to speak for themselves.

Question: “Why do you think you are a reader? What did we do to support reading in our family?”

Anna Maria – 22

“You read read-alouds to us as children. We enjoyed a wide range of quality literature; you made sure the books we read were quality books. Lots of emphasis was placed on reading. You bought lots of books; we went to book sales and the library.  You modelled reading and you talked about books.”

Carpenter – 21

“We had a ready supply of books and options. You found books in the genre I liked and supported me in my love of series. You would search to find books I was interested in and were willing to buy the books and series if we couldn’t find them at the library. You would go through our shelves at home and find books I might be interested in and give me huge piles to select from.

You read read-alouds to us, taught me to read, and encouraged me to read. When I was younger and learning to read, the ‘reading caterpillars’ (a family competition) motivated me to learn. I was also motivated by them later.”

Einstein – 19

“From a young age reading was encouraged. When learning to read we received lots of praise; when we had progressed and began reading short books and later chapter books we received lots more praise. Learning to read was a big deal. As we continued strengthening our skills it was all praiseworthy.

We were encouraged to read; a love and care of reading was fostered. I love reading.”

Michelangelo – 16

“You taught me to read, provided books at my level of reading ability. You had a good selection of books. You found books and series of interest I would enjoy. My older brothers and sisters shared their enthusiasm for and encouraged me to read particular books. Our rule of having to read the book before watching the movie created interest.”

Princess – 14

“We live in a reading environment. You are constantly suggesting books for me to read. Reading is considered important; it’s ‘the way’ to relax.”

Jelly Bean – 11

“You found books I was able to read that were interesting and made sure there were library books all around that I would like, that helped me want to learn to read. It helped having a supportive Mum who didn’t get angry, who was patient when I was learning to read."

Jack Jack – 9

“I want to read interesting books; I want to know what happens in the story.”

Jem – 7

“Reading is fun; I want to be able to read interesting books. It’s not fun learning how to read, but it is worth it. “

A reading environment doesn’t automatically translate to early reading. In fact, not many of our children learnt to read at a young age; indeed, most read at an average, or later than average, age, with a couple not reading independently and for pleasure until the age of eleven. Our goal however is to create a love of books and reading within each of our children and that we have succeeded at.

Our desire and commitment is to expose our children to primarily quality literature; whilst we are by no means purists, the benefits of exposing our children to rich literature and ideas which are manifold are now playing dividends.

We are in the enviable position that while ‘reaping the fruits of our labour’ with our older children, we are still able to experience the wonder of introducing a two-year-old to the world of books, a pastime she loves as her demands ‘read to me’ indicate. Our five-year-old is at that beautiful stage
where he is beginning to discover the magic of the written word for himself, as well as continuing to enjoy picture books and transitioning to listening to chapter books with his older siblings.

I encourage you to begin creating a reading culture within your family today. Begin with one chapter at a time; snuggle, share, cry and laugh together. The rewards are rich indeed.

Whether you have one child or ten, grandchildren or nieces and nephews, how are YOU raising a family of readers?

Erin wanted to be a librarian as a child, issuing the neighbourhood children with library cards and stamping the family books in and out, she can’t remember a time she couldn’t read. She makes her home in Australia with her husband and ten children ranging from twenty-two to two years, where they are literally surrounded by thousands of books. She chats about books, family and home education at Seven Little Australians and @sevenlittleaustralianscounting.

Raising Readers: What You Need to Know About Nonfiction (Guest Post)

I discovered Alysa's blog a couple of years ago, and we instantly connected over our love of children's literature.

Alysa is a graphic novel enthusiast (she just finished serving as a Round 2 Cybils judge in the graphic novel category), and since that is not a genre I am particularly well-versed in, I love to go to her blog for recommendations. In February, she made a goal to write a post on her blog every day (every day!), and she totally accomplished it with wit and style and humor.

Today she's sharing some tips about how to raise a reader who loves nonfiction. I feel like I'm constantly on the lookout for great nonfiction books that will please all my kids, but especially my rather picky six-year-old. I hope you find this post helpful, too!

Over the past month or so, I've had a couple of friends ask me about how to help their kids get into reading non-fiction. Perhaps they asked because they know I have an elementary education background. Maybe they asked because they know I judged non-fiction for kids in the Cybils. Or maybe they just asked because we are friends and it was on their minds. Anyway, I thought what I told them might help you, too. 

There are two types of non-fiction: narrative and non-narrative. Actually, there are many types of non-fiction, but they can all be roughly divided into two categories: narrative, and non-narrative. 

You know that a narrative is a story. So, narrative non-fiction is true stories—think about biographies and historical accounts. Non-narrative non-fiction is true facts—think about the Guinness Book of World Records or My First Book of Numbers. 

If your children enjoy fiction, I recommend introducing them to some narrative non-fiction. This category of non-fiction book is designed to be read straight through. My friend Kirstin said that she had tried some non-fiction with her kids but, "they asked me to stop reading! They said they were done. And they never say that they're done with a book." I asked her a little bit about the book, and it was non-narrative. Since her three kids are all pre-kindergarten, I'm not surprised they didn't stay interested in the book. 

What keeps us interested in non-narrative (sometimes called expository or informational) non-fiction, is that it is answering our questions. I know kids who read the dictionary for fun, but I wasn't one of them. I use the dictionary when I have a question. And that's perfectly fine. Informational non-fiction is designed to be dipped into, to be picked up in the middle. It's organized so that you can quickly find what you want and get out. It's a beautiful thing, but it's different from narrative, and kids who don't know how to read in this way might need a little more help from you. Kirstin's kids might have stayed more engaged with their book if she had guided them towards some questions about the subject. If you're not accustomed to pausing during reading and talking with the kids, this could seem strange at first. But if you think of non-fiction books as a way to engage your kids in deep and meaningful conversations, you'll find success. 

It is definitely worth it to help your kids enjoy non-fiction. And it's easier now than ever to get them going on it. Remember when I said you could think of biographies and historical accounts as two kinds of narrative non-fiction? Well there are so many more. There are picture books that tell the story of volcanoes creating island. There are bird watching guides that have a conversational tone and just really suck you in. 

That's the biggest thing that I learned when I judged the non-fiction category for the Cybils. The Cybils only accepts nominees that are narrative, it doesn't take workbooks or collections of facts or other informational non-fiction. And I was totally shocked by how much amazing narrative non-fiction is out there. The quantity and the diversity of the nominees blew my socks off. "This is NOT the non-fiction I grew up with!" I found myself saying. 

So, next time you take the kids to the library, I hope you take a minute to browse the non-fiction in the children's section. (If they have a "new" shelf especially for non-fiction, go praise your librarian.) Now that you know a little more about narrative and non-narrative non-fiction, you'll be better prepared to help your kids pick something they like and learn how to read it.  

Remember, if it's narrative, you can treat it a lot more like a typical read-aloud. If it's non-narrative, don't be afraid to dive in the middle, stop once your questions have been answered, or just enjoy the pictures and captions. Different books are meant to be read differently. 

Alysa makes her online home at Everead, where she has been writing about children's literature since 2008. Her offline home, in Connecticut, is equally well stocked with books, opinions, and optimism. She loves refried beans and being a stay-at-home-librarian to three young patrons.

Raising Readers: How My Parents Raised Readers Without Being Avid Readers Themselves (Guest Post)

It's the first Monday of the month, which means it's time for another post about Raising Readers. Today you'll be hearing from my friend, Carolyn--a mother, reader, blogger, and fellow advocate of raising readers.

Over the last year, my path has crossed virtually with Carolyn's many times, and each one has been a delight. She is friendly and encouraging, and she has a wealth of knowledge that is enviable. Her blog, House full of Bookworms, is a great source for new books, book lists, and realistic tips. It's a treat to have her here today, sharing some of her insights on how to encourage reading even if you don't have a lot of time (or interest) for it yourself.

My brother and I have always gotten along well. And one of the greatest things we've always shared is our love of books.

Beginning in middle school, I can remember my brother and I sharing book recommendations with each other and becoming immersed in the same fictional worlds. Even today, we enjoy sharing new series and authors we have discovered with each other.

I've often thought it was a fluke that my brother and I both turned out to be such lovers of books. My parents didn't read much, other than their Bibles, as we were growing up (although they are both readers now, particularly my mom).

Or maybe, I thought, the reading gene had skipped a generation. My grandmother was an avid reader. Maybe my brother and I inherited our obsession with books from her.

But as I've thought more about this topic, I believe there are some very essential things my mom did that fostered our love of reading.

In the reading community there is a lot of talk about what parents can do to create life-long readers. Some of the most highly touted techniques seem to be reading aloud, letting kids see you read, and filling your home with books.

I grew up with none of these. We had some books, but certainly not a large library of them. Nor did my parent take us to the library often. I never remember seeing my parents reading, nor can I recall being read to (though I know my parents read to me before I could read on my own).

So, for my brother and I to have both become avid readers, different forces had to be in effect.

Here are the three things I think my mom did right to foster our love of reading.

1. My mom took us to bookstores and allowed us to pick what was interesting to us--Now, I'm not saying you should give your kids carte blanche at the bookstore. Things have changed, and even in the children's section, there are many books that may not be appropriate for your child or family. And I should point out that my mom generally took us to the Christian bookstore, so I guess she was able to feel comfortable with whatever we might pick out. Taking your kids to the library is wonderful, but owning your own books is something altogether different and special. I still own most of the books I collected throughout my childhood.
2. My mom recommended books, but she never took offense that my tastes differed greatly from hers--My mom and I have very different tastes in books. Most of the classics she recommended to me I now adore, like Little House on the Prairie. Some I still loathe after multiple tries (like The Great Gatsby). But, as a kid, I adored fantasy, a genre my mom doesn't particularly care for. But she never criticized my choice of reading material, and she continued to buy me the books I enjoyed while gently recommending others that might broaden my horizons.
3. My mom made room for free time and allowed us to be bored--I think this is key. We had activities and things we did, but we were by no means over-scheduled (at least not before high school rolled around). Nor were we given many chores (for good or ill). We had time to play outside, think, dream, and read. We also played Nintendo and watched movies. But we read because we had time.

So, I want to say thank you, Mom. You have more to do with my love of reading than you (or I) may have realized.

Carolyn is a Texas gal who believes the proper plural of you is “y’all.” She loves reading children’s books with (and without) her four children. She reviews her favorites (books, not children) on her blog, House full of Bookworms.

Raising Readers: Using a Whiteboard

When Aaron started kindergarten last fall, Maxwell thought it was his turn for reading lessons. I wasn't feeling as intense of a desire to push him as I did Aaron (second child and all that). But since he expressed the desire, I was more than happy to oblige.

I had such great success with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons with Aaron (see my post: The Boy Can Read) that I naturally turned to it again. We made him a chart, just like Aaron's. We did lessons in the mornings, just like Aaron.

But, shocker. Maxwell is NOT Aaron.

I thought Aaron had a short attention span, but Max cannot even make it through the first three words before he is complaining about being "too tired."

We made it to Lesson 40-something before it became pure torture, and I thought to myself, Seriously?! Why am I doing this? He's four years old! He doesn't need to know how to read yet.

But he was still asking to do reading lessons. He still liked the one-on-one attention. He liked feeling like a big kid. And he really does want to unlock the secret code of reading.

But I had to think of some other way.

Enter the gigantic whiteboard.

Sorry for the poor quality pictures (that's a basement for you), but I had to show the size of this thing. It came from the conference room at the place where my brother-in-law works. When it sold for $12 at a company auction, he bought it, but he ended up not being able to fit it down his stairs. So we took it (much to the dismay of my seven-year-old niece who was in tears at the loss of her art canvas).

Anyway, I'm kind of surprised, but Max loves to do reading sessions on this board.

Here is how I've used it so far:

Have him read something short and simple. Max just needs something that's not daunting, so I've used the BOB books, Dick and Jane, and some of the simple books Aaron brought home from school during the first couple of months.

Use words from the book to explore with on the board. One day, there were a lot of words that ended with -er. So I started with the root word, asked him what it was, added -er to it, and then asked him what it was again.

(I'm not a trained educator, so I'm probably introducing combinations and word families at all the wrong times, but Max loves it, so I don't really care.)

Change one letter. Max really likes seeing the transformation of words and how, just by changing one letter or adding another, you can make an entirely new word.

Have fun with rhymes. Some days I will just choose a word and see how many rhymes we can come up with. Many of the words are nonsense, but it still shows Max how the letters work in combination with each other.

Keep a list of sight words. The box on the right side holds a list of five sight words we encountered in our reading. I just keep them up there and at random times during the day, I'll point to one of the words and ask him what it is.

Put sight words into a sentence. The other day, I wrote a few sentences on the board. Each one contained at least one of his most recent sight words. First I asked him to find one of the words . . .  "was," for example. Then I asked him to read the entire sentence.

Don't erase the words. After our short little lesson is over, I don't erase what I've written. I just leave it there for him to look over at his leisure as he is building with Legos or doing puzzles or whatever. Sometimes Aaron will come along and ask him about it. I like that he can just figure things out and remember them on his own without me hovering over him.

I'm sure we will come up with other ways to use this board. The possibilities are endless. And of course you don't need a whiteboard that's 8'x4' to do any of these activities. Paper or a chalkboard or even fridge magnets would work just as well.

But I have to admit, the whiteboard IS pretty fun.

For more Raising Readers posts, click here.

Raising Readers: Teaching Children to Read With Expression

Did you think this series had gone the way of all the earth, never to return to this blog? The seven-month break was entirely unintentional and unplanned. In fact, I've drafted several posts over the last few months but just never finished them. That's kind of how my life feels right now: a million projects (or books) half-started.

Anyway, I'm recommitting myself to this series because it is something I'm very passionate about. And from now on, you can count on a Raising Readers post on the first Monday of every month (unless I'm having a baby). How's that for commitment?

Anyway, I've said before that these are very much in-the-trenches types of posts . . . just my own observations and experiments with my kids as we navigate the wonderful world of reading.

And so today, I'm going to share some of the tips I've discovered to encourage Aaron to read with more expression.

Aaron reads quite a bit, but I've noticed that as his speed has increased, his reading has become more of a mumbled mutter than an enjoyable narration. I think this is only natural as he goes from reading aloud the majority of the time to reading silently in his head. Reading aloud is slowing him down, and I am fine letting him test his reading wings and take off on a faster path.

However . . . reading aloud is still a vital and practical skill. Aaron often reads to Maxwell and Bradley, and it has been getting harder and harder for them to hear the mumbled mutter.

So I've been encouraging Aaron to try reading with a little more excitement and passion. Here are a few of the things we've successfully tried:

Explain punctuation. That's a given, right? But you'd be surprised how much it helps to point out an exclamation point and say something like, "Oh, look at that! He must be excited about going on a field trip." Or give a gentle reminder, "Pause at the period." A few months ago, Aaron figured out what an ellipsis was (I don't think I ever sat down and explained it to him), and now he lets his voice trail off when he comes to one.

"Read it so I'll be interested." I thought Aaron would balk when I first made this suggestion. But he didn't. Instead he rose to the occasion. Just reminding him he had an audience made him increase the volume of his voice and slow down just a little. I have to admit I didn't think it would work, but sometimes improvement can be made just by drawing attention to the thing that needs improving.

Try reading a book with limited text. We recently discovered a delightful book called Moo! by David LaRochelle. The whole story is told with only one word (moo) used multiple times and to connote multiple emotions and expressions: a question, uh-oh, joy, panic, fear, embarrassment, disappointment, and blame. A book like this is great for a reader who is somewhat reluctant to read with expression. Why? Because it's pretty boring to read the same word over and over again in the same flat voice. The fun comes in trying to make "moo" sound like different words and phrases. I've also found that the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems are great choices if you're looking to simplify the text without simplifying the emotions.

Give a second chance. Occasionally, I will stop Aaron mid-page, and ask, "Do you think that's really how Frog asked that question? Why don't you try it again?" Obviously, I don't do this too often (like, twice in a 15-20 minute time frame), or Aaron would probably start crying, "Stop interrupting me!" But he will tolerate, and even enjoy, a couple of second chances.

Read something with a repeated refrain. Aaron checked out Inside a Barn in the Country from school (a take on This is the House That Jack Built), and I was amazed with how relaxed and confident he sounded while reading it. His voice was actually lilting. As the text built on itself and repeated the same phrases, he began to read more expressively instead of falling into a boring monotone.

Encourage them to help YOU. When you're reading aloud, make sure to encourage participation. We recently read Warning: Do Not Open This Book, which is full of opportunities for the reader to interact with the story. As children yell instructions or whisper warnings or giggle hysterically, they are actually beginning to develop their earliest read-aloud skills.

Read the story first. Then have him read it. This is probably one of the best things I've done to help Aaron read expressively. If he can get a general feeling for the story first, it helps when he takes a turn reading it. He's not distracted trying to figure out what's going on, so he can focus more on enjoying the words. I admit, lately he's been doing so much reading that I usually don't have a chance to read it aloud to him first. But I was reminded of how valuable this is when Bradley asked Aaron to read The Three Little Gators to him a few days ago. I paused to listen, and I was shocked to hear the mean and gruff words of the boar followed by the sassy and stubborn three little gators as they shouted, "Bad choice!" Was this really my Aaron reading this book? Then I remembered that I had read it aloud the day before. That had made all the difference.

Model expressive reading. Okay, this is almost the same as the one above, but it bears repeating. Really the only way for a child to learn to read expressively is to hear it modeled on a consistent basis. You'd be surprised how many adults read in the mumbled mutter style. Or maybe you wouldn't. At any rate, the more you read to your child (regardless of whether or not they'll be reading the same material you just read) and vary the pitch and accents and emotions, the more they build up their personal database of good examples.

What things have you done to encourage children to read with greater expression?

For more ideas about how to raise readers, click here to see previous posts.