The Read-Aloud Handbook

It's not very often that I want to buy a book at the library after reading it.This book by Jim Trelease is an exception.

The general gist of this book is that if you want your child to have a greater chance of being a successful individual, you need to start reading to them aloud at an early age and encourage a lifetime love of reading.He has notes and a bibliography to back up his ideas, and some of the findings presented here are pretty impressive (and surprising).

The gem of this book is the read-aloud treasury in the back.The list has different types of books (ie. wordless books, predictable books, poetry, etc.), and includes a grade recommendation, the number of pages, and a brief description.I really like the grade recommendations - I have seen a lot of book lists, but without a reference to the grade level, it is hard to tell what is appropriate for your child.The descriptions are also great.

As a mom who is sometimes overwhelmed by all the choices in the library, it is great to have such a nice reference - I plan on purchasing this book.The books that I recognize (so far) are my son's favorites, so Mr. Trelease must be doing something right!