The Read Aloud Handbook By Amy Nil on Jul 05, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

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!