Nancie Atwell

Although Nancie disagrees with a few things I've used for years, I still loved this book because I think her thinking is dead on; give kids great books, give them reading time, and they will absolutely, definitely, become readers. She does not like reading strategies or chunking novels IF trying to develop a love of reading, and I see her point. She suggests that reading strategies are fantastic to use with NON FICTION material. Interesting. I agree that someone asking me to stop and make show more predictions or connections when I'm right in the middle of a great part would be highly aggravating! show less

I loved this book. I want someone to finance a trip for me to Maine to visit Atwell and see her ideas in action.Atwell believes all readers need to become good at reading is good books and time to read. A simple idea, but one that is backed up by research.I want to push this book into the hands of every teacher I know, especially junior high and high school teachers. I want to give it to administrators and to politicians. I want to talk to parents about it. I want to try it. I think I can.

We read this book for our faculty book club. Atwell shares her pedagogy and practice for teaching reading. I really enjoyed the read and thought she was right on with much of her argument. Although one thing REALLY bothered me -- where are the school libraries? libraries at ALL for that matter? She's really missing an important piece and a key ally in literacy.

outstanding
argues successfully that the best way to improve students' reading abilities is to give students time and free choice to read books that they find engaging and to read LOTS of them. Summer "assignments" should be to do lots of leisure reading.
presents teaching tips as well.