Jim Trelease (1941–2022)

Every now and again when I receive new books to shelve, I come across one (or quite a few) that I pull aside to read for myself. That's how I stumbled upon today's book. The Read-Aloud Handbook (7th Edition) by Jim Trelease immediately caught my eye for no other reason than I'm a giant nerd for my profession. :-D The first half of the book is a discussion about the importance of reading and more specifically reading aloud to children from birth to...forever. This is not just Trelease's show more personal opinion but is backed up by extensive research and a plethora of data on the topic. However, it's not all technical jargon replete with charts and numbers. He uses examples from his own childhood which he describes as 'print rich' with a father who modeled reading habits as well as read to him on a regular basis. He was also fortunate to have a teacher that read aloud to the class each day. (This is a rarity in schools because of the rigorous standardized testing schedules and something I strongly contest.) He also received encouragement from a teacher who sent a note home to his parents praising his behavior and writing capability. (That really can make all the difference, folks!) Trelease also talks about the rearing of his children and their nightly routine of book reading. Perhaps the most compelling parts of this book are the firsthand narratives of the significance of reading aloud throughout childhood and the benefits gained from it. It is chock full of anecdotes from principals, teachers, parents, and librarians and how they did their part to guide the children in their lives to become lifelong learners and readers. I've used quite a few of the 'tips and tricks' that he discusses like using ebooks and audiobooks for visually impaired and illiterate parents in the workshops and one-on-one discussions I've had with parents in my community. (P.S. Wordless picture books are another great resource.) Whether you're a professional in the field of library sciences or education or simply trying to create a love of reading in your own children this is a must have. I bought a copy for myself before I'd even finished reading it! 10/10

Oh and did I mention that the second half contains a Treasury of books subdivided by reading comprehension, age group, genre, and best books for reading aloud? WHY AREN'T YOU READING THIS YET? show less

I know this is supposed to be a beloved classic and all, but I found it annoying. I am all for reading to children (obviously), but the message of this book seemed to be more or less, "be a well-educated middle-class person and you will raise well-educated, middle-class people!"

Goody for me.

I get that reading is a wonderful, key part of kids' education, but to neglect the structural problems with schooling in the U.S., the fact that some parents really do struggle with literacy, with time show more for trips to the library, or the money to buy books is not helpful.

It strikes me as a blame-the-victim approach to the problem of U.S. education--as if it were parents' fault when their kids are getting lousy educations and not learning.

And the stories of kids who became rocket science geniuses all because their parents read them 20 book a day when they were infants? Even more annoying. What if my 20-books-a-day infant doesn't grow up to be a rocket scientist? Did I choose the wrong picture books? show less

As the homeschooling mother of a preschooler, I never would have imagined that preparing my daughter to read could be so simple. Trelease really makes the case for the importance of reading aloud to one's children (even if they attend school outside of their homes), and includes a fabulous directory of read-aloud books. Every book we've picked up from that list has been right-on for my daughter (including James and the Giant Peach, which I thought would be a little old for her, but which she show more loved). show less

This book explains the research and logic behind something good readers and their children already know. Good readers and writers are people who read A LOT. Kids who don't have access to reading materials that are rich, relevant and interesting to them don't become good readers, and, consequently, don't become good writers, don't develop large vocabularies and are at a disadvantage for the rest of their lives. I am so grateful to this author for bringing this research together in a digested, show more clear form that I can use when talking to parents, teachers and donors about the importance of school libraries, classroom libraries and "free" reading time in the classroom. I was prepared to spend hours tracking down the sources to back up my experience with reading and books, but Trelease condenses and organizes it all into one readable volume, along with great book suggestions for parents and kids. show less