Book Review: The Read-Aloud Handbook

A few months before my daughter was born (1983) my sister called to tell me about a very inspiring lecture she had attended by Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook.  Fired up by her enthusiasm I went right out and bought a copy, and to this day it ranks high on my list of recommended "parenting" books.  Now in it's seventh edition the million-copy bestseller has been completely revised. As my daughter prepares for the birth of her daughter 30 years later, I am delighted to pass on this new edition for the new addition in our family.

The Read-Aloud Handbook is both a treasury of great read-alouds ranging in ages from birth to 6th grade, and a very well written, research based handbook on the importance of reading aloud. Chapter one begins at the beginning with Why Read Aloud moving on through Do's and Dont's of Read-Aloud, Digital Learning: Good News and Bad, and one just for dad's, Dad: What's the Score?  The treasury of books begins with a list of wordless books followed by picture books, short novels, full-length novels, poetry, and more.   I like the short descriptions as well as the recommended ages Trelease suggests for each title.  Wondering when to start reading novels to your child? Or why he wants the same book read over and over? Or what exactly makes a good read-aloud? You'll find helpful and thoughtful discussions on all these questions and many more.

I think the best thing about the Read-Aloud Handbook is that even if reading aloud to your children is a daily practice this book will reinforce the benefits, rewards, and importance of reading aloud.  And if you are not in the habit of reading to your children Trelease will inspire you to begin!

"This book is about more than reading aloud.  It's about time that parents, teachers, and children spend together in a loving, sharing way." ---The Washington Post

You can find out more about Jim Trelease on his website www.trelease-on-reading.com.

Miss Julie

Book Review: Friends by Eric Carle

Like a Jane Austen novel, Eric Carle ends his latest picture book with marriage.  Friends not only ends with a wedding, it also has action, adventure, mystery and the numbers 1 through 10.

The scene opens with a sweet depiction of two friends who play, run, dance and share secrets with each other.  Sadly, fate intervenes and one of the friends is moved far away. The little boy who is left behind is lonely and so he resolves to find his missing friend, but first he counts to ten.

Book Review: Mo's Mustache by Ben Clanton

Now that we are in the thick of "Movember" or Mustache Month, I'm seeing staches everywhere: on wrapping paper, logos, jewelry, library users, and even in children's books! Ben Clanton's newest picture book, Mo's Mustache, honors this ragingly popular facial hair trend with a short, sweet story about individualism and acceptance.  Mo is a stylin' monster who gets a beautiful, curly mustache to wear around town.  "Everybody likes Mo's mustache," so all the monsters get mustaches: big ones, small ones, pink ones, squiggly ones, and even mustaches on sale!  Mo is not happy with this at all.  He decides to send back his "nose neighbor" and tries on a scarf, instead.  As you might expect, all the monsters jump on the scarf bandwagon, too, "Even Imp (the invisible monster) has a scarf (also invisible)."

LOOK! Do You See It?

What could be better than a good story for motivating your child to open a book?  Well, for some children, or some moments, the perfect book is one that doesn't offer much story at all.  I'm talking about the highly interactive books that allow the two of you-(or better yet, a whole group of you), to become involved in a search for things.  Books like Walter Wick's popular I Spy or Joan Steiner's creative Look Alike books are well known.  Here are a few other worthy titles to discover and enjoy together:

• I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs turns the book into a fun game by coupling a spy hole cut-out and a verbal clue to entice your audience to guess the animal that's hidden on the next page.  The large, spare type and big, colorful pictures make this book suitable for very young children as well as older ones. 
• Not All Animals are Blue by Beatrice Boutignon, invites you to spot the differences between animals in a group, by color, movement, attitude, and other criteria.  It's a fun exercise in "same" vs.
  "different", and just might result in a rich conversation with the child or children you're reading to.
• I Spy Colors in Art by Lucy Micklethwait, one of several similar books-(see also I Spy Shapes in Art, I Spy an Alphabet in Art, and I Spy Two Eyes: Numbers in Art) makes a wonderful introduction to fine art.  As your child examines a particular masterpiece to locate something interesting, he's also taking the time to peruse the work as a whole, developing a healthy habit for enjoying art even before his first trip to a museum.

These books, and others like them, are a great way to develop your child's ability to focus and pay attention to detail, but mostly they're a wonderful way to spend time together between the covers of a book.  Enjoy!

-Miss Meg