Rock Your Read Aloud E-Book

Matthew Hammersley

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 310

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Help K-5 students experience the magic of reading by sparking amazement, wonder, and excitement through the art of the read aloud

It is not news to educators that kids have trouble paying attention. The allure and interactivity offered in televisions, tablets, and video games are tough to match. Consequently, reading scores have plummeted and educators say the joy has been sucked out of teaching. Rock Your Read Aloud brings back the joy and helps you create a read aloud experience that will have even the most reluctant of K-5 readers begging for just one more story.

A must read for every current or aspiring elementary teacher, librarian, and administrator, this book shows you why read alouds are critical to literacy education in today's media-saturated world. Inside, you'll find techniques for turning reading scores around in early elementary classrooms, so you can rediscover how rewarding teaching can be when students are engaged and learning. You can even link this book to the Novel Effect app to access a unique soundscape that will give you a taste of just how fun reading can be.

• Discover how reading aloud to kids can improve reading scores and outcomes
• Get tips for making your read alouds magical and igniting students' love of books
• Motivate struggling readers by creating a culture of reading together
• Learn about proven techniques like buddy reading and community read alouds

K-5 teachers, parents, administrators, librarians, and reading interventionists will gain insight and inspiration as Rock Your Read Aloud shows how to cut through the distraction and make reading fun again.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Praise for

Rock Your Read Aloud

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction

The Current State of Literacy

Building Connections Through Reading Aloud

How to Read This Book

Part I: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE READ ALOUD

01 The Magic of the Read Aloud

Reading as a Social Act

Moving Beyond Decoding

Keeping Children Engaged During a Read‐Aloud

Up Next …

Note

02 Unleashing the Power of the Picture Book

Looking at Early Children's “Readers”

Modern Era

Unlocking the Power of the Modern Picture Book!

A Beautiful, Artful World: The Synergy of Words and Pictures

Up Next …

Notes

03 “Game‐changer”: Reading Aloud with Novel Effect Soundscapes

Elements of a Soundscape

Empathy for Characters and Mood

Making Soundscapes Playful

Incorporating Soundscapes in Your Read‐Aloud

Up Next …

04 Your Reading Brain: The Foundations of Literacy

How Our Brains Adapted for Reading

Stages of Literacy

The Pre‐emergent Stage: The Infant Brain

The Emergent Literacy Stage

Activities That Support Literacy Development

Creating a Print‐Rich Environment

Theories and Approaches of Teaching Reading in School

Up Next …

Notes

05 Developing Young Writers and Storytellers

Connections Between Reading, Storytelling, and Writing

Development of Writing Skills in Young Children

Encouraging Young Storytellers Using a Six‐Step Outline

Up Next …

Note

06 Getting Ready to Rock Your Read Aloud

Comprehension Cognitive Practices for Early Readers

Preparing for a Read‐Aloud

Engaging the Audience As You Read

After Reading

Tips for “Performing” an Engaging and Fun Read‐Aloud

Up Next …

Part II: BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE

Interact

The Book with No Pictures

Press Here

This Book Just Ate My Dog!

Tap the Magic Tree

If You’re Scary and You Know It

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Play This Book!

Laugh

Dragons Love Tacos

We Don't Eat Our Classmates

The Wonky Donkey

The Serious Goose

Love and Connection

Love

Hair Love

Stellaluna

Love Monster

Owl Moon

Last Stop on Market Street

The Scarecrow

The Invisible String

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

Move and Play

Giraffes Can't Dance

We Will Rock Our Classmates

Comfort and Acceptance

The Bad Seed

Be Who You Are

Imagine and Create

What Do You Do with an Idea?

The Dot

Rosie Revere, Engineer

Mae Among the Stars

The Most Magnificent Thing

Jabari Jumps

The Magical Yet

We Are Water Protectors

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist

First Day Jitters

Our Class Is a Family

Chrysanthemum

The Kissing Hand

The Day You Begin

Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome

Oh, the Places You'll Go

Index

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

Chapter 4

Table 4-1 The Five Stages of Literacy

List of Illustrations

Chapter 5

Figure 5‐1 The Storyteller’s Brain

Figure 5‐2 Language Comprehension Areas

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Praise for Rock Your Read Aloud

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction

Begin Reading

Index

End User License Agreement

Pages

i

v

vi

vii

xi

x

xiii

xv

xvii

xviii

xix

xx

xxi

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

249

250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

Praise for Rock Your Read Aloud

“Matt and Melissa have created a must‐read for all families, librarians, and educators! Rock Your Read Aloud highlights the important and lasting impact reading aloud has on children. They have created such a gift to share with us through Novel Effect, as everyone can ‘rock their read‐aloud’ with this fun and important digital tool.”

—Shannon McClintock Miller, District Teacher Librarian, Van Meter School, Iowa

“In our school district, we are on a mission to inspire the joy of reading in our students as we help them prepare for college, careers, and life. Matt and his team have helped support our mission by developing Novel Effect. The intuitiveness of this resource has made the read‐aloud experience not only fun and engaging for the listener, but the reader, too! Rock Your Read Aloud is a must‐have for anyone looking to make reading an adventure!”

—Jennifer Saunders, Director of Library Media Services, Atlanta Public Schools

“Rock Your Read Aloud is a transformative guide that elevates the way educators, parents, and caregivers connect with young readers. Matt and Melissa Hammersley, with their deep expertise in literacy and technology, offer an innovative and practical roadmap for creating read‐aloud sessions that inspire a lifelong love of reading. Their insights make this an invaluable resource for anyone invested in fostering a meaningful connection with children through storytelling.”

—Jen Davis Wickens, Founder, Impact Public Schools, and Co‐Founder, Seminar

“For those aspiring to master read‐aloud skills, you need this book and its valuable insight. Matt and Melissa emphasize the significance of reading aloud to children through research‐backed expertise and practical lesson ideas.”

—Blake Hopper, Assistant Principal and Former School Librarian, Tennessee

ROCK YOUR READ ALOUD

SPARKING CURIOSITY AND CONFIDENCE IN LITTLE READERS

Matthew and Melissa Hammersley

Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

ISBNs: 9781394197262 (Paperback), 9781394197279 (ePDF), 9781394197286 (ePub).

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762‐2974, outside the United States at (317) 572‐3993 or fax (317) 572‐4002.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024059622 (print)

Cover Illustrations & Design: Paul McCarthy

To Willa & Max—You are and always will be our inspiration and joy.

Preface

The seed for what became Novel Effect was planted while we attended a baby shower, in the time we were awaiting the arrival of our first child. There, Matt witnessed a friend captivating a group of children and parents with animated storytelling—adding silly voices and sound effects that had the children on the edge of theirs seats and the adults laughing and joining in as a chorus. That magical experience, where reading aloud became a shared and immersive event, stayed with us as we approached parenthood.

Novel Effect grew from our desire to recreate that enchanting storytime experience, to help us cultivate in our own children a love of reading that will carry through their lives. We believe reading together for pleasure and ensuring that it creates positive moments and memories is a fundamental part of helping all children develop the interest and motivation necessary to acquire the literacy skills to be not only readers but avid learners and thinkers.

This conviction was so strong that what began as a simple request to family and friends for support in building a library of children's books for our own child became a pivotal moment in our lives. It transformed our careers—from a patent attorney and a graphic designer—into an all‐encompassing mission centered on creating impactful literacy experiences.

Educators, librarians, and parents alike consistently express a need for tools and guidance to inspire children to read. Each of us share the dream of placing the right book in a child's hands at the perfect moment, making a significant difference in their lives. However, many children and teenagers today find little meaning in reading, particularly when their attention is pulled so many different directions by video games, technology, and social media, among other distractions.

Although our backgrounds are not in education or library science, we are parents deeply invested in our children's journey toward literacy, as well as in the journeys of countless other young learners. We are dreamers and creators. And, supported by a team of brilliant educators, librarians, musicians, artists, and engineers, we developed the first software of its kind that combines physical children's picture books with advanced speech recognition technology, creating what we call a soundscape—layers of interactive music, character voices, and sound effects that enhance the read‐aloud experience.

This tool helps make every read‐aloud session magical. The addition of responsive audio, designed to complement the words as they're read aloud and draw attention to the images on the page, make literacy a multisensory, interactive experience. Across homes, classrooms, and school communities worldwide, Novel Effect has been embraced as a vital element in fostering a culture of reading that excites and inspires young learners. Our approach has facilitated millions of dynamic, immersive read‐alouds, resulting in increased engagement, understanding, and appreciation of literature among children.

Through these experiences, we have learned that children and their caregivers are most eager to read aloud together when personal connection and joy are at the heart of their reading goals. Effective reading instruction involves a blend of critical elements, and while we will explore these with the support of research and expert insights, this book also shares the invaluable lessons we've gathered on the art of storytelling from educators, parents, and children around the world. We have discovered that the way you tell a story can profoundly motivate a child to embrace books as a means of understanding the world.

The manner in which you read aloud together will leave a lasting impact on both you and the children in your life. When we use literacy as a tool to learn, play, and grow with children of all learning abilities, we are rewarded with the joyful melody of small voices asking to read aloud again.

We are dedicated—in our parenting, our work, and this book—to spread the magic of the read‐aloud to children and adults alike, because there is nothing more gratifying than hearing a child, with hopeful eyes and a cherished picture book in hand, say, “Let's read!”

Acknowledgments

We express our deepest gratitude to Catherine Coyle, Tracy Mercier, Matt Boerner, and the entire Novel Effect team for all their unwavering support and efforts throughout this journey. To Tracy Brown Hamilton and Amy Fandrei and the team at Jossey‐Bass, who endured our faults and strengthened our passion. And to the millions of teachers, parents, and kids who have made our dreams a reality!

About the Authors

Based in Seattle, Washington, Matt and Melissa are partners in both work as the founders of Novel Effect and in life with two little ones, Max and Willa. They've spent the last ten years immersing themselves in read‐alouds at home and in the classroom. They've appeared on the hit TV show Shark Tank and reached millions of kids, teachers, and parents in pursuit of their mission: to make reading together magical. Prior to Novel Effect, Matt was a chemical engineering undergrad and became an intellectual property attorney. Melissa's background is in architecture and graphic design, and she owns her own technical illustration business. Together, they've strived to make an impact in the lives of families and classrooms and help all kids discover the love of reading.

Introduction

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.”

— Kate DiCamillo

Every week across the world, around three billion people engage in the time‐honored tradition of reading aloud together. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, caregivers, teachers, and librarians all take part. But at the same time, children are often glued to their screens, parents feel overwhelmed, and teachers face immense pressure to boost reading scores. The COVID‐19 pandemic has only worsened this decline in reading achievement, despite the valiant efforts of students and educators to adapt to unprecedented challenges.

Consider this: The average first‐grade teacher spends about 20 percent of their classroom instruction time reading aloud. Yet, how many college courses actually teach the art of reading aloud and storytelling? Similarly, parents are often advised to read to their children for at least 15 minutes a day—but who teaches them how to do it effectively?

Effective reading instruction encompasses several critical components: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. While these cognitive skills are foundational, metacognitive skills, such as comprehension, begin to develop during read‐alouds and are crucial for setting a complete foundation for literacy. These soft skills allow readers to grasp deeper meanings—understanding the author's intent, character traits, and motivations. Instilling a lifelong love of reading involves this combination of hard and soft skills, as well as fostering enjoyment and engagement. This is the art we hope to help all users of Novel Effect and readers of this book cultivate, so they can fully reap the rewards of reading.

The Current State of Literacy

It's no surprise that children are falling behind. Across the country, reading scores have dropped, and the test‐score gap between students in low‐poverty and high‐poverty schools has widened by approximately 15 percent. The pandemic disrupted every aspect of life, leaving teachers to conduct lessons virtually, learners to self‐regulate at home, and parents to take a more active role in their children's education. While children are resilient, they cannot wait for the situation to improve on its own, especially as school and public libraries are closed due to funding gaps while books are being banned from discussion and removed from shelves. We must guide them through these challenging times, especially in reading and understanding how to access knowledge, which is crucial for success in all subjects and forms the foundation for their future.

Our brains are wired to love stories. Early exposure to books and literacy fosters children's social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Before they can understand the text, the social and emotional connections made during read‐alouds are crucial. According to Scholastic's 2023 Rise of the Read‐Aloud reading report, eight out of ten children report loving or liking being read aloud to, and four in ten kids aged six to eleven whose parents have stopped reading aloud to them wish their parents had continued.

Reading achievement is closely linked to reading motivation and behavior. Research shows that read‐alouds benefit not only young children but also middle‐grade students, high schoolers, and even adults. When we consistently come together for read‐alouds, we create a shared joy that goes beyond the words and illustrations on the pages. It's about face‐to‐face connection, shared meaning, and understanding.

In today's world, where distractions are endless, and screens often dominate our attention, we need to create magical moments with our children that support their curiosity and increase their interest in literacy and learning. Our favorite childhood memories often involve being snuggled up with a loved one, reading our favorite books repeatedly. We want all children to experience that same joy and connection with their community of friends and the grown‐ups in their lives, with books at the center.

Reading aloud has a profound impact on children's development. It enhances vocabulary, empathy, and attention span. It helps children understand the world around them, shows them the value of reading for pleasure, and fosters a lifelong love of reading. As caregivers, we have the power to make every read‐aloud session a magical and memorable experience. This not only benefits our children emotionally and academically, but also creates lasting memories that they will cherish and pass on to their own children.

Building Connections Through Reading Aloud

This is a challenging time for read‐alouds. A vocal minority of “concerned parents” has created chaos around the availability of diverse and inclusive books in libraries, schools, and classrooms. Despite this, educators, parents, and children report that diversity in literature is one of the most important decision‐making factors they consider when choosing a book from the shelf. According to the same Scholastic report mentioned earlier, 68 percent of parents want diverse literature to read to their children, and 54 percent of children want the same.

We stand firm in our commitment to inspiring a love of reading in every child through diverse and inclusive stories. We celebrate the authors and illustrators who share their experiences and imaginations through their work. We support the librarians, teachers, and educators who awaken a lifelong love of learning in their students in the face of mounting distraction and mistrust.

Every child deserves to see themselves reflected in the pages of a book and to know that their experiences are valid and valued. Books open our minds to new places, experiences, and perspectives. They help us discover who we are and chart our own paths. A well‐crafted, well‐told story can change lives, and the way you read those stories aloud to a child can have a lasting impact.

How to Read This Book

This book is divided into two parts. Part I explores the science, power, and methodology behind an effective, engaging, and overall joyful read‐aloud, whether you are reading to your own child, a child in your care, or a classroom full of eager, emerging readers. It looks at reading aloud as one of the most important foundations for supporting not only literacy achievement in children, but a lifetime love of reading.

We look at the power of the picture book, a genre of literature that is nowhere near as simplistic as it may appear at first glance, but an invaluable resource to introduce the youngest readers—beginning at infancy—to the wonderful world of stories, sharing, and discovering, and, ultimately, learning to read and love books.

Because the soundscapes that accompany our Novel Effect library play such a big role in how the app helps you rock your read‐aloud, we've included a chapter on why we think sound enhances emotional understanding during a read‐aloud, amping up the big feelings—excitement, sadness, joy, sometimes a bit of fun fright—that readers experience while hearing a story.

Finally we delve into approaches to achieving the goal of this book, and Novel Effect as well: rocking your read‐aloud. We offer tips and advice for holding your readers' attention, for increasing engagement and comprehension through open‐ended questions and play while you read, as well as other strategies to help both you and your young listeners connect with each other and have fun as you share a book together.

Part II offers book‐specific read‐aloud lessons that provide suggestions for discussion or activities before, during, and after you read a selected book from our Novel Effect library. Novel Effect app users can scan the QR code on each lesson page to quickly access the soundscape and corresponding worksheets for each title. Alternatively, you can download all the worksheets from www.noveleffect.com/rockyourreadaloud.

Although we intend this book to serve anyone who reads aloud, whether they use Novel Effect or not, we also hope it will spark a curiosity for all to discover the magic of enhancing their regular storytime routine with a soundscape!

While this book focuses on adults reading aloud to children, the benefits are universal across age, race, and other demographics. We invite you to join us in making every read‐aloud session a magical experience, enriching the lives of children, creating memories that will last a lifetime, and building motivation so they become avid readers themselves. In fact, as we've seen countless times from children after experiencing their first soundscape, emerging readers will want to read on their own, often right away, to drive the storytelling experience!

Our goal with Novel Effect is both simple yet profound: We want to make reading aloud together a fun activity that children and adults will enjoy and through which they will develop deeper connections. By encouraging and developing a lifelong love of reading in children, we will foster their social, emotional, and cognitive growth, and prepare the next generation to tackle the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead. We are a team of experts in various fields—including educators, librarians, actors, singers, musicians, engineers—who all share a genuine love and appreciation for children's literature and a commitment to this shared goal and purpose.

Let's celebrate the power of stories and the joy of reading aloud together.

ROCK YOUR READ ALOUD

Part ITHE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE READ ALOUD

The chapters in Part I provide the foundational knowledge behind an effective and joyful read‐aloud experience. Here, we explore the science of reading aloud and how it supports not just literacy, but emotional connection and a lifetime love of books. We also discuss the profound power of picture books, which serve as an incredible gateway for young children to explore stories, ideas, and their emotions. Additionally, you'll discover why sound is a vital component in engaging young readers—how the Novel Effect soundscapes enhance emotional depth and amplify the story's impact.

01The Magic of the Read Aloud

Children who realize in their first few weeks and months of life that listening to stories is the purest heaven; who understand that books are filled with delights, facts, fun and food for thought; who fall in love with their parents and their parents with them, while stories are being shared; and who are read to for ten minutes a day in their first five years, usually learn to read quickly, happily and easily. And a whole lot of goodness follows for the entire community. No wonder I can’ t contain myself.

— Mem Fox, from Reading Magic

It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations—something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.

— Katherine Patterson

News of a literacy crisis is widespread, and evidenced by many students struggling to achieve proficiency in reading by third grade. It is an even more challenging situation for marginalized students, including those from minority backgrounds, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners, who often face additional barriers to reaching reading proficiency.

Research repeatedly shows that reading aloud together is the single most important thing a caregiver can do for a child to boost their literacy skills. There is a clear connection between reading engagement and reading achievement: Children who read more are better readers and more likely to have academic success. Reading aloud to children early and often will result in the most gains—we began reading regularly to our own children before they were even born—but it is never too late to start a read‐aloud routine.

Unfortunately, not all kids are read to in this way before they start Pre‐K or kindergarten. School communities and classroom teachers are left to fill in the gaps. Making sure that read‐alouds are a planned part of instructional time allows all students to take part in shared literacy experience and gain the benefits to language and background knowledge. This approach is even more effective than sustained silent reading because the burden is removed from the child, and the joy of reading is shared with the entire school or classroom community.

Our mission at Novel Effect may sound ambitious: to have every child reading above their grade level. We believe this starts by creating experiences that make reading fun for children, so they develop a desire for reading at an early age. Fostering a love for literature at a young age can open up new worlds for children, nurture their imaginations, strengthen their connections to familiar experiences, and build empathy and understanding for the lived experiences of others. Research shows that reading aloud is a cherished and beloved tradition by parents and children. Both express enjoyment in this special time together. This doesn't happen by simply making reading a chore, or only a task to complete; when you read aloud you model the fun and adventure that is possible in a story and unleash the magic of the books.

We believe in making reading aloud fun and magical, captivating children early and helping cultivate a love for books and reading that lasts a lifetime. At the heart of our mission is a desire to build relationships, to connect every child with a community of readers—including parents, teachers, public librarians, and other children—and to empower this community with best in class tools, curriculum, and instruction to develop early literacy skills.

We've seen firsthand how our soundscapes can be game‐changers in classrooms. Teachers tell us frequently that their effect is like magic—it grabs student's attention and helps them connect with the story on a deeper level. We love hearing stories about how using soundscapes (the subject of Chapter 3) to enhance a story doesn't just keep children engaged; it helps them understand and feel the emotions behind the words, and it makes stories accessible to every child.

We want every teacher to experience a read‐aloud where both you and your students are completely lost in the fun, silliness, and emotion of a story together—to discover and share the pure joy of the read‐aloud. It doesn't matter how many times you've read the story; the magic is always there because of the connections to your emotions, your experiences, and the adventures that await. In this chapter, we describe the benefits of reading aloud to children—not just to better their chances for academic success but to enrich their experience with literature and with their reading community.

Reading as a Social Act

Early education prioritizes literacy skills to establish the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Children who cannot read well will fail to grasp important concepts and miss educational milestones, with compounding consequences. The way we approach achieving literacy goals can be complex and different for every student. Learning to read can often be thought of as a primarily—and often frustrating to learn—cognitive skill (more on this in Chapter 4), that requires explicit systemic instruction. But developing a love for reading in a child requires emotional skills to help children comprehend what they are reading, or hearing read to them.

Reading aloud is more than just a pedagogical tool; it is a social act that fosters connections, nurtures emotional bonds, and entertains us. When we read together we create a shared pool of knowledge and ideas that bind us with each other as well as larger communities. And it is also social in the sense of thinking and learning about “big ideas”—anything from emotional understanding, values and ethical behavior, or diversity and cultural awareness—that form your perceptions about these big ideas, locally and globally.

Our philosophy is that a lifetime of literacy doesn't grow by treating reading as a solitary activity. Reading alone and even listening to an audiobook or recording of a book being read can support literacy skills, yes. But reading aloud together is where the real connection, thinking, and learning takes place. It provides a chance to build bonds, share stories, spark conversations, develop reading comprehension skills, and most importantly, have fun together. And it's definitely not just about the child's enjoyment; it's also about creating a fulfilling experience for the adult reader.

As author and literary editor Emilie Buchwald widely is credited with saying, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” And as children grow, the impact of being read to continues to grow as well: Even when a child may not yet be able to read the words themselves or even understand them all, having a book read with them helps them grasp what reading is actually about. They begin to connect with the meaning behind the words on the page. This, we believe, will not only help a child ultimately develop skills to read on their own, but provide an additional impetus that they will be more likely to want to read, and to read often.

The following sections explore some of the many benefits of reading together with a child—before and after they can read on their own.

Bonding Through Books in the Classroom

Regularly reading aloud to your students can significantly strengthen your relationship with them—and theirs to you. Forging this connection is one of the most important things you can do to positively influence their literacy development, and reading aloud at a predictable, scheduled time that fits into your daily routines in the classroom provides something consistent that they can look forward to.

Having a shared activity like reading also gives you and your students something to talk about, which supports the development of reading and writing skills. Through picture books, students learn about themselves and their classmates as they discuss individual and shared experiences, emotional connections, and perspectives. And children's books often serve as springboards for meaningful conversations about a variety of topics, helping to develop their critical thinking skills (more on that in Chapter 2).

For example, when reading together a book like After the Fall, students learn about risk‐taking and perseverance. Texts like this invite conversations and enable children to learn about each other's fears, struggles, hopes, and goals. Read‐alouds like these tap into empathy and create an environment where they not only better understand each other, but can support each other.

Connecting and Creating Experiences

At their core, books enable children to understand concepts without necessarily experiencing them firsthand, and without feeling the burden of “learning” so much as the pleasure of discovering. Reading to children exposes them to a wide range of subjects and ideas, building their understanding of humanity and the world around them. Over time, reading together can lead to discussions about real‐life experiences and issues that might not otherwise arise.

Through picture books, they not only expand their world, but develop understanding and empathy. For example, when reading books like The Girl Who Thought in Pictures or Emanuel's Dream, children learn about the experiences of people who live with a disability. Learning about others through picture books enables children to apply that information when meeting new people or solving real‐world problems.

Benefits to You, the Teacher

When it comes to reading aloud with children, we often focus on them and the benefits they reap. But let's not overlook the adults in the room—the ones holding the book, infusing the words with life, and sharing in the magic of storytelling. You need to be having fun, too.

Think back to those moments when you and your students were engrossed in a tale, swept away by the laughter, the silliness, and the heartfelt moments. That's what we aim for in every read‐aloud—inspiring the children to experience the pure joy of the story. And the best part? It never gets old, no matter how many times you've read the same story.

We frequently hear from educators how much fun it is to read aloud books like Dragons Love Tacos, The Book with No Pictures, or The Big Cheese. The books themselves are delightful, and with the additional layer of music and sound effects, it elevates the fun. Teachers giggle at fun puns, bop to catchy background music, and even are surprised by silly sound effects. They get to focus on the pure enjoyment of reading because Novel Effect is doing the performance work.

Building a Foundation for Future Reading Development

Being read to helps children develop essential reading skills, such as print concepts, even before they can decode words themselves, or fully understand their meaning. As children are hearing new words, and especially if they are having conversations about it, before, during, and after the read‐aloud is finished, they are building the vocabulary around the book's ideas, expanding their capacity for language and their use of language.

Many literacy coaches and educators encourage you to re‐read your students' favorite book as many times as they want, to reinforce vocabulary and aid in language development. This can often encourage children to want to read the book themselves, whether they are truly reading the words or are enjoying the pictures and familiarity of the book. This promotes positive associations with books and reading.

Books like Last Stop on Market Street, Owl Moon, and Eyes That Kiss in the Corners