What do you think?
Rate this book
What to Read When The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child and All the Best Times to Read Them by Allyn, Pam [Avery,2009]
What to Read When The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child and All the Best Times to Read Them by Allyn, Pam. Published by Avery,2009, Paperback
Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
33 people are currently reading
944 people want to read
About the author
Unknown Author
4m books438 followersBooks with known authors are imported from Amazon to this profile. Please do not merge this profile into Unknown.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 13, 2016
It gets a couple things right (the idea of pairing books with children's development), but a lot wrong. There are plenty of good books mentioned, but too much of this book is just padding.
The "Folktales and Fairy Tales" section claims that "what is available to your children now in terms of story is ever so much more richer and more appropriate for children of this age than some of the traditional fairy tales" - hmmm. So we do not have Perrault or Andersen, and the only Grimm is a Jerry Pinkney Red Riding Hood, but instead we get Red Riding Hood from China, Cinderella from Persia AND China, two native American books, and two Jan Brett books. Hardly a good representative selection. And this is in the four-year-old section and there is no corresponding list for other ages. At age 9, we are given four MORE multicultural Cinderellas and are told that kids "may long to revisit a story such as Cinderella but are now at an age when doing so might seem too babyish to them" - but this book never advises reading the actual Cinderella story (and that title does not even appear in the book's index). If it's multicultural, it must be good, apparently.
Other divisions seem arbitrary or illogical. Why is My Father's Dragon in the "Telling Stories" section but its sequel The Dragons of Blueland in "Entering Magical Worlds"?
I question the "Silly but Important Series" for its existence, its content (Bailey School Kids, Geronimo Stilton, Weird School), and for the contradictory advice (these books are good for growing readers....so parents should read them aloud(!?!?!?!).)
In the 9-year-old section, the list of mystery books is just bizarre: two Ellen Raskins (both misdated - more on this below) and the Lemony Snicket series. That's it! Really? That's your list?
The author has a misconception of what a chapter book is. (Hint: it is not any book with chapters, just as any book with pictures is not a picture book.) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is not a chapter book. It is a novel.
The author has a misconception of what a picture book is. "Great literature is about both structure and freedom. Every picture book is thirty-two pages long. Every cinquain has five lines in a stanza." Except plenty of classic (and not-so-classic) picture books do NOT have thirty-two pages. How about Where the Wild Things Are? Or Harold and the Purple Crayon? This is not at all analogous to the fixed form of a cinquain.
The author has a misconception about E. B. White. He did not cowrite The Elements of Style. He was asked to revise it in 1959 (its author, William Strunk, had died in 1946). This was certainly not a working partnership a la Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The author advises readers to "Check out the copyright page. When was the book published? Is it old or new?" But it is extremely frustrating that in the lists, the dates of books are sometimes, but not always, incorrect. The Runaway Bunny is not from 2005 (elsewhere it is correctly listed as from 1942). A Wrinkle in Time is not from 2007. Make Way for Ducklings is not from 1969. The Stupids Step Out is not from 1997. Miss Nelson Is Missing! is not from 1998. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is not from 1985. The Hundred Dresses is not from 2004. A Child's Garden of Verses is not from 1999 (not even the Tasha Tudor illustrated edition). And so on. Virtually every page has an error of this type. I can't believe the author wouldn't know at least some of these, so I can only assume it to be the sloppy work of an intern. But was no one available to proofread?
The last 200 pages of the book are "fifty essential themes" - including adoption, being yourself, creativity, feeling a sense of justice, making a mistake, etc. etc. It is so highly subjective as to be largely useless. I also note a section for "Spirituality" but nothing whatsoever on religion. We do get creation stories (two "from around the world" and one Iroquois) at age 9. I'm sensing an agenda and it's not necessarily equal opportunity.
Since there are already thematic lists within the "chronological when" section (birth to age 10), including social justice (age 9), discussing the creative process (age 10), stories about scrapes (nearly making a mistake) (age 6), etc. the redundancy is off-putting and confusing.
There are other confusing redundancies. The Mitten appears both in the 4-year-old Folktales and Fairy Tales section, listed with its subtitle "A Ukranian Folktale" and also in the "Journeys" thematic list with not so much as a mention of it being a folktale.
The advice that accompanies the thematic titles is sometimes just dumb. For Trains: A Pop-Up Railroad Book, it says, "Read if your child loves trains, locomotives, and steam engines." What would a parent do without such rarefied wisdom? This is by no means the only example. For Come with Me: Poems for a Journey we are told: "Read when you want poems to take you on a journey with your child." Oh, good. I could never have gotten that from the subtitle of the book.
The "Folktales and Fairy Tales" section claims that "what is available to your children now in terms of story is ever so much more richer and more appropriate for children of this age than some of the traditional fairy tales" - hmmm. So we do not have Perrault or Andersen, and the only Grimm is a Jerry Pinkney Red Riding Hood, but instead we get Red Riding Hood from China, Cinderella from Persia AND China, two native American books, and two Jan Brett books. Hardly a good representative selection. And this is in the four-year-old section and there is no corresponding list for other ages. At age 9, we are given four MORE multicultural Cinderellas and are told that kids "may long to revisit a story such as Cinderella but are now at an age when doing so might seem too babyish to them" - but this book never advises reading the actual Cinderella story (and that title does not even appear in the book's index). If it's multicultural, it must be good, apparently.
Other divisions seem arbitrary or illogical. Why is My Father's Dragon in the "Telling Stories" section but its sequel The Dragons of Blueland in "Entering Magical Worlds"?
I question the "Silly but Important Series" for its existence, its content (Bailey School Kids, Geronimo Stilton, Weird School), and for the contradictory advice (these books are good for growing readers....so parents should read them aloud(!?!?!?!).)
In the 9-year-old section, the list of mystery books is just bizarre: two Ellen Raskins (both misdated - more on this below) and the Lemony Snicket series. That's it! Really? That's your list?
The author has a misconception of what a chapter book is. (Hint: it is not any book with chapters, just as any book with pictures is not a picture book.) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is not a chapter book. It is a novel.
The author has a misconception of what a picture book is. "Great literature is about both structure and freedom. Every picture book is thirty-two pages long. Every cinquain has five lines in a stanza." Except plenty of classic (and not-so-classic) picture books do NOT have thirty-two pages. How about Where the Wild Things Are? Or Harold and the Purple Crayon? This is not at all analogous to the fixed form of a cinquain.
The author has a misconception about E. B. White. He did not cowrite The Elements of Style. He was asked to revise it in 1959 (its author, William Strunk, had died in 1946). This was certainly not a working partnership a la Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The author advises readers to "Check out the copyright page. When was the book published? Is it old or new?" But it is extremely frustrating that in the lists, the dates of books are sometimes, but not always, incorrect. The Runaway Bunny is not from 2005 (elsewhere it is correctly listed as from 1942). A Wrinkle in Time is not from 2007. Make Way for Ducklings is not from 1969. The Stupids Step Out is not from 1997. Miss Nelson Is Missing! is not from 1998. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is not from 1985. The Hundred Dresses is not from 2004. A Child's Garden of Verses is not from 1999 (not even the Tasha Tudor illustrated edition). And so on. Virtually every page has an error of this type. I can't believe the author wouldn't know at least some of these, so I can only assume it to be the sloppy work of an intern. But was no one available to proofread?
The last 200 pages of the book are "fifty essential themes" - including adoption, being yourself, creativity, feeling a sense of justice, making a mistake, etc. etc. It is so highly subjective as to be largely useless. I also note a section for "Spirituality" but nothing whatsoever on religion. We do get creation stories (two "from around the world" and one Iroquois) at age 9. I'm sensing an agenda and it's not necessarily equal opportunity.
Since there are already thematic lists within the "chronological when" section (birth to age 10), including social justice (age 9), discussing the creative process (age 10), stories about scrapes (nearly making a mistake) (age 6), etc. the redundancy is off-putting and confusing.
There are other confusing redundancies. The Mitten appears both in the 4-year-old Folktales and Fairy Tales section, listed with its subtitle "A Ukranian Folktale" and also in the "Journeys" thematic list with not so much as a mention of it being a folktale.
The advice that accompanies the thematic titles is sometimes just dumb. For Trains: A Pop-Up Railroad Book, it says, "Read if your child loves trains, locomotives, and steam engines." What would a parent do without such rarefied wisdom? This is by no means the only example. For Come with Me: Poems for a Journey we are told: "Read when you want poems to take you on a journey with your child." Oh, good. I could never have gotten that from the subtitle of the book.
October 2, 2010
Reading aloud to our children is one of the most important things we can do as parents. The reasons to read aloud to your child every day are plentiful, both academically and emotionally. This summer, I attended a teaching conference and learned some sobering statistics:
*A child in a family on welfare hears 3 million words a year
*A child in a working class family hears twice that: 6 million a year
*A child in a professional family hears 11 millions words a year (Academic Language, Academic Literacy by Eli R. Johnson)
Of course this varies by family, and there are many exceptions. But it is clear that the achievement gap begins early, and widens. As a teacher, I have been making sure my students read at least 30 minutes a day, and I infuse everything we do with language play, rich vocabulary, and a love of reading and writing.
And I am always looking for good books to read with my 3 and 5 year old girls. So, I jumped at the chance to review Pam Allyn's new book: What to Read When.
Oh, how glad I am that I did. This book is a guide you will use for your son or daughter's entire childhood. It is not only a guide for why and how to read aloud to your child, it gives you ideas for how to help stimulate quality discussions with your child about literature, and it explains what books are the best to read at every age.
Let me back up!
The book organized in three parts. Part one powerfully explains why we must read aloud to our children, how to help your child become a lifelong readers, answers frequently asked questions, and shares landmark books.
This section is passionate, empowering, and inspiring. The love Pam feels for children, parents and reading is striking. She shares a deep understanding of the developmental stages of childhood and reading. Her words speak right at the core of how reading and parenting are entwined-- and how all of us can deepen and enrich this experience.
Part two beautifully demonstrates how to read aloud to your child, using authentic and interest driven conversations to help children make connections, visualize, form opinions, and explore emotions. I've been teaching for 11 years, and I found this section refreshing. It gave me new ideas for how to talk (and more importantly, listen) with my children about books.
The value of the chronological section cannot be overstated, Each age is showcased with all the developmental issues and gifts that a new age brings. Pam then lists books by category and fleshes out for us why your child might be interested in each. As I teacher, I see several books I know in each section, but many I don't. That is why I started my holiday book wish list and have been adding used books from Amazon to my cart, for later purchase. I want to have most of the books at the age my children are, and one age up.
As if the above wasn't helpful, inspiring, or motivating enough, the last section, part 3, shares fifty themes: all the books for what matters most. With topics like Overcoming Adversity, A New Baby, Death, Adoption, Loving History, Art, Music, Science, Sports-- you can see how this could fit in with any challenges or interests your children are having.
This book is a gift to parents and teachers. Pam Allyn has written a book that should be given away at all hospitals when you have a baby (and delivered by midwives at home births). In it, you have all the tools you need to discover the benefits of reading to your child, how to do it, and what to read when. All you need to do is add books (think used bookstores and your library) and a child (or several!).
Childhood is terrifyingly short. I must remember, even when my eyes are bleary, my voice weary from teaching, the gift of time reading, cuddled up with my girls, is fleeting treasure.
Thank you, Pam!
*A child in a family on welfare hears 3 million words a year
*A child in a working class family hears twice that: 6 million a year
*A child in a professional family hears 11 millions words a year (Academic Language, Academic Literacy by Eli R. Johnson)
Of course this varies by family, and there are many exceptions. But it is clear that the achievement gap begins early, and widens. As a teacher, I have been making sure my students read at least 30 minutes a day, and I infuse everything we do with language play, rich vocabulary, and a love of reading and writing.
And I am always looking for good books to read with my 3 and 5 year old girls. So, I jumped at the chance to review Pam Allyn's new book: What to Read When.
Oh, how glad I am that I did. This book is a guide you will use for your son or daughter's entire childhood. It is not only a guide for why and how to read aloud to your child, it gives you ideas for how to help stimulate quality discussions with your child about literature, and it explains what books are the best to read at every age.
Let me back up!
The book organized in three parts. Part one powerfully explains why we must read aloud to our children, how to help your child become a lifelong readers, answers frequently asked questions, and shares landmark books.
This section is passionate, empowering, and inspiring. The love Pam feels for children, parents and reading is striking. She shares a deep understanding of the developmental stages of childhood and reading. Her words speak right at the core of how reading and parenting are entwined-- and how all of us can deepen and enrich this experience.
Part two beautifully demonstrates how to read aloud to your child, using authentic and interest driven conversations to help children make connections, visualize, form opinions, and explore emotions. I've been teaching for 11 years, and I found this section refreshing. It gave me new ideas for how to talk (and more importantly, listen) with my children about books.
The value of the chronological section cannot be overstated, Each age is showcased with all the developmental issues and gifts that a new age brings. Pam then lists books by category and fleshes out for us why your child might be interested in each. As I teacher, I see several books I know in each section, but many I don't. That is why I started my holiday book wish list and have been adding used books from Amazon to my cart, for later purchase. I want to have most of the books at the age my children are, and one age up.
As if the above wasn't helpful, inspiring, or motivating enough, the last section, part 3, shares fifty themes: all the books for what matters most. With topics like Overcoming Adversity, A New Baby, Death, Adoption, Loving History, Art, Music, Science, Sports-- you can see how this could fit in with any challenges or interests your children are having.
This book is a gift to parents and teachers. Pam Allyn has written a book that should be given away at all hospitals when you have a baby (and delivered by midwives at home births). In it, you have all the tools you need to discover the benefits of reading to your child, how to do it, and what to read when. All you need to do is add books (think used bookstores and your library) and a child (or several!).
Childhood is terrifyingly short. I must remember, even when my eyes are bleary, my voice weary from teaching, the gift of time reading, cuddled up with my girls, is fleeting treasure.
Thank you, Pam!
August 29, 2009
Upon reading the Booklist review, I agreed with many of their assessments. Her kid lit knowledge did feel a little 'spotty' to me as well and many of this lists seemed a random grab bag on the topic. Putting together a resource of this scope is a large undertaking, but if you are going to put out a guide of what to read when, you will have to read a lot to select the best.
The book recommendations were weaker and fewer in number for the older kids (10 year olds) and under her "50 themes: all the best books for moments that matter most" there was a lack of material for middle graders and a decided emphasis on young children.
This book would be a good match for newbie parents with little reading experience to draw from in their own childhoods and a lack of relationship with their local public library, but Jim Trelease and Anita Silvey would still be my first grabs as well as Mem Fox's Reading Magic, Esme Raji Codell's "How to get your Child to Love Reading" and Nancy Pearl's "Book Crush" for recommended reading lists.
From Booklist
Targeted principally at parents, Allyn’s earnestly utilitarian guide to read-aloud books for children promises to “help you find the perfect books for the perfect times.” To that end, she offers a potpourri of self-help tools including a “reader’s ladder” of titles for children from birth to age 10, 50 thematic lists of “all the best books for the moments that matter most,” 10 reasons for reading to kids, and four keys for helping children become lifelong readers. All of this material has its uses, but its presentation is often either cloying (especially when the author invokes her own family) or a bit too rah-rah for some readers. Her knowledge of the history of children’s literature is occasionally a bit spotty (she praises Margaret Wise Brown without ever acknowledging the influence of Lucy Sprague Mitchell), and is Stuart Little really suitable for reading to a six-year-old? Nevertheless, the author is at her best when she is discussing the inarguable—almost ineffable—importance of reading to and sharing books with kids. And here her enthusiasm and genuine passion are infectious. One hopes her spirit is catching. --Michael Cart
October 25, 2017
I like her three levels of books: uphill books, level books, and downhill books. She says: "Downhill books appear "easy" but are actually critical for your kids in terms of building their reading abilities. They can read them quickly and the books are generally on topics of interest or comfort for your kids." I've come across so many teachers and even librarians who either refuse to let older students read picture books or they STRONGLY discourage it. I don't think older students should be reading picture books all the time, but I don't think they should be told it's wrong. I like that Allyn says they are "critical for ... building reading abilities." She also encourages reading aloud to kids at all three levels. She says, "Hearing books read aloud at different levels is helpful and important because it builds your children's fluency levels, stamina levels, and comprehension levels." I think we should worry a whole lot less about WHAT kids are reading and just encourage them to read, read, read. All reading is good!
February 17, 2020
3.5 stars
March 14, 2009
I really liked this book. When I was a kid my Mom read every day to me until I could read back to her. My favorite book was, and always will be, Charlotte's web. In here the author says you shouldn't read it to a child until they are 7 because it deals with death.
This book breaks down each year what you should read to your child as well as a list of topics and what you should read under those topics. ie. Heroes, A New Baby, Loving Music, Coping With Illness, etc...
Now as adult my collection includes the Chronicles of Naria books, The Golden Compass books, Harry Potter books, Anne of Green Gables books, Little House on the Prairie books, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and many other that remind me of my childhood. I hope to share these books with my future children.
This book breaks down each year what you should read to your child as well as a list of topics and what you should read under those topics. ie. Heroes, A New Baby, Loving Music, Coping With Illness, etc...
Now as adult my collection includes the Chronicles of Naria books, The Golden Compass books, Harry Potter books, Anne of Green Gables books, Little House on the Prairie books, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and many other that remind me of my childhood. I hope to share these books with my future children.
July 20, 2009
This book was ok but not helpful to me. It suggests books you want to read to your child at different ages. Where the book excels is explaining why it is important and how to read to your child. It also has lists of good suggestions for specific situations like adoption, bullying, etc. Good info but not what I needed now.
July 20, 2010
Even though I'm a librarian, I sometimes have trouble finding age appropriate books. I mean, I know how to help college students conduct research, I know how to preserve documents and I know how to make early American history relevant to today's present but sometimes finding a children's book stumps me.
That is where What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child ~ and All the Best Time to Read Them by Pam Allyn comes in handy. Pam Allyn is the the founder and executive director of LitLife, an internationally recognized organization that trains hundreds of K~12 teachers each year. She is also the founding director of Books for Boys, an award~winning mentoring and reading initiative at The Children's Village. Allyn is also the recipient of a Points of Light/Disney award and two James Patterson PageTurner Awards for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations. In other words, a librarian's dream...
The idea behind the book is the belief that reading aloud to your children is important in the development of happy, healthy, well~rounded children. And while most read~aloud book guides are geared towards children from birth until roughly 5 years of age, this book also offers book suggestions for children up to the age of 10. Yes, it is just as important to read to older children as it is to younger children.
The book begins by explaining why parents should read aloud to their children ~ think bonding, developing an interest in reading and expanding your child's imagination. The next part provides an annotated list of what to read to your child at every age and ends with a reading guide for books by theme, such as adoption, courage, death, loneliness and spirituality.
I like that each section is prefaced by a memory of Allyn's interactions with her own family members or children she has come in contact with during the course of her work. These little vignettes make the book approachable and help the parents to understand why a certain book was chosen or the discussions that can develop from the readings of various books.
One of my favorite book choices is in the section dedicated to books about heroes because gasp a librarian is included in the mix of civil rights leaders, Native American activists and suffragists. The Librarian of Basra: A True Story of Iraq by Jeanette Winter tells the story of Alia Muhammed Baker, a librarian in Basra, Iraq who struggled to save her library's books before the war. According to Allyn, read this story to provide "a new perspective on the war in the Middle East, and to show the incredible capacity of books to inspire heroism." Wow.
This book is a definite must for any parent or adult looking to find age appropriate books to read to their children on a plethora of topics.
That is where What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child ~ and All the Best Time to Read Them by Pam Allyn comes in handy. Pam Allyn is the the founder and executive director of LitLife, an internationally recognized organization that trains hundreds of K~12 teachers each year. She is also the founding director of Books for Boys, an award~winning mentoring and reading initiative at The Children's Village. Allyn is also the recipient of a Points of Light/Disney award and two James Patterson PageTurner Awards for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations. In other words, a librarian's dream...
The idea behind the book is the belief that reading aloud to your children is important in the development of happy, healthy, well~rounded children. And while most read~aloud book guides are geared towards children from birth until roughly 5 years of age, this book also offers book suggestions for children up to the age of 10. Yes, it is just as important to read to older children as it is to younger children.
The book begins by explaining why parents should read aloud to their children ~ think bonding, developing an interest in reading and expanding your child's imagination. The next part provides an annotated list of what to read to your child at every age and ends with a reading guide for books by theme, such as adoption, courage, death, loneliness and spirituality.
I like that each section is prefaced by a memory of Allyn's interactions with her own family members or children she has come in contact with during the course of her work. These little vignettes make the book approachable and help the parents to understand why a certain book was chosen or the discussions that can develop from the readings of various books.
One of my favorite book choices is in the section dedicated to books about heroes because gasp a librarian is included in the mix of civil rights leaders, Native American activists and suffragists. The Librarian of Basra: A True Story of Iraq by Jeanette Winter tells the story of Alia Muhammed Baker, a librarian in Basra, Iraq who struggled to save her library's books before the war. According to Allyn, read this story to provide "a new perspective on the war in the Middle East, and to show the incredible capacity of books to inspire heroism." Wow.
This book is a definite must for any parent or adult looking to find age appropriate books to read to their children on a plethora of topics.
March 31, 2009
What to Read When by Pam Allyn is a guide to reading books to your children from birth to age 10. What I liked about this book is Ms. Allyn's way of categorizing literature. Sometimes as a mom it is hard to determine which books are right for which ages. She has not only given recommendations for every age, but divides them into types of books (i.e. board books, concept books, music books etc.).
This book is basically divided into 3 parts. In part one the author explains why it is important to read to our children, keys to helping your child become a lifelong reader, supporting your child's reading life, and what she calls Landmark books. Landmark books are "...books that have shaped how childhood has been conveyed to us over the years." (pg 38)
Part two gives the Reader's Ladder of when to read which books to certain ages. Part three is the Emotional "When". The author details 50 Essential Themes and gives recommendations for each theme while also classifying them as emerging, developing, or maturing readers. Examples of these themes include: Bad Day; Courage; Building the World of Family; Adoption etc.
Overall, I really like this book. I am excited to try out some of the books with my little one, and I hope to be able to use this as a resource throughout his childhood.
For more information on this book click on this link.
This book is basically divided into 3 parts. In part one the author explains why it is important to read to our children, keys to helping your child become a lifelong reader, supporting your child's reading life, and what she calls Landmark books. Landmark books are "...books that have shaped how childhood has been conveyed to us over the years." (pg 38)
Part two gives the Reader's Ladder of when to read which books to certain ages. Part three is the Emotional "When". The author details 50 Essential Themes and gives recommendations for each theme while also classifying them as emerging, developing, or maturing readers. Examples of these themes include: Bad Day; Courage; Building the World of Family; Adoption etc.
Overall, I really like this book. I am excited to try out some of the books with my little one, and I hope to be able to use this as a resource throughout his childhood.
For more information on this book click on this link.
June 18, 2009
A cross between Mem Fox and Jim Trelease, this book is a joy for parents and a delight for everyone who loves children's literature. It would be a wonderful present for new parents, or equally useful in parent education and children's literature classes.
March 4, 2010
This gave me some good ideas for more books to read with my kids. I wasn't thrilled by the author's take on things - not particularly inspiring and I have a different sense of values than her. But, I am looking forward to reading some of the books she recommends.
January 25, 2011
I read this book cover to cover and really enjoyed it, but it is even more useful as a reference book. It gives great reading recommendations for kids, by age. I love reading with my boys and this has some great suggestions and lots of useful information about why reading together is so important!
March 10, 2012
This wasn't as great as I'd expected (having seen some rave reviews) but I did appreciate the lists of possible books to read with Ellie. I most enjoyed her descriptions of children at each age (birth through age nine).
April 1, 2012
One of my favorite parts of the early years of parenting was reading aloud with my son. I believe that you can't start this too soon - hook 'em young, I say! - and while bedtime reading with my son was a ritual by the time he was a year old, that wasn't the only time we read together. By the time he was four, he was able to read by himself, but we kept the bedtime-reading custom going for a couple more years. I give a lot of credit to our read-aloud time for his early reading development, but that's far from the only benefit that children - and parents - can gain from reading together. Pam Allyn, an award-winning reading instructor and children's literacy advocate, elaborates on the benefits, as well as effective strategies and tools for reading with kids, in What to Read When.
When Allyn talks about reading with your child, she's talking about what she calls "the read-aloud," which many of us parents may think of as reading to our children. But she offers suggestions and strategies to make that reading time a more interactive, engaged experience for both kids and parents - one that we can, and should, continue well past the time when our kids have learned to read by themselves. As she notes, there are books that a child may have the skill to read before he has the maturity to comprehend them fully, and those are ideal for read-alouds with a school-aged child.
Allyn starts off the book with a discussion about why parents must read to and with their children, outlines what she calls the "four keys" to developing a lifelong reader, addresses common concerns about supporting a child's reading life, and provides instruction in how to read aloud effectively. (I wish I'd had that back in the day...) She then gets into the real meat of the book - "what to read when."
The author addresses "when" in two different ways. First, she takes a chronological approach that she calls "the Reader's Ladder," and offers a range of suitable reading suggestions for every age from birth to ten years old. In the next, longest section of the book, she considers fifty "themes" that come up in the course of children's lives and offers books that address each one, including "talk about it" sections for some that may help the parent and child get the most from the book. Particularly in the "themes" section, she repeatedly makes the point that books are a great means to get conversation going and help kids understand the world. Allyn's reading recommendations are both contemporary and classic, fiction and nonfiction, culturally diverse, and offer every reading level and stage of development a variety of suggestions. They're also entirely optional; she has compiled a resource for parents, not made a "required-reading" list. The reading advice is helpful, not prescriptive, and aimed at fostering the read-aloud experience.
I accepted this book for review even though my own days of read-alouds are well past (although I may get another chance with grandchildren - some day) because I really believe reading to and with our kids is important. I was impressed with Pam Allyn's book and feel comfortable recommending it; I think she has put together an excellent guide for parents who really want to make read-alouds something that we used to call "quality time" when my son was young, back in the '80's.
When Allyn talks about reading with your child, she's talking about what she calls "the read-aloud," which many of us parents may think of as reading to our children. But she offers suggestions and strategies to make that reading time a more interactive, engaged experience for both kids and parents - one that we can, and should, continue well past the time when our kids have learned to read by themselves. As she notes, there are books that a child may have the skill to read before he has the maturity to comprehend them fully, and those are ideal for read-alouds with a school-aged child.
Allyn starts off the book with a discussion about why parents must read to and with their children, outlines what she calls the "four keys" to developing a lifelong reader, addresses common concerns about supporting a child's reading life, and provides instruction in how to read aloud effectively. (I wish I'd had that back in the day...) She then gets into the real meat of the book - "what to read when."
The author addresses "when" in two different ways. First, she takes a chronological approach that she calls "the Reader's Ladder," and offers a range of suitable reading suggestions for every age from birth to ten years old. In the next, longest section of the book, she considers fifty "themes" that come up in the course of children's lives and offers books that address each one, including "talk about it" sections for some that may help the parent and child get the most from the book. Particularly in the "themes" section, she repeatedly makes the point that books are a great means to get conversation going and help kids understand the world. Allyn's reading recommendations are both contemporary and classic, fiction and nonfiction, culturally diverse, and offer every reading level and stage of development a variety of suggestions. They're also entirely optional; she has compiled a resource for parents, not made a "required-reading" list. The reading advice is helpful, not prescriptive, and aimed at fostering the read-aloud experience.
I accepted this book for review even though my own days of read-alouds are well past (although I may get another chance with grandchildren - some day) because I really believe reading to and with our kids is important. I was impressed with Pam Allyn's book and feel comfortable recommending it; I think she has put together an excellent guide for parents who really want to make read-alouds something that we used to call "quality time" when my son was young, back in the '80's.
December 16, 2013
Well, Pam Allyn does what she said she would do – she tells us what to read and when. She also tells us why we should read these books and gives us some suggestions about how we should read them. It’s like she’s helping us to cultivate our own little familial book clubs.
Here are my big takeaways from the book:
~Why is ‘the read-aloud’ so important?
-It’s an effective way to inspire your kid to read early and often for the rest of his life (plus it’s nurturing and shows you care). Pam reminds us why reading, especially when it’s from a diverse variety of genres, is good for everyone involved (she calls genres ‘containers for thinking’).
~How should we go about all this reading (logistically)? Where should we read?
-Keep baskets of books everywhere: in the kitchen, on the dining table, next to the bathtub, next to your bed, etc.. You can categorize these baskets by author, by genre, by language, by interest, etc.. Pam’s main point on this front = books belong everywhere because lifelong readers read everywhere.
-She is empathetic to those of you who didn’t know how to do everything before you were parents. Even Pam Allyn, the veritable Pollyanna of Literacy*, had to ‘practice at home with her own squirmy infants’ before the read-aloud became part of the routine.
-If you’re tired, it’s totally okay to consolidate bath time and read-aloud time. I’ve ordered some of her suggested bath time reads, including Do Pirates Take Baths? (when she described it as a ‘bouncy jaunt through the daily activities of pirates’, I was like ‘Sold!’)
~What & When
-Pam is pragmatic: she finds all reading to be valuable, even the kind done by today’s perpetually wired-in generation (I include myself in that one). Online magazines, online newspapers, e-readers – they’re all productive in terms of perspective building and critical-thinking skills.
-Here's an example of her approach to age-specific book recommendations: introduce 'interest development' books to 2 & 3 year olds and ‘be on the lookout this early for your child’s passions and interests. They are there, and can be nurtured through your connections with your child through literature.’
So, basically, if we read these stories to our kids, we will arm them with ideas, values, and some perspective – they will never be alone, and neither will we.
------>I give this book 4.98 stars, loosing .02 stars for heavy use of the word ‘journey’.
*But not just of literacy, she's into inquisitiveness as well. (She thinks that the smartest people are the ones who ask the most questions.)
Here are my big takeaways from the book:
~Why is ‘the read-aloud’ so important?
-It’s an effective way to inspire your kid to read early and often for the rest of his life (plus it’s nurturing and shows you care). Pam reminds us why reading, especially when it’s from a diverse variety of genres, is good for everyone involved (she calls genres ‘containers for thinking’).
~How should we go about all this reading (logistically)? Where should we read?
-Keep baskets of books everywhere: in the kitchen, on the dining table, next to the bathtub, next to your bed, etc.. You can categorize these baskets by author, by genre, by language, by interest, etc.. Pam’s main point on this front = books belong everywhere because lifelong readers read everywhere.
-She is empathetic to those of you who didn’t know how to do everything before you were parents. Even Pam Allyn, the veritable Pollyanna of Literacy*, had to ‘practice at home with her own squirmy infants’ before the read-aloud became part of the routine.
-If you’re tired, it’s totally okay to consolidate bath time and read-aloud time. I’ve ordered some of her suggested bath time reads, including Do Pirates Take Baths? (when she described it as a ‘bouncy jaunt through the daily activities of pirates’, I was like ‘Sold!’)
~What & When
-Pam is pragmatic: she finds all reading to be valuable, even the kind done by today’s perpetually wired-in generation (I include myself in that one). Online magazines, online newspapers, e-readers – they’re all productive in terms of perspective building and critical-thinking skills.
-Here's an example of her approach to age-specific book recommendations: introduce 'interest development' books to 2 & 3 year olds and ‘be on the lookout this early for your child’s passions and interests. They are there, and can be nurtured through your connections with your child through literature.’
So, basically, if we read these stories to our kids, we will arm them with ideas, values, and some perspective – they will never be alone, and neither will we.
------>I give this book 4.98 stars, loosing .02 stars for heavy use of the word ‘journey’.
*But not just of literacy, she's into inquisitiveness as well. (She thinks that the smartest people are the ones who ask the most questions.)
January 10, 2010
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Pam Allyn offers wonderful insights into the meaningful moments of childhood literacy development, and explains to parents, teachers, and caregivers how to identify and nurture those moments. I am particularly appreciative of the sensitivity with which she identifies the general differences in boys' and girls' reading preferences, without stereotyping. She shows amazing sensitivity to all different types of emerging readers, and to those who would read aloud to them.
This book categorizes a wealth of children's literature in two different ways: 1) by age/developmental level, and 2) by theme. This text thus becomes the perfect handy reference for parents looking for general books to collect for their children, as well as for those in need of children's literature relevant to a specific occasion. Allyn also offers insight into the times to read these books, and how to approach reading time -- with suggested discussion questions, reading times, settings, etc.
I was a bit surprised to find that Allyn's list of so-called Landmark books -- "books that have shaped how childhood has been conveyed to us over the years" -- is more or less limited to books from the middle of the 20th century. Surely there have been some Landmark texts in the last ten or twenty years... no? That said, Allyn offers a very good defense of many controversial texts that are often challenges as valuable texts for children -- the Harry Potter series among them. She also emphasizes the value of culture-specific books that speak to a child's unique experience and allow him/her to better empathize with the main character. Allyn seems quite attuned to the unique needs of children in a variety of circumstances, and recommends books to be read aloud to them accordingly.
Her text is well researched, and even though I don't agree with all the selections on her book lists, her explanations and justifications are well though and compassionately conveyed. I've already recommended this book to several parents who I think will benefit from Allyn's insight as they figure out what to read to their own children in order to best boost their literacy. For anyone who cares for children, this book is an invaluable guide to establishing a positive reading routine and choosing the right books for the right times.
dnf-or-set-aside-for-now
December 28, 2014This is a terrific book that conveys not only the importance of reading aloud with children, but also recommends books for different ages, stages, and topics.
interesting quotes:
"Through books and stories that are designed to be read aloud, we convey to our children the beauty of language and the joys of rhythm and rhyme; and in the books we choose to read and the way we read them, we also convey the values we hold dear." (p. 2)
"I'm often asked in workshops when I stopped reading aloud to my daughters, but the fact is, I haven't stopped." (p. 5)
"Reading aloud will help your child to:
1. Develop Shared Values
2. Fall in Love with Language
3. Build Comprehension
4. Learn the Power of Story
5. Be Exposed to a Variety of Genres
6. Learn about Classic Text Structures
7. Find Comfort
8. Build Critical Thinking Skills
9. Shape a Lifelong Reading Identity
10. Visit Many Worlds, Hear Many Voices" (pp. 11-16)
"Raising a reader in your home is actually very, very simple, costs very little, and produces outcomes that are tremendously beneficial not only for your child but for you too. I have four pieces of advice for you to help you along the way. I call them the Four Keys.
R = Ritual
E = Environment
A = Access
D = Dialogue" (pp. 17-27)
interesting quotes:
"Through books and stories that are designed to be read aloud, we convey to our children the beauty of language and the joys of rhythm and rhyme; and in the books we choose to read and the way we read them, we also convey the values we hold dear." (p. 2)
"I'm often asked in workshops when I stopped reading aloud to my daughters, but the fact is, I haven't stopped." (p. 5)
"Reading aloud will help your child to:
1. Develop Shared Values
2. Fall in Love with Language
3. Build Comprehension
4. Learn the Power of Story
5. Be Exposed to a Variety of Genres
6. Learn about Classic Text Structures
7. Find Comfort
8. Build Critical Thinking Skills
9. Shape a Lifelong Reading Identity
10. Visit Many Worlds, Hear Many Voices" (pp. 11-16)
"Raising a reader in your home is actually very, very simple, costs very little, and produces outcomes that are tremendously beneficial not only for your child but for you too. I have four pieces of advice for you to help you along the way. I call them the Four Keys.
R = Ritual
E = Environment
A = Access
D = Dialogue" (pp. 17-27)
October 21, 2016
At the beginning of the book I was happy to see her discuss different kinds of reading- it is important to remember that even as children, everyone reads for different enjoyments. As the book continued I was dismayed by the way she worships childhood, idolizes the "wisdom of children" and really loves to depict school (public school?) as a zen/spiritual experience of enriching discoveries.
I got a few newer book titles from here, but I could have done that without this book. Some of her summaries indicate that she missed the point of books aimed for 4 year-olds (mis-assigning "themes" to them which are not present in the least.) She also loves anything multi-cultural, which is great, but she loves it to the point of excluding and dismissing classics/Western traditional stories, as another reviewer noted.
Had to laugh and die inside a little when she talked about death, and "laying down our burdens" on the backs of these... children books. How vacuous (to match her "spirituality" section.) That's when it moved from 2 to 1 star, after the lack of objectivity moving me from 3 to 2. (It's hard to not like a book that is a list of books... I like books, but there are other books that cover this topic better.)
I got a few newer book titles from here, but I could have done that without this book. Some of her summaries indicate that she missed the point of books aimed for 4 year-olds (mis-assigning "themes" to them which are not present in the least.) She also loves anything multi-cultural, which is great, but she loves it to the point of excluding and dismissing classics/Western traditional stories, as another reviewer noted.
Had to laugh and die inside a little when she talked about death, and "laying down our burdens" on the backs of these... children books. How vacuous (to match her "spirituality" section.) That's when it moved from 2 to 1 star, after the lack of objectivity moving me from 3 to 2. (It's hard to not like a book that is a list of books... I like books, but there are other books that cover this topic better.)
December 21, 2009
Because this book is so current; it was great to get an updated idea of what great books there are out there. We are always coming home from the library with armfuls of books .. and sometimes I feel like we must be missing out on some fabulous books. This book made me feel like I had a better handle on what is out there. I like the author's approach and ideas on reading aloud to kids of all reading abilities. I do find her idea of introducing books (reading author, illustrator, copyright date .. discussing date and what was happening then, etc) a bit unrealistic. We will sometimes talk about that info if it seems relevant; but I don't think of it as a required part. In any case, I have added a huge list to my already long list of books to read with the kids .. and we have already read a few off her list. I like how she has some books suggested by age, some by relevant topics, and some as classics.
May 30, 2010
If you're the type of person to read What to Read When, you probably already have a pretty secure grasp on selecting children's literature and can figure much of it out for yourself. There is a lot of common sense advice. For example, Allyn suggests reading Guess How Much I Love You "when your child wants to tell someone how much he loves him or her." However, there are some good suggestions here. So if you're looking for some new ideas, it's worth a look. Imagine all those library bookmark suggestion lists in one organized place. There are summaries of more than three hundred books for newborns to 10-year-olds. It definitely had the feel of a resource book, and I do wish the design and layout had been a little more interesting. Reading is fun! I wish this book were a little more fun to read.
March 15, 2010
I might like this better in a few years, but for now I'm looking for books for my 10 month old baby, who has a very short attention span. I feel like these first few years are when the reading foundation will be laid that will lead to a love of literacy, or not. Such a young child is developing and changing constantly at a rate that will never be duplicated in her life. But Allyn groups all children 0-2 yrs together and gives a relatively small number of suggestions, enough to cover maybe two library trips. The books are short, we need a lot of ideas! And in just ten months we have already been through so many different levels of books. Until she's older and the reading stages are longer, I probably won't turn to this book as a resource.
September 5, 2015
Excellent book ideas for kids ages birth to ten. Part one is about the importance of reading, how to read, and how to create a cozy reading environment. Part two is book recommendations based on age, with several specific titles given but also a lot of descriptions about the kinds of books that appeal to different ages. Part three is book recommendations based on important stages or experiences in a child's life: adoption, making a mistake, sleepovers, etc. The books are labeled with the relevant age group: 0-4, 4-7, 7-10.
This is not really the kind of book that you can read once and then set aside. It is more useful as a reference tool, or as a book that you pick up and thumb through every now and then.
This is not really the kind of book that you can read once and then set aside. It is more useful as a reference tool, or as a book that you pick up and thumb through every now and then.
June 17, 2009
This book is quite a find and a must-read for parents of young children. I wanted to read it because I thought it would be a good resource of books that I could read to and with my child. I found actually that there is much more included in these pages. In particular, I enjoyed the How to Read Aloud chapter. In my busy daily life, I sometimes get distracted from how to relate to the book. Allyn takes time to stress that the act of reading is much more than following words on a page. It is connecting, relating, and reflecting. I think I will become a better reader myself now and can impart good lessons to my child. I know I will be referring to this one for years to come.
May 12, 2009
What a great reference to have! For a teacher or a parent! I wish I had had this book before my child was even born, just to help me prepare. This is a great book that allows you to look for books to read to/with/for your child. It basically covers from birth all the way up to pre-teen age. It's especially great because you can look up the books based on your child's age, or you can look for a specific topic that you would like a book to help you broach. It's easy to use and has great sections on why we should read to our children, and how to make our children appreciate reading. This is a great reference for any home with children! (Thanks to Avery for my free copy!)
April 28, 2009
This is a fantastic book for any parent, grandparent, teacher, or any other type of caregiver. As a mother the library can be an overwhelming experience and this book is a great guide for finding not only the classics, but books designed to explain specific lessons or experiences to children. For example, I received this book about a week before our family dog of 11 years had to be put to sleep. The day I told my 4-year-old daughter about our dog's death I reached for the book and looked to see if there was anything about a pet's death and low and behold I was led to the perfect book for the situation. This book is a must have for anyone dealing with children on a regular basis.
August 21, 2011
This is a fabulous reference book for any parent. Almost every parent knows they should be reading to their child, but many find themselves at a loss as to exactly what they should be reading, or whether a child who is capable of reading on their own should still be read aloud to. Allyn gently encourages the reluctant parent and provides a list of suggested books--by no means exhaustive, but extensive--arranged by both age and areas of interest. More reader-sourced suggestions can be found on her website at http://www.whattoreadwhen.com. I know I'll be checking for ideas in as my daughter grows.
April 2, 2012
The book logically breaks down books to read and themes to explore by age group. Pam Allyn does an excellent job with giving you an overview of the type of themes that child may be developmentally ready for. If you're looking for a list that is timeless, then this probably isn't for you. Although Allyn touches on some classics, there are some notable ones missing as well. She steers away from some of the more troubling classics. Personally I found the lists to be lacking, but Allyn provides enough information to the reader to start to make judgements on their own about when they think they're children should be ready for certain books.
January 31, 2010
This book is very encouraging to me. I have an infant son, and I want nothing more than for him to love reading as much as I do and did growing up. I think the most important things I took from it is that it doesn't necessary matter WHAT he reads, as long as he is reading and loving it...my husband is a comic book reader, so I'm prepared for my son to want the same. :) I plan to make reading a fun and intimate experience using her simple recommendations, and really appreciate the good list of books to read kids and the deeper meaning behind their backgrounds.
April 24, 2011
It's an okay overview of *some* books, but how can you possibly put every book into a recommended list? As a high school teacher this is unhelpful because it ends with 10-year-olds, but as a mother, I walked away with some titles I hadn't known before. The one thing I take issue with is the idea that the shared morals is the first reason to read aloud; I think people on both sides of the aisle might take issue with that...I know my feelings are pretty complicated and certainly I wouldn't put morality as my top reason to read or write for children...
December 12, 2011
I really read word for word the first 70 pages or so up to theough the section on toddlers. After that, the next 30 pages is for progressively older kids and not applicable for us right now. I did browse the theme section and found two titles that might help Natalie with sleep. I liked that the recommendations were modern and popular. So often I read this type of book and go looking for titles only to come up empty handed. I would purchase this as a reference book for the next several years. Hopefully she will revise as time passes to keep the titled current.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews