Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever Paperback – Illustrated, July 7, 2008

"A terrific book matters to us as human beings....If it has affected us profoundly, one way or another--to laughter or tears, horror or delight, disgust or dismay, fascination or fright." So writes Mem Fox in her incomparable "Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever."But it's not the book alone that changes the lives of our children. It is the act of sharing and sharing completely, totally, and doing it with gusto and fun, with laughter and tears, horror and delight--well, she said that before.But listen to this: "If every adult caring for a child read aloud a minimum of three stories a day to the children in their lives, we could probably wipe out illiteracy within one generation" (12). Now the scary part: "[T]he crucial connections that determine how clever, creative, and imaginative a child will be are already laid down by the time that child turns one" (14). Reading aloud to a child and engaging in conversation about the story does so many things: teaches words, values, ideas, concentration, problem solutions, self-expression, thought.Fox tells us that children need to hear a thousand stories read aloud before they learn to read for themselves. That's three stories a day for one year, not counting the three or more prior to school. Ideally those three stories should be one favorite book, one familiar book, and one new book. She avidly advocates reading the same favorite book over and over to teach the rhythm and structure of language. Read it until the child reads it.The most important reason we should read regulary to our children is to meet the most important reason of all: children need to know above all that they are loved by their parents. Reading as little as 15 minutes a day will create this bond of talking and sharing that creates this language bond.My favorite story Fox tells is this one concerning her own child Chloe (Note: the Foxes are Australian). During a picnic before her mum had unpacked the picnic basket, Chloe asked about the "afters" (dessert). Mum replied they had to eat first. "Well, one must sustain oneself," she said in a six-year-old huff.I laughed and laughed at that. Reading together creates a private family bond, the Foxes from Winnie the Pooh, source of the sustaining line. Chloe's father, on occasion, had eaten all the chocolate and responded with "Well, one must sustain oneself" line. Chloe picked it up, knowing its meaning and its source.Fox includes so much important information, including how to read aloud. Body position, using our eyes and facial expressions, making that eye contact, using vocal variety, and general animation. Reading aloud is an art form!She gives three secrets concerning the magic of reading: print, language, and general knowledge and how to make the three come together. What does she think of phonics? Her chapter title says it all: "Phokissing on Fonix." Her special chapter on Boys and Reading explains the utter necessity of a father reading to his children.Bottom line: This is a fantastic manual in learning how to read aloud, what to read aloud, why to read aloud, but above all--to read aloud, interact, share, discuss, enjoy!

This book will change the way you view reading to your child! Great read for new parents, parents of young children, grandparents, and teachers!

This is my first Amazon review - after years of being a customer, because this book warrants it. My precocious 4 year old is at this stage where he knows all the letters and has memorized a bunch of his favorite books, and I was feeling like I should help him with his reading skills by teaching him.... phonics? sight words/whole words? I was reading reviews on Amazon and came upon this gem. After reading it, I'm convinced that I should just continue (with more frequency and fun) what I've been doing anyway up to this point, which is read to him!I liked the book enough to purchase two of the recommended books at the end, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See, and Mem's own good night book, Time for Bed. These were birthday gifts for my two year old daughter, and by the end of the week, she could "read" too! Something about these books is truly magical - the words, the rhythm and emotion, the pictures... everything! She insists on reading these two aloud every night. And she can read along and say so many of the words, words that I didn't even know that she knew! This experience reinforced to me Mem's theory that reading trumps phonics and whole word methods any day.You'd think it was obvious that if you wanted to teach a child to read, that you would simply read to them but these days there are so many conflicting theories that it's hard to know for sure. All I know is that my children love being read to, they love the books Mem recommends (my 4 year old always comes over to hear these books too!), and I'm confident that the fun of reading will be what tips my kid into reading on his own. Mem also recommends some fun games in the books that you can play while reading that helps them along to recognize letters, sounds, etc.

this book was required reading for an education class i was taking. It outlines in simple statements why parents should immediately start reading aloud to their babies as soon as they are born. my grandchildren were able, at a very young age, to turn the pages to get to another part of the book. many young children who are not exposed to books, are unable to even turn pages.this book taught me to purchase children's books that included great artwork/illustrations, something colorful to catch the eye and delight of the children, who are to little to read but love looking at something colorful.in addition, this book points out to be animated when reading. if the character in the book is whispering, then you whisper. if they are shouting, then raise your voice (but not so loud as to scare the child). buy one for yourself and every person you know who is pregnant, a new mother or father, and especially grandparents, who have so much influence in developing a child's interest in reading.