Children's Books - Why Read Aloud

“Reading aloud to children helps them develop and improve literacy skills -- reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And since children listen on a higher level than they read, listening to other readers stimulates growth and understanding of vocabulary and language patterns.”
Jim Trelease in his book The Read Aloud Handbook

“‘Please read to me’ is more than a child's request for attention, it's an opportunity to expand a child's mind.“
Bernice Cullinan, Read to me: Raising kids who love to read

Author's Note:

My hope is that Brighton, One Star's Journey to Shine will become an all-time-favorite read aloud book for children of all ages. We have always known how important reading to children really is, and now a large amount of research is validating this. It's also worth noting that the most loved read aloud books have been able to achieve very similar attributes to make them the classics they've become. These classics have combined inspirational and entertaining messages into a story of discovery that unfolds in mysterious ways. Our most loved stories have characters that are real and do amazing things, and they frequently encounter challenges from events or bullies that they overcome. The illustrations are woven with descriptive language that brings action and imaginations to life. The story is developed with drama that shows vs tells the key themes the author is trying to convey and always provides an empowering and uplifting message. With almost all the best read aloud books, we have a surprising and happy ending.

Readers have told me that Brighton has all of these, and more.

Much has been written on the benefits of reading aloud to children from toddlers all the way up through high school. Below are some excerpts and links to read aloud articles and research that were very helpful for me, and I hope to be encouraging to you as well!

Read Brighton aloud with the whole family and enjoy!
Diane Speicher (signature)

Click to hear Chapter One read out loud now!

THE BENEFITS OF READING ALOUD AS A FAMILY

Research has shown that reading out loud to children is the single most important thing a parent can do to prepare a child for future academic success. Here are some of the benefits of reading books to your children:

• Reading aloud helps to bond the parent and child.
• Reading aloud provides a shared family frame of reference and the material for family "in jokes"
• Being read to helps a child to understand the purpose of the printed word.
• Being read to builds a child's vocabulary beyond what he is able to read for himself, and provides the background for a new reader to recognize new words he is decoding because he knows what they mean.
• Being read to helps a young child learn the connection between the written and printed word.
• Being read to entices a child into an exciting world of learning and entertainment
• Being read to helps a child absorb great amounts of information about the world and how it works, especially if parents lead children into discussing what is read.
• Being read to develops listening skills.
• Reading books aloud gives the family an alternative to the media for entertainment.
• Being read to helps the child develop a taste for excellent literature.

Following are links to other articles and sites on the benefits of reading to childrean and students out loud:

Benefits of Reading Books Aloud to Your Children

Education World ® Curriculum Reading Aloud -- Is It Worth It

Education World ® Curriculum Reading Aloud -- Are Students Ever Too Old

Magical Gift of Reading Aloud