The books to read aloud to children at the important moments in their lives.

In What to Read When, award-winning educator Pam Allyn celebrates the power of reading aloud with children. In many ways, books provide the first opportunity for children to begin to reflectively engage with and understand the world around them. Not only can parents entertain their child and convey the beauty of language through books, they can also share their values and create lasting connections.

Here, Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their childrenataking into account a childas age, attention ability, gender, and interestsa along with techniques for reading aloud effectively. But what sets this book apart is the extraordinary, annotated list of more than three hundred titles suitable for the pivotal moments in a childas life. With category themes ranging from friendship and journeys to thankfulness, separations, silliness, and spirituality, What to Read When is a one-of-a-kind guide to how parents can best inspire children through reading together. In addition, Pam Allyn includes an indispensable aReaderas Laddera section, with recommendations for children at every stage from birth to age ten. With the authoras warm and engaging voice throughout, discussion questions to encourage in-depth conversations, as well as advice on helping kids make the transition to independent reading, this book will help shape thoughtful, creative, and curious children, imparting a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

"This volume by Allyn, director of the literacy organization LitLife, reminds parents that through reading aloud they can 'teach the beauty of language and joys of rhythm and rhyme' and introduce their offspring to the 'Big Wide World.' Part one of this book — a combination of Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook and Anita Silvey's 100 Best Books for Children — offers 10 reasons why parents should read to their kids: to develop shared values, to fall in love with language, to build comprehension, among them. Useful, too, are Allyn's Four Keys, revealed in an apt mnemonic, READ: a Ritual of coming together in an Environment conducive to reading with Access to the right book at the right time for a Dialogue. Chapter Four's 14 landmark books, from Pat the Bunny to Harry Potter (with Margaret Wise Brown, Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak titles included) will resonate with parents, but the best feature may be a brief section called 'How to Read Aloud,' which teaches parents exactly how and why to read to children in order to elicit interest, engagement and response. The bulk of the book is Part three, 'all the best books for the moments that matter most,' an alphabetical listing of 50 themes, from adoption to 'New Baby' to 'Your Imagination.'" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Award-winning educator Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their children--taking into account a child's age, attention ability, gender, and interests--along with techniques for reading aloud effectively.

An award-winning educator celebrates the power of reading aloud to children, and offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their children along with techniques for reading aloud effectively.