Our former contributor and my dear, dear friend Amy Mascott of Teach Mama has co-authored a book, RAISING A ROCK-STAR READER, with her fellow superstar blogger, parent and educator, Allison McDonald of No Time For Flashcards. This is a BIG DEAL, as the book has been published by none other than Scholastic, the publisher synonymous with children’s literature and education. What I love about Amy and Allie is that their approach to sprinkling in educational activities into every day parenting isn’t just for Pinterest divas (although they both totally are Pinterest mavens). And when it comes to raising kids who love to read, these authors know there isn’t a formula, because every kid is different, so they’ve provided 75 tips to help! Here are five reasons you should get their book, which is available as of today (happy release day, A & A!).
1. Because they aren’t focusing on the idea of giftedness but instead on a love of reading, regardless of level: I lived in New York City when my oldest two were babies and toddlers, and the pressure to have kids reading by pre-K was intense. Amy and Allie’s tips aren’t about bragging rights like “My three-year-old can read the New York Times.”* They’re tried-and-true tips for building fluency, developing preliteracy and then
2. Because this tip right here, is why I don’t mind that my house is overflowing with more books than shelf space:
My kids have stacks and stacks and stacks of books, and they see me reading ALL THE TIME. Building my home library of children’s books has been one of my greatest joys about parenting (unlike, say, all those cloth diapers I washed or cubed trays of puree I froze). Your job adding to their library never ends, but as the kids get older, they start taking the lead on what books they want to read (and re-read).
3. Because they know how important it is to create a dedicated space for reading:
Of course it’s great to read anywhere, but the suggestion for creating a kid-friendly “book nook” makes perfect sense. You want your kids to feel like they have a warm and cozy corner where nothing else is expected of them but to read, read, read.
4. It’s all easy to do: I know so many parents feel pressure to do everything like it was being photographed for a spread in a magazine. But this book isn’t full of the kind of tips that are really 13-step instructions on how to knit book covers or dip their first board books in lucite for home decor. These tips are EASY: tell stories while going through family albums, ask questions as you read to keep kids engaged, never, ever speak in baby talk, and 70+ more.
5. Free downloadable content/printables from the authors! The tips don’t end with the last page. The authors have amassed an impressive amount of resources to help parents raise strong, happy readers. Here are three things you can print now and play with your kids. They’ve got you covered on all things early literacy related!
Buy the book at Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
