Family Reading

How does a parent raise a reader? Instructive ideas and provocative insights are presented in these articles. Included are pieces from our ongoing What Makes a Good Book series and themed, annotated lists of recommended books. Plus, don't miss "Unlucky Arithmetic: Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader," a tongue-in-cheek checklist of terrible ideas.

What Makes a Good Graduation Gift? by Horn Book staff and reviewers (May/June 2010)
Beyond Oh, The Places You’ll Go

What Makes a Good Board Book? by Viki Ash (March/April 2010)
Making "a joyful connection between the youngest listener and his or her grownup"

Some Pigs! by Joanna Rudge Long (March/April 2009)
What makes a good “Three Little Pigs”?

Don’t Tell the Children: Homeschoolers’ Best-Kept Secret
by Sherry Early (September/October 2008)
Where the school library never closes.

Reading about Families in My Family by Megan Lambert (May/June 2008)
What if there are no books about families like yours?

A Dad Grows Up by Christopher Paul Curtis (May/June 2008)
The effects of "parental micromanagement" on kids' reading.

Trashing Elmo by Ginee Seo & Bruce Brooks (May/June 2008)
"Taste . . . is an elusive, reaching thing."

What Makes a Good Science Book? by Janet Hamilton (May/June 2009)
“As far as engaging stories go, science writers have it made.”

Let's Start at the Very Beginning by Lolly Robinson (March/April 2008)
The ABCs of alphabet books.

How to Choose a Goose by Joanna Rudge Long (January/February 2008)
Finding the right Mother Goose for your gosling.

What Makes a Good Dinosaur Book? Beyond Barney by Danielle J. Ford (May/June 2007)
How to identify prehistoric treasures.

What Makes a Good Gift Book? / Step Aside! by Roger Sutton (November/December 2006)
Shopping with the editor of The Horn Book.

Working with Fear by Nancy Werlin (September/October 2006)
Writing good books about bad people.

What Makes a Good Fantasy?: Special Effects by Deirdre Baker (September/October 2006)
How do our best fantasies stand out?

A Letter to Parents by Robin Smith (September/October 2006)
Favorites for second graders

Stars by Roger Sutton (September/October 2006)
An insider's look at all that glitters.

What Ails Bibliotherapy? by Maeve Visser Knoth (May/June 2006)
Books can’t cure everything.

As Good as Reading? by Pamela Varley (May/June 2002)
How audiobooks are speaking to young readers.

Unlucky Arithmetic: Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader (PDF) by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith (March/April 2001)
A tongue-in-cheek directive for discouraging young readers.

“Too Much of a Good Thing?” by Christine Heppermann (July/August 2000)
A mother considers her bookish toddler.

Have Book Bag, Will Travel: A Practical Guide to Reading Aloud by Mary M. Burns and Ann A. Flowers (March/April 1997)
Step-by-step guidelines for how to read aloud and an annotated list of what to read.

Board Books Go Boom by Kathleen T. Horning (March/April 1997)
How to evaluate what works (Red, Blue, Yellow Shoe) and what doesn't (The Origin of the Species).

“Tell the Lady What You Like”: Shopping for Children’s Books by Terri Schmitz (March/April 1997)
An insider’s how-to on getting the most out of children’s book stores.

Rumpeta-ing through Reading: Picture Books for the Very Young by Martha Parravano (March/April 1997)
One young child and her book-reviewer mother.

Reading Three Ways by Martha Parravano
Two children and their book-reviewer mother.

Four writers on family reading (March/April 1997):
“Luckily” by Peter Sis
“Have a carrot” by Cynthia Voight
“Again” by Kevin Henkes
“Look” by Lois Lowry