I can’t really call this a book review, since I’ve just dipped into Meghan Cox Gurdon’s thrilling book about reading aloud. What I love about the book’s subtitle, The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction, is the phrase “miraculous power.” Being read to feels like a warm embrace. Whenever I reread parts of Madeleines L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, I hear the voice of my third grade teacher reading the novel to us at the end of each school day. Believe it or not when I read Caps for Sale to my granddaughter, Olivia, it is Captain Kangaroo’s voice scolding the monkeys on behalf of the frustrated cap peddler.
Such is the anecdotal power of reading aloud. Gurdon brings more, much more than anecdote to The Enchanted Hour. From brain development to strengthening the bonds of love to the long-term benefits of building vocabulary through reading, the author shares the latest scientific research on why reading aloud to children is a “fast-working antidote to [today’s] fractured attention spans.”
This book moved from my to-be-read shelf to being actively read. I’m even going to read parts aloud to my husband.
PS. If you’ve never checked out Gurdon’s reviews for the Wall Street Journal, read them! Olivia doesnt’ know it yet, but some of her faves have come at the suggestion of this enthusiastic writer and children’s book editor.
This sounds wonderful. I LOVE reading to my daughter. We just finished the Harry Potter Series and The Hobbit and are now onto The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Wow! That is stupendous!
Some of my best memories of reading aloud to my daughter involve both of us laughing out loud— “Gooney Bird Green” and parts of Kate Di Camillo’s books come to mind.
New books for me to read to Olivia! Thank you so much.
It sounds like an amazing book. I love reading to my grandkids. It makes me very content.
Yes. There is a peace that comes when we read aloud, snuggled up with our grandkids…
I feel that way too. Feels so cozy.