Read-Aloud Revival ®

Latest Episodes:

RAR #107: Dr. Michael Gurian on The Minds of Girls Aug 13, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Michael Gurian is back! You may remember him from Episode 82 of the podcast, when he joined us to talk about the minds of boys (and why fidgeting is a good sign!).

But today he is here to chat with us about the minds of girls.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

the unique learning challenges girls face (some of these might surprise you!)
why we need to listen differently with our girls… and how to do that
Is there really such a thing as ‘girl drama’? (ahem)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/107/.

RAR #106: Connection, Community, and Confidence: What your homeschool needs this fall Aug 08, 2018

Show notes

At the start of a new school year, we’re all full of hopes for a year that means something. We want our kids to encounter big ideas, learn new skills, read wonderful books, and come out the other side of the school year richer than they were going in.

That’s why infusing your home with 3 C’s— Connection, Community, and Confidence, can be such a game-changer for family’s school year.

When we feel to connected to our kids, supported by a community, and confident to teach from rest and lead our children well…

… that’s when we have a school year that means something.

A good school year is about our kids’ relationship with learning, and our kids’ relationship with us and with one another.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

how membership can replace your literature program – really!
how to get your kids to seek out the very best books without pushing or forcing
how to fill yourself up this year, so that you can better give back to your kids

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/106/.

RAR# 105: Favorite Early Reader Books (for kids who are learning to read) Jul 29, 2018

Show notes

Do you remember struggling through early reader books back when you were learning to read? Was it all Dick and Jane? Was it … boring?

Think about this: nobody asks you now, as a grownup, how old you were when you became a fluent reader. Know why?

Because nobody cares.

What age your child is when s/he learns to read fluently (whether at age 4, or 7, or 9, or even older) doesn’t bear on their ability to read well later on. Early readers are not consistently better readers when they are adults.

What does matter, though, (and it matters a LOT) is that your child’s thirst and desire for stories is not hampered by the reading process.

We want our kids–even through the slog of learning to read (and yes, it can be a slog for a whole lot of us)–to know that reading is one of life’s sweetest delights.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

why reading aloud is critical at this stage of the game
why your kids need to read words – lots and lots of words! – as they are learning to read (and how to help them get that)
my suggestions for books that your kids will truly enjoy, and that will help you build warm memories as your child learns to love reading

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/105/.

RAR #104: Put Those Books Face OUT! Jul 17, 2018

Show notes

I ‘m coming to you today with a simple tip that could make a HUGE difference in how often your kids pick up books for fun.

In fact, it may seem *too* simple at first, so you’re going to have to try it for yourself!

What is it? Put the books OUT. Face-out, I mean.

Think about when you go to the library- are your eyes drawn to the picture book spines on the shelves, or to the face-out books on display?

Do the same in your home and I bet you’ll be floored at how those covers will invite your kids to pick them up.

A good book cover is simply an irresistible invitation to a child.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

the simplest way to get your kids to pick up more books on their own (and no, you don’t have to spend a cent or go back to the library again)
how to keep the delight going week after week
and how to make the most of the books you already own

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/104/.

RAR #103: Excellent Nonfiction Picture Books, Gail Gibbons Jul 14, 2018

Show notes

I'm willing to bet that you are familiar with Gail Gibbons's work. Not only is she incredibly prolific, she is just one of those authors who becomes our go-to when it comes to learning with our kids.

Gail Gibbons is the author of more than 170 books for kids. Primarily a non-fiction author, her signature style includes engaging illustrations and carefully researched topics.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

why Gail loves making non-fiction for kids
how she manages to fit such big topics between just 29 pages of a children’s book
Gail’s newest book (out today!) which she is especially passionate about!

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/103/.

RAR #102: What Kids Really Need (and Want), with Dr. Meg Meeker Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

When I talk to and meet with other moms, I get a sense that we all want the same thing. We all long to connect with our kids.

And, of course, we also want to stay connected – even in the teen years.

Well, today’s guest knows all about that, and she’s here to give us some tips and tricks to be the kinds of parents our kids really need (and want). It’s a whole lot simpler than many of us make it.

Dr. Meg Meeker is a pediatrician, parenting expert, bestselling author, podcaster, and maybe most importantly–a mom.

I hope this podcast episode is wind in your parenting sails.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

how our kids’ identities are really shaped (it’s probably not the way you think it is)
what our kids want from us more than anything else
how to make the time we spend with our kids count

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/102/.

RAR #100: Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks, and over 4 Million Downloads May 14, 2018

Show notes

Can you believe it? It’s Episode 100! And amazingly, we just crossed over a pretty huge milestone here at The Read-Aloud Revival: over 4 million downloads of the podcast.

You know, I couldn’t have picked a better guest for this week’s 100th episode celebration. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Jeanne Birdsall, author of the Penderwicks series.

The final book in the series, The Penderwicks at Last is available today, so your Penderwicks fans are going to want to get their hands on that right away.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

what is was like for Jeanne to get her first book published
how she always imagined the Penderwicks series as one single story
which books inspired her writing (I bet you can guess a few!)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/100/.

RAR #99: Meet Lola Dutch (she is just too much!) Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

Lola Dutch is a little bit … much. And yet, she’s also like so many of us. I think you’re just going to love her! Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by Lola Dutch creators Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How Lola came to be
Why so many of us seem to identify with her
What this book means for instilling creative courage in our kids

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/99/.

RAR #98: Introducing Kids to Foreign Language through Reading Aloud Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

Many of us want to help our children learn a second language, but where do we start? And what if we only speak one language ourselves?

Anne Guarnera of Language Learning at Home is joining us today to walk us through it. Although it isn’t her first language, she speaks Spanish in her home and encourages families to learn new languages together.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How to get started learning a new language
How learning a second language helps us with our native language
How books are a fantastic resource (of course!)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/98/.

RAR #97: The Lowdown on Reading Aloud with Teens Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

Last week we talked about reading aloud to kids who can read on their own, but today we’re taking that a step further and talking about reading aloud with teens.

You know the most important thing about reading aloud with teens, right? Surprise! It’s not their literary value or whether your teen knows how to analyze a story. It’s better than that.

(Much better).

Reading with teens can be pure magic. It’s such a simple way to slow down and enjoy one another’s company. And it’s really important to enjoy our teens’ company!

Read more about this and the importance of treating your teen’s reading life more like a book club (and less like a school assignment) in The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids Through Books.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

what’s so magical about reading aloud with teens?
why you can think of what you read with teens as adding concentric circles (in other words, we’re not moving up, we’re moving out)
a few book recommendations to read with your teens, even if you haven’t been reading aloud to him or her lately

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/97/.

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