Read-Aloud Revival ®

Sometimes, it can seem like the holiday season is over before we even had a chance to truly celebrate. And so this year, we’re wishing you a relaxing read-aloud Christmas, full of plenty of cocoa, warm blankets, and snuggles with your favorite people. If all of that sounds like a dream – we’ve got what you need to make it happen. So listen in to this special episode, and Happy Thansgiving and a Me...

When my kids were young, I tried narration in my homeschool. But instead of working how it was supposed to, it made my oldest daughter freeze with panic. She actually started hating books she had previously loved. Read-aloud time became fraught. And the quality of her education suffered for it. In today’s episode, I’m diving deep into the Charlotte Mason (CM) idea of narration, and offering an ide...

If you have a child with ADHD or dyslexia and want him/her to love reading, this episode is for you.  I’m sharing tips and tricks to help kids with ADHD enjoy reading and read-alouds in this episode of The Read-Aloud Revival. You’ll hear… audiobooks: help or hindrance? what worked for one of Sarah’s dyslexic kids Sarah’s go-to resource for all things related to homeschooling a child with ADHD Find...

Looking for my favorite stories about Christian saints and heroes? You’re in the right place! That’s what I’m talking about in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. (Heads up, I’m Catholic, so a lot of these titles will be of special interest to Catholic listeners. 🥰) There are lots of wonderful stories of Christian heroes, but these are some of my favorite short picks, perfect for mix...

Many of us worry about how screen time impacts our kids’ reading life. So how do we manage screens in a way that still makes it likely our kids will love to read? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… the case for helping kids engage with screens in a healthy way two times a day we go screen-free at our house how to set goals to help ki...

If you take your kids to the library and they consistently choose books you aren’t excited about them reading… what can you do?  That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… Sarah’s favorite places to check book reviews an alternate way to get library books dealing with silly books 🙃 vs ones those our kids really aren’t ready for 😬 Find the...

How can we find books that engage both an 8- and a 4-year-old?  That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… why we shouldn’t leave picture books behind a tip for keeping kids engaged with longer books a few book suggestions! (naturally 😉) Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/187/ .

Should my kids’ reading correlate with their history studies? Many of make it a point to make sure our reading lines up with the time period we’re learning about in history. Is that a good idea? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… what I wish I worried about less when it comes to teaching history a tip for helping kids track reading b...

Should I use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… Yes, if it works for you. No, if it doesn’t. My own experience and my favorite alternatives  A reminder: look for the easiest way to teach that also nurtures your relationship with your kids 💗 Find the rest of the show notes at https://read...

What should you do if your developing reader skips words when reading? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… Actually, we all do skip words when reading, but… Sarah shares a simple tip (🐢 🐢🐢) An idea if your child does this too (🎧 + 📚) Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/184/ .

Should we avoid abridged or adapted versions of classics? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival.  You’ll hear… what abridged or adapted versions of the classics can offer what happened when Sarah’s daughter read an abridged version of Heidi how adapted books can lead to better, richer reading Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival...

Today I’m sharing five books you’ll love, plans for RAR this fall (books clubs and writing and events you don’t want to miss!), and answers to your questions about reading a book a day. Wondering if including re-reading is a good idea, or how to stay awake while reading aloud? (You aren’t the only one! 🥱) Tune in to hear: 5 books your kids will adore (including a picture book that seems to always...

In this episode, we’re offering some tips and ideas to help you with the nitty gritty of reading more picture books.  The whole RAR team is back, and we’re answering your questions about reading a picture book a day. In this episode, you’ll hear: the best way to create a picture book routine if reading the same books again and again is OK (YUP! 👍) when and if to buy a particular book, and new way...

We’re all on board with reading picture books to our younger kids, but that has to stop at some point, right? Ohhhhhh no. No, it does not.  What do our kids stand to gain… and how on earth can we read picture books with older kids and teens? A lot.  Here at RAR, we’re always saying that there is nothing a novel can give your kids that a picture book can’t. Honestly, a picture book might just be ab...

Last time on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, we talked about what happens (and what our kids gain) when we read aloud a book a day . In this episode, we’re digging in to how to look closely at a picture book—how to see what we might otherwise miss.  You may be surprised at how much is there in a picture book, just waiting to be seen and heard! No lesson plans are needed. Just you, your kid(s), a b...

What would happen if we read a book a day with our kids? That’s the idea we’re exploring today in a brand new episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast. And we’re also issuing a challenge: we dare you to read a picture book a day with your kids – for a week, a month… or more.  And you’ll even hear some profound insights, like how a good picture book is like a baked potato. 🥔 😆  All the details a...

In today’s Special Edition of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, you’ll meet the man behind Make Way for Ducklings . Robert McCloskey was the first to win two Caldecott Awards, and his books are arguably among the most celebrated picture books of all time. His most popular picture book wouldn’t stay on the page, either. His ducks became permanent sculptures fixed in Boston Public Garden, and even mad...

Science is everywhere . It’s in everything we do, everything we see. And yes, everything we read.  Books offer a delightful opportunity to talk about science, both through their illustrations and their text. We just need to know a few things to look for and a few questions to ask.  Today we’ll find out how to think like a scientist, and how to teach our kids to do the same. I invited two professor...

Is homeschooling with dyslexia a good idea? Can dyslexic students thrive, even if the parents aren’t specialists (or even certified teachers)? Let’s be clear: absolutely, yes.  You can homeschool your dyslexic kids, and you’ll do a darn good job of it, too.  Today on the podcast, Marianne Sunderland from Homeschooling with Dyslexia is back to talk about the nitty gritty details of teaching childre...

Is my child dyslexic? And if so, what should I do about it? It’s one of the things we’re asked about most here at Read-Aloud Revival, and no wonder.  When our kids struggle to learn to read, we worry.  Dyslexia is extremely common, and is very often misunderstood.  Today, we’re going to talk about the signs of dyslexia, and what to do if you think your child may be dyslexic. If you’ve ever wondere...

Every year, the RAR team gathers to watch the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards. Once, we went in person (!) but the past two years, we’ve watched together from home and texted each other like mad the whole time. The awards have a way of bringing out BIG feelings.  These are basically the Oscars for children’s books, and as you’ll hear, we have a few Opinions (with a capital O)...

Ready to dive into a little brain science? Today, we’re discovering what happens in your child’s brain when you read aloud. This is probably not a surprise, but… A LOT is happening.  Dr. John Hutton of the Reading and Literacy Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is joining me to break this down. I love how he puts it in the beginning of this episode: that scientists are using fancy methods to...

Learning to read can be hard. And when our kids are still learning to read fluently and well, helping them fall in love with books can feel impossible. But it doesn’t have to be that way.  In today’s episode, I’m going to show you how to help your kids fall in love with stories, and tell you why it will help them more to keep reading aloud than to cram in another long phonics lesson. In this episo...

The Bard. He can be a little intimidating, right? If you’ve ever wondered how to introduce your kids to Shakespeare, you are in a for a treat with this podcast episode. Many of us met Shakespeare in a way that didn’t set us up to love him or even understand him. But today, I’m joined by Ken Ludwig, award-winning playwright and author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare – my very favorite res...

Do you ever feel lost when it comes to how to read a wordless book? I’m convinced that some of the very best picture books being published today are wordless. They invite us to slow down, predict what will come next, make connections, and linger over a good story, well-told.  Today I’m excited to share some of the best ones with you, as well as a simple guide for how to read them. In this episode,...