Read-Aloud Revival ®

That’s right … Kate DiCamillo is back! And what she has to say is so good, you might find yourself listening more than once. In this new episode, Kate and I chat about her newest book, Beverly, Right Here , and we also discuss why parents and teachers so often try to quantify what our kids are getting from books.  We have some ideas about how we could better help kids develop their own robust read...

Why re-read? This is a question we get a lot at RAR, and I’m not going to beat around the bush… I’m convinced there is a lot to gain from rereading. Today, I’m going to tell you why. If you have a child who re-reads the same book over and over, we’re going to talk about it. And if you or someone you love has recently read the same picture book to a little one every night for months, I’ve got some...

Poetry is beautiful, captivating and (for a lot of us) a little intimidating , right? Our goal with this episode is to show you how simple and delightful sharing poetry with your kids can be. My guest today says we can’t force poetry, but we can share it naturally… and that just might be the key to helping our kids develop a lifelong love.  If you want to help your kids fall in love with beautiful...

Is there a better way to nurture empathy and compassion than through books? That’s the question we address in this episode with special guest, Courtney Westlake .  Courtney’s daughter, Brenna, was born with a skin condition that makes her appear “different” to many people.  On today’s show, Courtney shares not just her family’s experience, but also how we can teach our kids kindness and understand...

Your local library or bookshop (if you’re lucky, both!) is likely filled with children’s books. Many are simply marvelous—the kind of books you don’t mind reading aloud over and over, and that you’re delighted to hand to your kids. Others? Not so much. So how do we decide which books to read with our kids?  How do we connect our kids with books they’ll love… especially when we haven’t read most of...

Graphic novels … they sometimes make us a little nervous, right? As parents, we worry if they have any value. In this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, I’m joined by the RAR Team, and we’re talking all things graphic novels.  Do they count as real reading? Will they make our kids lazy readers? And what about questionable content? In this episode, you’ll hear:  what’s happening in your chi...

I would be willing to bet that if you’re reading this, you’re hoping to raise kids who love reading. Think back for a second. Were the books you were assigned in school the same books you stayed up reading under the covers, late at night with a flashlight?  When you were done writing the book report or the essay, did you eagerly start the book over, only to dive back into the utter delight of losi...

In this very special episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, we’re sharing an Author Access with the wonderful Sally Lloyd Jones. This was an event celebrating her book Goldfish on Vacation , which we read together as a community in RAR Premium .  Sally even reads aloud to us in this one (twice!) In this episode, you’ll hear:  beautiful tips for young writers which was the most challenging Bible story...

Today we’re heading to the coast of Maine… at least in our imagination . I’m chatting with Amanda Dykes, author of the adult fiction novel, Whose Waves These Are, in a summer episode that celebrates seaside tales.  In this episode, you’ll hear:  how the books we read as children can impact us for life the unique way that books transport us how books can serve as “functional souvenirs” (the best ki...

If you’ve got teens (or kids who will be teens before you know it), this episode is for you. We’re talking about books for teens, and why the YA/teen section of your library or bookstore is not a reading level. In this episode, you’ll hear:  what YA is and what it isn’t a few issues with YA/teen books whether it’s essential for teens to read YA on the way to adulthood Of course, I’m also going to...

3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Blast off! 🚀🌒 If you’re looking for picture books about the moon landing, you’re in the right place! July 20, 2019, marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar mission, and we’ve got the list of books to celebrate it!  These books are for all ages and will help your family learn and celebrate together. In this episode, you’ll hear:  how (and why) to share picture bo...

In our culture today, is reading aloud an ‘obstinate act of love?’ Meghan Cox Gurdon, this week’s guest and author of The Enchanted Hour , believes so. Meghan is the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer and says her five kids were a built-in focus group. In this episode, you’ll hear: the power of reading books again and again the value of conversations around books is reading aloud real...

In this episode we welcome back Jim Weiss, master storyteller and a voice so many of us recognize. This is a fantastic episode to enjoy with your kids, because Jim tells us two stories during the show: Stone Soup and a tale of Sherlock Holmes, The Mazarin Stone . Gather everyone ’round and enjoy! In this episode, you’ll hear:  Jim’s two rules for telling our children stories (you’ll love them) How...

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? On this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Jamie Martin from Simple Homeschool is here to chat about being an introverted mom. Sarah is an extrovert, so we’re comparing what fills us up, what depletes us, and how we can find more calm, less guilt, and quiet joy in mothering– which I think is what we all long for, no matter our personality type. Of cour...

This week I’m sharing the second part of a Read-Aloud Revival Premium Master Class all about helping our kids love books by treating their reading lives more like we treat our own. If you want something better than book reports or reading comprehension sheets for your kids, you’re in the right place.  If you’re wondering whether you need to do literary analysis (and how to do it without killing yo...

In today’s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast, I’m sharing a master class straight out of Read-Aloud Revival Premium about how to create a book club culture in your home. For most of us, the books we read for school growing up were not the same books we read under our covers with a flashlight past our bedtime. But we can do something better. We can invite our kids into a reading experience...

Today I want to introduce you to the author of some of my new favorite picture books, Camille Andros. Camille is a writer, a traveler, a former EMT, and a mom of six. Yep, six. (So obviously, we’re kindred spirits, since I have six, too.) 😉 In this episode, you’ll hear: about her writing process and how she makes time to write how deceptively simple picture book writing appears, when it really is...

Today, I am excited to introduce you to my favorite read-aloud for Lent and Easter. Amon’s Adventure is a wonderful adventure story that will leave your kids begging for just one more chapter. Amon is a 13 year-old boy during the time of Christ’s persecution, and in this fictional tale, his father has been accused of a terrible crime. It’s up to Amon to navigate the tension in his local community...

I ‘ve got a new favorite episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast. It’s no wonder, because in this episode, I’m having a conversation with Kate DiCamillo on reading aloud for connection . There is so much packed into this conversation. In this episode, you’ll hear:  what Kate really thinks when we ask our kids “what did the author mean?” how books help us jump into the Great Conversation (“unwitt...

Today I’ve got a bonus episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast—a conversation with Douglas Gresham. Douglas is the stepson of C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. In this episode, you’ll hear: what C.S. Lewis was really trying to do with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe what he wishes more people knew about his stepfather Patti Callahan’s new book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis –what he th...

I ‘m willing to bet you’re like me, and relationships with your kids matter more to you than just about anything else. But we’re all pulled in a million directions. We’re all short on time. You know what, though? I think it’s easier than we think to focus on what matters most. Today I am sharing 3 simple ways to strengthen your relationships with your kids this year. Not one of these is complicate...

Reading books together as a family is the best way to connect. We connect with each other, with the books we read, and with the big ideas we encounter there. In fact, there are four steps I like best when it comes to sharing books with our kids: Read aloud Share an experience around the book Talk about it Meet the author or illustrator Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.co...

Would you like to read more in the new year? I don’t mean reading to your kids. I mean reading for you. Many of us want to read more, but we’re not sure how to make that happen. We feel like we can’t fit it in, or maybe we even feel guilty when we sit down to read something just for fun. This episode is just what you need! I’m chatting with Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs. Darcy , author of I’d Rather...

In today’s episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, I’m answering your questions. In this episode, you’ll hear:  What to read after the Little House on the Prairie books My teen daughters’ favorite books Whether re-reading/re-listening is OK How to make sure younger kids don’t miss out on childhood classics Tips for sharing books with Dads How I track the books we read … and more. Find the rest of the s...

You’ve been asking for one, and this year, we made it for you: a booklist of Christmas novels to read aloud. If you’re looking for stories that will shape and form your Advent and Christmas season, you’re in exactly the right place. On this brand new podcast episode, I’m sharing my favorite Christmas novels (and short stories, too) to read with your kids. In this episode, you’ll hear: which books...