Read-Aloud Revival ®

Today you’re in for a treat … I’ve got an exclusive interview between New York Times bestselling author, Jeanne Birdsall ( The Penderwicks series) and best-selling author, N.D. Wilson ( 100 Cupboards , Outlaws of Time , and others). Jeanne and N.D. are good friends, and in this interview held at Anderson Bookshop in Illinois , they talk about: why their books are more alike than you might think th...

Before Laura Martin ever authored her amazing Edge of Extinction series, she was a middle school language arts teacher. And her specialty was helping kids resistant to reading fall in love with books. In this episode, you’ll hear: some of her favorite tips to get your kids not just reading more, but really loving books ideas for organizing books by genre and helping your children create a “someday...

The first time Nancy Carpentier Brown read G.K. Chesterton’s work, she didn’t just hate it – she actually burned the book! But things certainly changed. Nancy now not only works with the American Chesterton Society, she is a leading expert on Frances Chesterton, and a much-requested speaker on both Gilbert and Frances Chesterton. She’s also the author of The Father Brown Reader I and II , The Ches...

Take a peek at Greta Eskridge’s Instagram account, and you might just see her shin-deep in a tide pool with her kids, or hanging out on top of a mountain. It’s clear that Greta adores nature. But as a child, believe it or not, Greta didn’t spend a lot of time in nature. What did she do? She read about it. Now as a mama of four, Greta shares those same books with her children. In this episode, you’...

I know this about you: you want to make meaningful and lasting connections with your kids. As a busy homeschooling mom of six, I completely understand that when the house is a mess and the laundry pile is overflowing and life feels just plain crazy, spending a few minutes reading aloud with my kids- even the kids who can read to themselves- is the most important thing I do all day. It’s an opportu...

So many of us know Sally Lloyd Jones best as the author of the beloved Jesus Storybook Bible. Now you’re going to just love hearing her insightful thoughts about sharing stories with our kids. This is a sweet, but powerful episode that might catch you off guard- Sally is such a joy to listen to, and her words pack a big punch. In this episode, you’ll hear: reaching our children through stories how...

Awoooooooo! Get ready for some pure delight in this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast. We’re joined by the wonderful and witty author of the spunky and endearing Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. In this episode, you’ll hear: where the idea of a governess caring for children raised by wolves came from (it turns out it’s a bit of Jane Eyre and a dash of The Jungle Book !) how sh...

Are you and your kids familiar with books by G.A Henty? You’re certainly going to want to spend some time with him after hearing this episode. Jim Hodges, audio actor, former homeschooling dad, and creator of Jim Hodges Audio Books is talking with Sarah in this episode about how to bring Henty, and history, to life. In this episode, you’ll hear: his research process what it takes to engage kids wi...

Nathan Clarkson grew up as an out-of-the-box kid living with ADHD, mental illness, and (thankfully) a very loving mother, Sally. The two have recently published their story in the book Different , which details how stories helped to shape Nathan, and how his mom came to decide that what other people thought about their parenting and educational approach was irrelevant. In this episode, you’ll hear...

If you are unsure which books being published today are worth your time (or if they’re worth your time at all)… then this brand new episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast- all about some of the best books by living authors--is for you. We’re launching season 10 of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast with an episode dedicated to books that I’m confident can stand up with the classics, and that are ev...

If you want to make more meaningful and lasting connections with your kids through books in the coming year, then I have a tip for you: Don’t try to read aloud every day. Not what you thought I would say? Well, then. You’d better listen to the rest. This episode of the podcast is the shortest yet– and maybe the most important. It’s only 8 minutes long. You’ll find out… Why you don’t need to read a...

Jonathan Auxier has been a writer for a very long time, but he says he never really felt like he had found his place until he began writing children’s literature. Thank goodness he did! The New York Times best-selling author of what he calls “strange stories for strange children,” his books include Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes , The Night Gardener and most recently, Sophie Quire and the Las...

What happens when you get three book-loving ladies together to chat gratitude and the best Thanksgiving books? In this episode, you’ll hear: there’s just a bit of excitement so Sarah orders a book on air! (We love it when she does that!) and then we end up with a big list of great books like the one below So join the whole Read Aloud Revival Team – Sarah, Kortney, and Kara – as we chat picture boo...

James Daniels is passionate about many things – his family, his church, good food, gardening and education . He’s also driven to make sense of educational philosophy in a way that’s helpful for others In this episode, you’ll hear: about sharing enthusiasm for books with our kids how our excitement about a book matters much more than whether the book has made it to the top of every book list his fa...

Linda Sue Park is the author of more than 20 books- including Newbery Award winning A Single Shard (an astounding book and every bit deserving of the Newbery) and the world-changer, A Long Walk to Water. When we were drumming up ideas for who to have on the podcast this season, I knew one thing for sure: I wanted to talk to Linda Sue Park. I’m a mega-fan of Linda Sue Park, and in this episode, we...

Although Melissa Sweet didn’t grow up a reader, she has always had a love and passion for creating, which shows in the beautiful drawings, paintings and collages she has used to illustrate numerous picture books. She also an accomplished author, and her most recent book is about the one and only E.B. White- the ma who wrote Charlotte’s Web , Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan . Melissa join...

Tricia Goyer is the well-known author of more than 50 encouraging books for women, moms and teens. She’s also a homeschooling mama of 10, and 7 of her children came to her family through adoption. In this episode, you’ll hear:   how reading aloud helped her to bond with her adoptive children how although she grew up in a non-reading family, reading and writing has become a huge part of her family’...

Reading aloud is a treat, and Carole Joy Seid wants us to remember that every time we pick up a book to share with our kids. In this episode, she is joining us again to talk about the Golden Age of Children’s Literature . Some of these books may be new to you, and some you may have heard of before, but wondered if they would stand the test of time and still make great read-alouds. ( Hint: They do!...

When it comes to activities for your preschoolers, do you often feel overwhelmed? I do. I’ve overcomplicated it in the past, and that’s left me a bit tired when it comes to creating a warm and rich learning environment for my youngest kids. Jennifer Pepito has re-inspired my enthusiasm, however.  In this episode, you’ll hear: focus on simple play based on books put connecting with our young kids f...

When I first saw Rebecca Bellingham’s TedX talk, Why We Should All Be Reading Aloud to Children , I was so moved that I watched it twice in a row. Then I shot a note off to the Read-Aloud Revival podcast manager: “can we get her on the podcast?” And we did. :) You’re in for a treat in this first episode of season 9! In this episode, you’ll hear: the theater of reading aloud having difficult discus...

A whole lot of us get this completely and utterly wrong. Schools do it. Teachers do it. Moms do it. Well-meaning adults make an epic mistake in the education of our children: we make teaching a child to read our top priority. When it comes to our kids and books, our top priority is not to teach our children to read. It’s not to help them decode words on a page, learn their phonics, or bolster thei...

We’re a whole week early! We couldn’t hold onto this podcast episode for another day without sharing it with you. Jamie Martin’s brand new book, Give Your Child the World: Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time releases today, and she came onto the show to talk about what it looks like to give our kids a heart for the world right from our cozy living rooms. In this episode, you’ll hear: h...

If you didn’t read a whole lot of classics growing up, chances are you’re feeling a little worried about how to read them with your own children . If so, then this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast is for you. In this episode, you’ll hear: keeping your wits about you at the library studying history chronologically read response journaling Find the rest of the show notes at https://readalou...

In this brand new episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, we tackle one of the most frequently asked questions we get at the Read-Aloud Revival… “How much reading should I assign?” I’m chatting with Mystie Winckler about just that, and I think you’re going to get a nice deeeep breath after hearing what Mystie has to say in this episode. In this episode, you’ll hear: how to find  balance with your kids’...

Picture books aren’t just for young kids… They’re companions for our children, and they’re powerful tools that we can use to connect with our kids. In this new episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, the whole RAR team gathers to chat up our favorite picture books (and how we use them). In this episode, you’ll hear: more giggling than usual. (Ahem. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.) Kara liken a particular...