Read-Aloud Revival ®

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...

We say it often here at the Read-Aloud Revival: sharing books with our kids is all about connection. This is true for all ages, but today we’re especially going to talk about the importance of reading aloud to babies. Our guest today goes so far as to say that our effectiveness as parents is in direct proportion to the strength of the bond that we have with our child. This is good stuff! In this n...

There’s a common mistake that most of us make while reading aloud. The good news is that it’s actually pretty easy to fix! There’s one very simple thing you can do right away that will make your read-alouds better. Not only will it help your kids understand books better, it will also make you enjoy the reading more. Don’t believe me? Give a listen and see what you think! In this episode, you’ll he...

I met author, Susan Tan, face to face on my summer trip to Boston. Her middle-grade books about Cilla Lee-Jenkins have become favorites of mine to recommend, and she was every bit as fun as I thought she’d be! She’s also incredibly smart, and she’s writing wonderful books for our kids. On today’s Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Susan Tan and I talk about living a reading and writing life. This episode...

We picture all of our darling children curled around us, listening happily as we share a story together … BUT … What if we have toddlers and teens? Or just lots of kids with strong opinions?! Is there ANYTHING we can do? YES! Today’s episode is all about finding the read-aloud sweet spot when you have a wide range of ages in your family. In this episode, you’ll hear:  why you should ignore common...

You might have heard us say this before, but here at The Read-Aloud Revival, we believe that audio books count. Today we’re going behind the scenes to talk about how an audio book is made. In fact, we often prefer reading books on audio. Listening to a good book, well-read, is a wonderful way to fill your child’s life with beautiful language. In this episode of the podcast, I’m chatting with Lyssa...

Do your kids ever interrupt during read-aloud time? No? Just mine? 😉 Today we’re talking all about how to handle interruptions–whether they’re coming from the phone, the doorbell, the 2-year-old, or the chatty middle schooler. We’ll consider what’s really causing those interruptions in the first place, as well as how to set ourselves up for success. We’re breaking it all down and sharing solution...

You might know S.D. Smith as the author of the Green Ember series of books. He also happens to be hilarious – which makes this episode so much fun! At all five Great Homeschool Conventions in 2018, Sarah Mackenzie interviewed S.D. Smith live on stage. At one point, he flipped the whole thing on its head and interviewed Sarah. Hilarity ensued, and somehow they even managed to have a bit of serious...