The Literacy Teacher's Life

Hi there! Many reading curriculum include shorter passages that students are required to read for understanding. And, while there are benefits to working with passages—reading whole books is important and still matters. In this episode, I share the benefits of reading whole books and the skills that kids are practicing when they read books—including a love of books and stories. I then share three...

Are your kids reading nonfiction passages and wish the author included more information? Here's a strategy to try out with your kid. Authors can assume that kids have more prior knowledge or background knowledge about a topic than they may have. Here are four steps you can take to help your child identify what additional information would have been useful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Kids love learning about the world around them, and today's guest teaches kids all about our wonderful world. Elizabeth is joined by Maggie Tokuda-Hall--the author of books such as Bedtime for Snow Monkeys and What Do People Do at the Science Museum?--books that teach kids about the world we live in. In their conversation, Maggie talks about why it's important for kids to have and ask questions ab...

Have you been told that your kids should not be reading graphic novels? This episode shares some of what the research says about kids reading graphic novels. Elizabeth also shares her thoughts on this hot topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once kids have learned to read, early chapter books are a great next step to keep them excited about reading. Shannon and Dean Hale, the team behind The Princess in Black, are joining Elizabeth to talk all about The Princess in Black: where the idea came from, how they create the monsters, and the latest book in the series...which is perfect for this month! Check out more on The Princess in Black:...

You know your child should read. And they know how to read. So…why don’t they want to spend more time reading? Sadly, children have come to see one of life’s most pleasurable activities–reading–as a chore, which is why literacy rates have fallen over the past decade.  Reading to Succeed: Raising Readers + Critical Thinkers is a podcast that offers parents and caregivers fun, fast, and fresh s...

Are you looking to create a reading routine for your kids? This episode will help you get started! Three steps to get started:1. Be consistent2. Be realistic with time3. Have more than one book available for your kidsGive it a try! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth shares some news and updates in today's episode. There will be some fun changes to the podcast starting next week. Check out Elizabeth's updated website: Readingtosucceed.comIf you are interested in building a reading routine in your home and supporting your readers, please consider registering for Elizabeth's first Live Course, Raising Readers + Critical Thinkers! Check out the curricul...

We're halfway through September! If your kid is coming home with books that you are not crazy about--how do you handle that? In this mini episode, Elizabeth shares a tip to honor what your kids are reading--even when you're not crazy about the books. Give it a try--and leave a comment if it works! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, teacher, librarian, and author John Schu joins Elizabeth (for the second time!) to talk about his latest book, Lily-May's Joyful Day. John talks about writing in New York City and how he started writing Lily-May. He explains some of the wonderful ideas that he included in the book--specifically the Bag of Y-O-U and how this is a great way to break assumptions. Check out all of...

It's that time again...back to school, and back to routines! If you are concerned about finding time to read with your kids on a regular basis, this mini episode is for you! Elizabeth answers the question, How Do You Make Time to Read? The truth is that you don't need to read with your kids for hours each day to have an impact--you only need 10 minutes a day. In this episode, Elizabeth explains ho...

Elizabeth chats with Diane Debrovner & Stacy Cervenka, the authors of the book Roxie in Color–which is about middle-schooler Roxie who has two parents who are blind. When Roxie begins a new middle school, she makes the decision to keep the fact that her parents are blind a secret. Diane and Stacy talk about where the idea from this book came from, and how they navigated co-writing. Stacy shares ho...

After reading the book Roxie in Color by Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka, the idea of perspective really stood out. The book is mostly written from Roxie’s perspective, but there are chapters from the dog’s perspective. The authors explained to Elizabeth that they wanted a neutral point of view. There are times when kids miss who is telling the story, so this tip can help refocus your kid on th...

Alan Barillaro is a children’s author and illustrator. He is also the director of Piper, which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Based on his experience reading with his children, he has written a series, Buns Rabbit–it blends illustrations into a novel, making it extremely accessible for readers. Alan talks about why he believes in this format–particualry in this digital-age. He...

Many authors talk about the benefits of keeping a notebook handy so that ideas can be documented in the moment. When speaking with children’s author, illustrator, and filmmaker, Alan Barillaro about his Buns Rabbit books, he shared his practice of keeping a sketchbook with him so that he can document what he notices and return to it at a later date. Elizabeth tried this with her younger daughter a...

Elizabeth continues speaking with authors this summer, and this week's episode features N. West Moss who is the author of the middle grade book, Birdy. Birdy is a beautiful book about a girl, Birdy, and her brother, Mouse, who move from their home in New York City to upstate New York to live with relatives they have never met. This book shows how joy can be found--even after experiencing the most...

This month, the United States is celebrating 250 years of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. After speaking with Barbara Caroll Roberts about her forthcoming picture book, When George Washington Bowed to the Nation, Barbara shared an idea for parents when reading this book, which is talking to your kids about the United States what is is about and how we got here. You may even decide...

The United States is celebrating a big milestone--a 250th Birthday! And, to help younger generations learn about our history, Barbara Carroll Roberts has a book about George Washington coming out in August. In this conversation, Barbara talks about the tremendous amount of research that she did in order to write this book (check out her website to see a picture of a very thick book she read!). She...

It's summer! And, that means that it's time for summer reading! If you want to encourage your kids to keep reading over the summer, talk to them about the books that they are reading. Discussing books with kids helps them think through what the book is all about. After speaking with Shifa Saltagi Safadi, the author of the Amina Banana about writing bravely, Elizabeth has been thinking about how we...

It's finally summer! To kick off summer reading, Elizabeth is speaking with authors about their books. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks with Shifa Saltagi Safadi, the author of the Amina Banana series and Kareem Between. They begin by talking all about the Amina Banana series--where she got the idea for the series and how she decided to tackle tough topics in the books. Elizabeth and Shifa discus...

The American Library Association is hosting its Annual Conference this month--and to gear up for the conference, this episode is about the library! Should your child only read books on their level? The short answer is no! So, to look for books that your child will enjoy on a variety of levels, hit the library! And, now is a great time--to get your summer reading stack! Learn more about your ad cho...

The American Library Association is gearing up for its Annual Conference (June 25-29, 2026)--and joining Elizabeth is Dan Montgomery, who is the Executive Director of the ALA.In our conversation, Dan talks about the importance of celebrating 150 years of the ALA, what to expect at the Annual Conference (and why you should go!), and what the ALA is facing today. Libraries are facing challenges in t...

To celebrate the American Library Association's 150th Anniversary and their upcoming Annual Conference, this week's mini episode is library themed! Libraries are known for books and reading materials, but they also have materials and resources that serve their particular community. Listen to this episode to learn about some of the materials libraries lend out--then check out your library to see wh...

It's the 150th Anniversary of the American Library Association! Joining Elizabeth is the current President of the ALA, Sam Helmick, who is talking about the ALA's annual conference and why this year is so special. In this episode, you will hear Sam speak about:• The ALA’s 150th Year and how they are celebrating at this year’s conference;• A few of the speakers at this year’s conference (you won't...

Finding time to read can be a challenge. Schedules are busy and when things get hectic, reading is often the first thing that gets cut out. But...this is a tip that really pays off. It's so beneficial to your kids to let them see you reading. Elizabeth starts with a story that highlights why kids need to see the adults in their lives reading. There are so many benefits to reading in front of your...