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The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction
A Wall Street Journal writer’s conversation-changing look at how reading aloud makes adults and children smarter, happier, healthier, more successful and more closely attached, even as technology pulls in the other direction.
A miraculous alchemy occurs when one person reads to another, transforming the simple stuff of a book, a voice, and a bit of time into complex and powerful fuel for the heart, brain, and imagination. Grounded in the latest neuroscience and behavioral research, and drawing widely from literature, The Enchanted Hour explains the dazzling cognitive and social-emotional benefits that await children, whatever their class, nationality or family background. But it’s not just about bedtime stories for little Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age, deepening the intellectual lives and emotional well-being of teenagers and adults, too. Meghan Cox Gurdon argues that this ancient practice is a fast-working antidote to the fractured attention spans, atomized families and unfulfilling ephemera of the tech era, helping to replenish what our devices are leaching away. For everyone, reading aloud engages the mind in complex narratives; for children, it’s an irreplaceable gift that builds vocabulary, fosters imagination, and kindles a lifelong appreciation of language, stories and pictures. Bringing together the latest scientific research, practical tips, and reading recommendations, The Enchanted Hour will both charm and galvanize, inspiring readers to share this invaluable, life-altering tradition with the people they love most.
A miraculous alchemy occurs when one person reads to another, transforming the simple stuff of a book, a voice, and a bit of time into complex and powerful fuel for the heart, brain, and imagination. Grounded in the latest neuroscience and behavioral research, and drawing widely from literature, The Enchanted Hour explains the dazzling cognitive and social-emotional benefits that await children, whatever their class, nationality or family background. But it’s not just about bedtime stories for little Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age, deepening the intellectual lives and emotional well-being of teenagers and adults, too. Meghan Cox Gurdon argues that this ancient practice is a fast-working antidote to the fractured attention spans, atomized families and unfulfilling ephemera of the tech era, helping to replenish what our devices are leaching away. For everyone, reading aloud engages the mind in complex narratives; for children, it’s an irreplaceable gift that builds vocabulary, fosters imagination, and kindles a lifelong appreciation of language, stories and pictures. Bringing together the latest scientific research, practical tips, and reading recommendations, The Enchanted Hour will both charm and galvanize, inspiring readers to share this invaluable, life-altering tradition with the people they love most.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2019
522 people are currently reading
12018 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 900 reviews
December 19, 2019
I went into this expecting a lighter read about the love of books and instead found a deep scholarly work examining several topics connected to reading aloud. It spans brain development, bonding, and even looks at some studies of parents who were incarcerated or serving in the military recording themselves reading to their children and how that lessened anxiety.
I always make the students in my reading class read out loud, but I think this book will add some scholarly depth to that practice.
Personal connection wise, I smiled over the section on the Iliad and Odyssey, because when I was in T.A.G. English in 9th grade, we were divided into groups and told to "do something creative" and my group made a radio play, which in its own way is a form of reading aloud!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I always make the students in my reading class read out loud, but I think this book will add some scholarly depth to that practice.
Personal connection wise, I smiled over the section on the Iliad and Odyssey, because when I was in T.A.G. English in 9th grade, we were divided into groups and told to "do something creative" and my group made a radio play, which in its own way is a form of reading aloud!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2019
Here, let me summarize this book so you don’t have to read it: “Reading aloud is really great. Really, guys. It’s awesome. It’s great for everyone. Your kids. You. Old people. And especially my family. Let me give you some interminable quotes of read-aloud sessions I had with my kids five years ago. Aren’t they adorable? All this could be yours. Just do it.”
Which gets to the heart of the problem: this book should have been categorized as memoir, not nonfiction. In which case I obviously never would have picked it up. As nonfiction, it suffers from a preaching-to-the-choir effect. The people who are gonna pick up this book are inherently readers themselves, who probably are already passionate about reading to their children. People who are, like me, looking for a better understanding of the science and research behind the benefits of reading aloud. They are likely to be disappointed. The book is thin on research and heavy on effusive language about how great reading out loud is. The entire thing reads like she found a bunch of inspirational quotes about reading to children and knit them together into a book. The table of contents promises a structured delivery of insights that the book fails to deliver.
As an example of how research is presented: “Guys, there was a fascinating study conducted at Georgetown with premature babies born at 26-32 weeks, and what they found was...well, I won’t bore you with the details of the hows and the whys, but suffice it to say they found that reading out loud is really great, and you should do it too.”
And then — and THEN! (Rage of rages) — the list of recommended books at the end IS NOT CATEGORIZED BY AGE OR READING LEVEL. ITS JUST A LIST OF BOOKS. If the point of this book is to get me to spend an hour every day reading to my kids, the LEAST you could do would be to give me an age-sorted list to save me some freakin’ time.
In sum, to quote the fish (my favorite character) in Cat in the Hat:
“‘Do I like this?’ He said.
‘Oh, no. I do not!’”
Which gets to the heart of the problem: this book should have been categorized as memoir, not nonfiction. In which case I obviously never would have picked it up. As nonfiction, it suffers from a preaching-to-the-choir effect. The people who are gonna pick up this book are inherently readers themselves, who probably are already passionate about reading to their children. People who are, like me, looking for a better understanding of the science and research behind the benefits of reading aloud. They are likely to be disappointed. The book is thin on research and heavy on effusive language about how great reading out loud is. The entire thing reads like she found a bunch of inspirational quotes about reading to children and knit them together into a book. The table of contents promises a structured delivery of insights that the book fails to deliver.
As an example of how research is presented: “Guys, there was a fascinating study conducted at Georgetown with premature babies born at 26-32 weeks, and what they found was...well, I won’t bore you with the details of the hows and the whys, but suffice it to say they found that reading out loud is really great, and you should do it too.”
And then — and THEN! (Rage of rages) — the list of recommended books at the end IS NOT CATEGORIZED BY AGE OR READING LEVEL. ITS JUST A LIST OF BOOKS. If the point of this book is to get me to spend an hour every day reading to my kids, the LEAST you could do would be to give me an age-sorted list to save me some freakin’ time.
In sum, to quote the fish (my favorite character) in Cat in the Hat:
“‘Do I like this?’ He said.
‘Oh, no. I do not!’”
December 27, 2018
Subtitled, “The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction,” this is a book, and a subject, which is dear to my heart. I have worked in education all my life, I am a voracious reader, a reading mentor and – like the author – have spent many happy hours reading to my children. As such, this is something of preaching to the converted, but it was still an enjoyable read about the importance of reading aloud, which came from an article the author wrote for the ‘Wall Street Journal’, called, “The Great Gifts of Reading Aloud,” which was later extended and became this book.
So, what does reading to children achieve? Well, it stimulates brain development, strengthens the parent/carer-child bond, builds vocabulary and improves social and emotional skills. What is, perhaps, more damaging, is what happens to children who are not exposed to the joys of reading. Too much screen time – whether television, tablets, or playing online games – combines to create deficits in language and attention. This results in children who are less ready for school and who are behind in language skills - a gap which starts early and rarely closes. Indeed, reading to young children is one of the most significant indicators of a child’s academic prospects.
Although this does look at reading to adults, and considers the recent popularity of podcasts, and audio books, the book does concentrate on reading aloud to children. However, with so many news stories recently talking about the widening gap seen in disadvantaged children in education, this book does offer lots of great suggestions to help you discover the joy of reading aloud to your child, and help them improve their life skills along the way. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
So, what does reading to children achieve? Well, it stimulates brain development, strengthens the parent/carer-child bond, builds vocabulary and improves social and emotional skills. What is, perhaps, more damaging, is what happens to children who are not exposed to the joys of reading. Too much screen time – whether television, tablets, or playing online games – combines to create deficits in language and attention. This results in children who are less ready for school and who are behind in language skills - a gap which starts early and rarely closes. Indeed, reading to young children is one of the most significant indicators of a child’s academic prospects.
Although this does look at reading to adults, and considers the recent popularity of podcasts, and audio books, the book does concentrate on reading aloud to children. However, with so many news stories recently talking about the widening gap seen in disadvantaged children in education, this book does offer lots of great suggestions to help you discover the joy of reading aloud to your child, and help them improve their life skills along the way. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
January 16, 2019
This book arrived in my mailbox this afternoon and I sat down and started reading. I read until I finished the book - it was wonderful!
I read aloud to my children and grandchildren, and sometimes to my husband. This books confirmed my commitment to reading to them, and taught me more than a few facts about the benefits of reading aloud on the listener (and the reader).
Ms. Gurdon also includes excellent lists of books to read aloud.
(And her weekly review of children's books in the Wall Street Journal is also very good!)
I read aloud to my children and grandchildren, and sometimes to my husband. This books confirmed my commitment to reading to them, and taught me more than a few facts about the benefits of reading aloud on the listener (and the reader).
Ms. Gurdon also includes excellent lists of books to read aloud.
(And her weekly review of children's books in the Wall Street Journal is also very good!)
February 25, 2019
3.5 stars. Although this book may appear to be geared towards parents, it is not. Many can get a great deal of insight, knowledge and especially the fondness of our own memories behind reading or being read to. My average score was due to the fact that the story was somewhat repetitive and at times generalizing but other than that, I enjoyed it. (PS I liked the message of unplugging and promoting togetherness).
April 3, 2019
There are times when dreams sustain us more than facts. To read a book and surrender to a story is to keep our very humanity alive.
This wonderful book is filled with studies, scientific findings, anecdotal stories, quotes, and research about the value and importance of reading aloud. Reading a book aloud creates a shared experience that benefits everyone - children, older adults, stroke patients, shelter dogs, dementia sufferers, and prisoners- just to name a few. I was already sold on reading aloud and I was not sure I needed to read this book, but it was more than worth the time. My husband and I have committed to read to each other each night before we go to bed.
I highly recommend this book for any parent or teacher, but I honestly think anyone could learn a great deal from this wonderful book.
This wonderful book is filled with studies, scientific findings, anecdotal stories, quotes, and research about the value and importance of reading aloud. Reading a book aloud creates a shared experience that benefits everyone - children, older adults, stroke patients, shelter dogs, dementia sufferers, and prisoners- just to name a few. I was already sold on reading aloud and I was not sure I needed to read this book, but it was more than worth the time. My husband and I have committed to read to each other each night before we go to bed.
I highly recommend this book for any parent or teacher, but I honestly think anyone could learn a great deal from this wonderful book.
February 19, 2019
Yes-to reading aloud and cool neuroscience! Ugh-to classist generalizations and low-key parent shaming.
May 25, 2019
This is the best book I have read so far on the topic of reading aloud. Very well thought through chapters, full of research results, personal anecdotes, stories to encourage to read aloud from the womb to the grave. So happy I have found this book!
April 21, 2019
I anticipate contention, since the author has already annoyed me on page xi.
Show of hands: who else reads this and thinks "wouldn't the word reader be more simple, more clear, and less likely to piss off someone who regularly reads aloud but isn't on this list like, say, a librarian?" Yes, it is simpler, so is calling all animals "cat", but it doesn't actually make sense, does it?
Liar. There is no way in hell that the author uses the pronoun "he" to describe any theoretical child. "I'm pregnant; I hope he's another girl" is not traditional usage. You know what is traditional? Singular "they" for a person of unknown or unspecified gender has appeared in print since at least 1200: like "he" and "she" it goes back to Old English. Ease of reading? If you find "she" significantly harder to read than "he" I really don't think you're qualified enough to pontificate on this subject.
So that's it: author demonstrated insufficient language skills for the task at the second paragraph>. There isn't going to be anything here I can trust. This is a privileged white woman telling parents that they are bad people if they do not read aloud to their children the way she says they should, and you know she cares because she actually gave some books to one family once to get them started. [Full disclosure: I am also a privileged white woman, although not as privileged, and I give most of my used books to the library to keep or sell and turn into even more library books]
Skip this book. Your local librarian will help you with any kind of reading that interests you at any level, often in multiple languages and formats, and will be able to offer helpful suggestions on specific local issues. They are wonderful people who actually want to improve the lives of others and they are a fabulous resource to everything in your community, because if they don't know already, they know how to find out.
Library copy, of course.
"For simplicity, I often use the word parent to describe any given adult who reads to a child and trust that all the aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, teachers, babysitters, and lovely next-door neighbors who read to children will understand that of course I mean them, too.
Show of hands: who else reads this and thinks "wouldn't the word reader be more simple, more clear, and less likely to piss off someone who regularly reads aloud but isn't on this list like, say, a librarian?" Yes, it is simpler, so is calling all animals "cat", but it doesn't actually make sense, does it?
Similarly, in the spirit of tradition (not to mention ease of reading) I use the pronoun he to describe any theoretical child."
Liar. There is no way in hell that the author uses the pronoun "he" to describe any theoretical child. "I'm pregnant; I hope he's another girl" is not traditional usage. You know what is traditional? Singular "they" for a person of unknown or unspecified gender has appeared in print since at least 1200: like "he" and "she" it goes back to Old English. Ease of reading? If you find "she" significantly harder to read than "he" I really don't think you're qualified enough to pontificate on this subject.
So that's it: author demonstrated insufficient language skills for the task at the second paragraph>. There isn't going to be anything here I can trust. This is a privileged white woman telling parents that they are bad people if they do not read aloud to their children the way she says they should, and you know she cares because she actually gave some books to one family once to get them started. [Full disclosure: I am also a privileged white woman, although not as privileged, and I give most of my used books to the library to keep or sell and turn into even more library books]
Skip this book. Your local librarian will help you with any kind of reading that interests you at any level, often in multiple languages and formats, and will be able to offer helpful suggestions on specific local issues. They are wonderful people who actually want to improve the lives of others and they are a fabulous resource to everything in your community, because if they don't know already, they know how to find out.
Library copy, of course.
December 25, 2018
For me this book was a total home run and I am excited to recommend it to friends and family when it is published in January. The magic of reading aloud is known to me from raising my boys; and as a juvenile librarian I am a big advocate for reading. Just as when I read Trelease's book "The Readaloud Handbook," I found that this book reinforced and validated the wow factor in shared reading experiences. Some have commented that this is of greater interest to young parents. I would counter with the argument that it is likely that most adults interact with children in some way; rather it be part of their work (as it is for me), relatives or friends. We can all partake of the blessings of reading aloud in some way. It is never too late as shown by the story of the woman who read to her father in his hospital room. Start reading aloud with someone today and be a part of the miracle. If you are not sure where to start, read this book first for guidance and title recommendations.
A big thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2021
THIS THIS THIS!!!!! 🙌 I’m so utterly grateful for this book, even with my background in early childhood education & familiarity with much of the research & information regarding reading aloud to young children referenced in this book my eyes were opened in a new way. I have been given so many more tools & encouragement to continue reading to my children for many many more years, which truly fills my soul. This book is everything parents needs to know. From every dog-eared page, to each passage I read to my husband, to the subtle shifts in my daily actions & the new vision I have for reading with my children years from now, I am better for having read this book. Three cheers to the power of books & the folks like Meghan Cox Gurdon who help us see both the big & microscopic benefits of them.
January 10, 2020
I feel like I should start off this review by acknowledging that I am a librarian, formerly a Children's Librarian and that I am 110% pro-reading aloud and I came into this book with that bias firmly planted in my head.
That said I was blown away by the statistics and studies quoted in this book that showed the importance of reading aloud to not only young children, but other adults including parents, spouses and siblings, the elderly, the sick, the hospitalized, the incarcerated and abused animals.
Because it truly is mind blowing all the benefits we receive from continuous reading.
Cox stated many times throughout this book the emotional, physical and mental bonds that reading aloud gives to both the reader and the listener(s). How it soothes us, calms us, gives us different perspectives, ignites our imaginations and lets us tap into parts of ourselves that have lain dormant for many years. How life changing reading to someone else can be. Which I agree with because I've seen it firsthand.
Back when I was a Children's Librarian and used to do a weekly storytime (which truthfully was only last year), I had this one parent who despaired of her little one ever sitting still and listening quietly like the other children did. Her son was probably about a year and half when she first started bringing him to toddler time and as soon as she set his feet on the ground he was off like a rocket, zigzagging back and forth across the room, laughing and exploring. We would do our storytime and the other kids would be on the rug participating with varying degrees of enthusiasm and this little guy would be in the back of the room running around. He wasn't a nuisance, as I reminded his mother time and time again. He didn't scream or yell or bother the other children he would just move, move, move. He was a person on the go and storytime was no exception. His mother once told us she didn't know why she bothered bringing him to storytime -"He's not listening, he's not paying attention" and she was not really swayed by my co-worker and my responses that he was listening, he was paying attention but in his own way.
Fast forward almost 8 months later when his mother burst into the room before storytime started, huge grin on her face as she started telling my coworker and I how the other day her son suddenly started singing the words to "Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?" (a book we read on rotation every few months) with no prompting from her, as he played with his stuffed animals which included (can you guess it?) a teddy bear. "He knows it!" she exclaimed. "He remembered!"
That is the power of reading aloud. The connections, the imagination, the putting of abstract words into concrete things. You see it mostly with young children because the synopsis in their little brains are firing like crazy during this time but you also see it in adults. I really like how Cox stressed the importance of continuous reading and not stopping once your child is old enough to read on their own. As she states, "As long as they want us to keep reading, why wouldn't we want to keep the emotional connection?"
Why not indeed.
That said I was blown away by the statistics and studies quoted in this book that showed the importance of reading aloud to not only young children, but other adults including parents, spouses and siblings, the elderly, the sick, the hospitalized, the incarcerated and abused animals.
Because it truly is mind blowing all the benefits we receive from continuous reading.
Cox stated many times throughout this book the emotional, physical and mental bonds that reading aloud gives to both the reader and the listener(s). How it soothes us, calms us, gives us different perspectives, ignites our imaginations and lets us tap into parts of ourselves that have lain dormant for many years. How life changing reading to someone else can be. Which I agree with because I've seen it firsthand.
Back when I was a Children's Librarian and used to do a weekly storytime (which truthfully was only last year), I had this one parent who despaired of her little one ever sitting still and listening quietly like the other children did. Her son was probably about a year and half when she first started bringing him to toddler time and as soon as she set his feet on the ground he was off like a rocket, zigzagging back and forth across the room, laughing and exploring. We would do our storytime and the other kids would be on the rug participating with varying degrees of enthusiasm and this little guy would be in the back of the room running around. He wasn't a nuisance, as I reminded his mother time and time again. He didn't scream or yell or bother the other children he would just move, move, move. He was a person on the go and storytime was no exception. His mother once told us she didn't know why she bothered bringing him to storytime -"He's not listening, he's not paying attention" and she was not really swayed by my co-worker and my responses that he was listening, he was paying attention but in his own way.
Fast forward almost 8 months later when his mother burst into the room before storytime started, huge grin on her face as she started telling my coworker and I how the other day her son suddenly started singing the words to "Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?" (a book we read on rotation every few months) with no prompting from her, as he played with his stuffed animals which included (can you guess it?) a teddy bear. "He knows it!" she exclaimed. "He remembered!"
That is the power of reading aloud. The connections, the imagination, the putting of abstract words into concrete things. You see it mostly with young children because the synopsis in their little brains are firing like crazy during this time but you also see it in adults. I really like how Cox stressed the importance of continuous reading and not stopping once your child is old enough to read on their own. As she states, "As long as they want us to keep reading, why wouldn't we want to keep the emotional connection?"
Why not indeed.
September 13, 2019
I remember the first book I read to my husband: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I remember telling him about a book in which a character had once been a star and had given up her star life to save a planet from darkness. And then I asked if I could read that book aloud to him (we had been dating for a few months). He said yes, but I could tell the idea was a bit odd to him, but it was something I had dreamed of sharing with someone for years so he let me. Fast forward eight years and we’ve read two hundred and thirty books together (not including books we’ve read at the same time but separately or books we’ve recommended to each other). Reading together is a joy that neither one of us would ever consider giving up.
So reading The Enchanted Hour, especially aloud to my husband, was the definition of preaching to the choir, but sometimes it’s nice to be told you’re right. This was also the second nonfiction book he and I have read together and the first we can say we liked.
I wish there had been more about the importance of reading to adults with research to back it up. There wasn’t enough stress on how reading aloud to adults can help their mental acuity stay strong through the years. But in the author’s defense Gurdon did warn us in the beginning that this book was mainly about the benefits of reading aloud to children. It contained anecdotes from her own time with her children, but also said that reading together had petered out as the children became adults.
I think it’s important for adults to realize the importance of...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
So reading The Enchanted Hour, especially aloud to my husband, was the definition of preaching to the choir, but sometimes it’s nice to be told you’re right. This was also the second nonfiction book he and I have read together and the first we can say we liked.
I wish there had been more about the importance of reading to adults with research to back it up. There wasn’t enough stress on how reading aloud to adults can help their mental acuity stay strong through the years. But in the author’s defense Gurdon did warn us in the beginning that this book was mainly about the benefits of reading aloud to children. It contained anecdotes from her own time with her children, but also said that reading together had petered out as the children became adults.
I think it’s important for adults to realize the importance of...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
January 23, 2019
Oral storytelling has been around since the beginning of time. Reading aloud to children is not only a great bonding experience but has many physical, emotional and mental benefits. In this book by a Wall Street Journal's children's book reviewer and essayist, there’s finally scientific evidence supporting the theory of reading aloud.
Step by step, Meghan Cox Gurdon lays the foundation for reading with our children. It builds vocabulary, cognitive skills and makes both the reader and the listener healthier individuals. Reading aloud also takes away the isolation technology brings. Families are connected in ways devices just can’t compete with.
Adults will find this a useful book, too. I remember when MR N and I first got engaged, we would take turns reading from a book before we went to sleep. It was a fun way to engage in intimacy without having to spend money.
I’m a huge proponent to reading and try to spread my joy of reading to all who’ll listen. This book is a must read for anyone looking to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Harper via Edelweiss in the hopes I’d review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
Step by step, Meghan Cox Gurdon lays the foundation for reading with our children. It builds vocabulary, cognitive skills and makes both the reader and the listener healthier individuals. Reading aloud also takes away the isolation technology brings. Families are connected in ways devices just can’t compete with.
Adults will find this a useful book, too. I remember when MR N and I first got engaged, we would take turns reading from a book before we went to sleep. It was a fun way to engage in intimacy without having to spend money.
I’m a huge proponent to reading and try to spread my joy of reading to all who’ll listen. This book is a must read for anyone looking to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Harper via Edelweiss in the hopes I’d review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
January 23, 2019
2.5 - I loved the message of this book, but I didn't love reading it. I found many parts dragged on, but maybe that's because I was already a believer. Someone new to the topic might get more out of it.
January 7, 2023
I'm so glad I listened to this again. It is the inspiration I needed to keep reading aloud to my 9, 11 & 13 year olds!!
November 20, 2018
Since leaving University, I have had very little reason to read aloud. I felt that Meghan Cox Gurdon's The Enchanted Hour might kindle my interest in starting to do so once again, as it sounded so promising. Whilst I really enjoyed the concept behind the book, I found that it focused far too much on reading aloud to children, and reading together as a family. Whilst I'm sure this will prove useful to many readers, it holds little interest or applicability for me personally. Despite not finishing this book, I am still awarding it three stars, as there certainly some ideas to ponder over here, and it will be invaluable to the right kind of reader.
June 25, 2019
Anyone who loves reading, has children in their lives, or is a teacher, should read this book! Wonderful nuggets of information. Absolutely loved this book!
March 28, 2023
I have had this book for almost 4 years and just now read it. What a fantastic read! It reminded me why I love reading aloud and made me want to give every Mom I know this book. I ached at parts of the book when it became crystal clear why reading aloud means so much to so many people (especially children and the elderly). The loneliness in our culture hasn’t gotten any better- only worse. I highly recommend this book. But if Gordon doesn’t inspire you to pick up a book and read with someone you love (or someone you are caring for), I’m not sure what will.
January 17, 2022
It does the job it set out to do: with exhaustive research, with a horde of real life stories, she paints the message in clear, large, cursive letters: Read aloud to your child! You'll never ever regret it! "The more reading, the more voices; the more voices, the more imagination; the more imagination, the more opinions; the more opinions, the more freedom of thought; and the more children engage in freedom of thought, the better."
.
.
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On a slightly different note, I might have figured it out why for me Anne of Green Gables is so important and pivotal in my love of reading and for most part in how my personality developed throughout the years (very sugary I must say😌). While recounting an episode in Zora Neale Hurston when her teacher read aloud Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan, Mrs Gurdon says that "what happened to Hurston tht night was a kind of intellectual and aesthetic liberation [...] it cut her loose from life she might have had and freed her to find her destiny as a writer", in my case a Reader (capital R intended). I guess it was more or less what happened to me whilst reading about Anne and about the quaint, old-fashioned life in Avonlea, her intellectual persuits, her worldview, her reaction to beauty, sorrow, social justice, etc., or, to put it in Gurdon's words (taken from another story she recounts): old ideas, old customs, old habits, old culture, all of which might have had a "hand" in changing the direction of my life, or at least of my mind, literary tastes and worldview. I thank Mrs Gurdon for giving shape to my feelings and L.M. Montgomery for giving shape and purpose to my imagination and making a Reader out of me.
.
.
.
On a slightly different note, I might have figured it out why for me Anne of Green Gables is so important and pivotal in my love of reading and for most part in how my personality developed throughout the years (very sugary I must say😌). While recounting an episode in Zora Neale Hurston when her teacher read aloud Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan, Mrs Gurdon says that "what happened to Hurston tht night was a kind of intellectual and aesthetic liberation [...] it cut her loose from life she might have had and freed her to find her destiny as a writer", in my case a Reader (capital R intended). I guess it was more or less what happened to me whilst reading about Anne and about the quaint, old-fashioned life in Avonlea, her intellectual persuits, her worldview, her reaction to beauty, sorrow, social justice, etc., or, to put it in Gurdon's words (taken from another story she recounts): old ideas, old customs, old habits, old culture, all of which might have had a "hand" in changing the direction of my life, or at least of my mind, literary tastes and worldview. I thank Mrs Gurdon for giving shape to my feelings and L.M. Montgomery for giving shape and purpose to my imagination and making a Reader out of me.
January 31, 2019
Fantastic book that mixes elements of a memoir with evidence and example about the benefits of reading aloud to children of all ages.
December 16, 2019
This was so delightful. Lots of great research, anecdotes and just all around encouragement to read to your kids early and often.
July 2, 2024
Today when my granddaughters were visiting the eight-year-old suffered a yellow-jacket sting. I didn't even know we had them; hadn't seen any flying around. It happened while she was picking blackberries. ("Worst booboo I ever had!" -- and may that long continue to be the case.)
After the meat tenderizer had been applied and the ear-splitting screams had subsided, we read a book.
Presto: calmness restored.
That's what this book is about: the virtues of reading out loud. Mostly she's talking about reading to children, from newborns, including preemies, all the way up past the time when they become literate and could read on their own, into their teenage years.
The parent's voice is good for the babies, and reading to them solves the problem of what to say for an extended period.
Works great for military families with small children with one spouse/parent deployed far away. Eases separation anxiety and lessens reentry shock.
Similarly, in cases where a mom is incarcerated.
I found the idea of continuing to read after the child could do so on her own to be permission-giving.
Anyone can read out loud, even to another adult -- but I had already discovered that on my own. Solves the problem of what to say to a reluctant conversationalist, in fact giving them lots to talk about. Makes any meal an occasion.
Reading to hospitalized or ill people also a welcome suggestion.
She cites the research but the book is easy to read and with anecdotal reports galore.
Point: she's not talking about audiobooks, although they have finally been accepted and are in many cases a boon. She's talking about reading out loud in person. Only then are the participants together in that warm neurochemical bath of love.
It's just a kind and nice book; reminds me of that one I read on the power of conversation (Talking Cure: An Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation). Who knew one could write an entire book about the power of reading out loud?
Mz. Gurdon is the children's books reviewer for the Wall Street Journal, and she could and did.
Reading out loud to someone: a form of love.
Recommended. ("Yes" to double entendre)
After the meat tenderizer had been applied and the ear-splitting screams had subsided, we read a book.
Presto: calmness restored.
That's what this book is about: the virtues of reading out loud. Mostly she's talking about reading to children, from newborns, including preemies, all the way up past the time when they become literate and could read on their own, into their teenage years.
The parent's voice is good for the babies, and reading to them solves the problem of what to say for an extended period.
Works great for military families with small children with one spouse/parent deployed far away. Eases separation anxiety and lessens reentry shock.
Similarly, in cases where a mom is incarcerated.
I found the idea of continuing to read after the child could do so on her own to be permission-giving.
Anyone can read out loud, even to another adult -- but I had already discovered that on my own. Solves the problem of what to say to a reluctant conversationalist, in fact giving them lots to talk about. Makes any meal an occasion.
Reading to hospitalized or ill people also a welcome suggestion.
She cites the research but the book is easy to read and with anecdotal reports galore.
Point: she's not talking about audiobooks, although they have finally been accepted and are in many cases a boon. She's talking about reading out loud in person. Only then are the participants together in that warm neurochemical bath of love.
It's just a kind and nice book; reminds me of that one I read on the power of conversation (Talking Cure: An Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation). Who knew one could write an entire book about the power of reading out loud?
Mz. Gurdon is the children's books reviewer for the Wall Street Journal, and she could and did.
Reading out loud to someone: a form of love.
Recommended. ("Yes" to double entendre)
February 13, 2021
Con este libro conoceremos la importancia de leer en voz alta tanto en niño como en adultos.
En el caso de los niños es de vital importancia ya que ayuda al desarrollo neuronal, y si además acompañamos la lectura con elementos visuales hacemos que sea todavía mas beneficioso para los más peques.
También recalca la importancia de las lecturas compartidas en el ámbito académico para mejorar la empatía y acelerar el desarrollo del lenguaje.
Este libro me parece un trabajo de investigación maravilloso realizado por parte de la autora.
No imaginaba la importancia que podía llegar a tener y los beneficios tan amplios tanto en niños como adultos.
Por otro lado, también nos habla de la historia del lenguaje, anécdotas muy interesantes, nos habla sobre como han afectado las tecnologías y la comunicación digital en nuestro día a día.
Un libro muy interesante con el que cualquier lector puede aprender mucho.
En el caso de los niños es de vital importancia ya que ayuda al desarrollo neuronal, y si además acompañamos la lectura con elementos visuales hacemos que sea todavía mas beneficioso para los más peques.
También recalca la importancia de las lecturas compartidas en el ámbito académico para mejorar la empatía y acelerar el desarrollo del lenguaje.
Este libro me parece un trabajo de investigación maravilloso realizado por parte de la autora.
No imaginaba la importancia que podía llegar a tener y los beneficios tan amplios tanto en niños como adultos.
Por otro lado, también nos habla de la historia del lenguaje, anécdotas muy interesantes, nos habla sobre como han afectado las tecnologías y la comunicación digital en nuestro día a día.
Un libro muy interesante con el que cualquier lector puede aprender mucho.
November 11, 2019
4.5 🌟 Another great read about reading!🤓 The beginning chapters didn’t flow as well as the later ones. I enjoyed the many different angles this book portrayed for reading aloud- soldiers recording stories when they are deployed, reading to those in hospitals or nursing homes, etc. And another great book list at the back. Getting my own hard copy of this one!
October 6, 2020
"Reading aloud is the best" in personal essay format. This one is definitely geared toward educated, yuppie parents who want to give their kids a good start in the world, and find that family closeness amid the screens of the 21st century.
Growing up home schooled, other children often told me, "My mom and I would kill each other if we were at home all day together!" Matricide notwithstanding, I wonder if what they were missing in their relationships was the shared language and experience bequeathed by reading aloud, by sharing books together. My mom is a kindergarten teacher, so you can imagine the amount and quality of books/reading aloud present in our home. My brother's two-year-old dramatic "reading" of The Tale of Peter Rabbit is family legend. But even as we outgrew picture books, we continued to share literature as a family, largely though parent/child education, but even beyond that. We listened to Johnny Tremain on a family vacation to Boston, and nothing compares to visiting the historical sights brought to vivid life in the story. In high school, though my mom bore the brunt of teaching, my dad would listen to audiobooks of the literature I was assigned, and we would discuss them in a very grown-up way that flattered my fifteen-year-old self. Even when we had nothing else to talk about in my teen years, we could talk about books, and through them, connect on a deeper level.
Gurdon promotes reading aloud in every way possible. She pulls widely from studies, anecdotes, and her own little experiments. I loved the feel-good stories about non-profits that allow imprisoned and deployed parents to read to their children via video, an autistic boy connecting with his parents through reading, the effects of reading in the NICU, and sharing storytime with elderly Holocaust survivors. Having more than one family member suffering from dementia, I look forward to pulling out a book to read aloud to them when circumstances allow, knowing that it has emotional benefits even if the intellectual ones are uncertain.
Recently, I read How to Raise a Reader, which is more focused on independent reading and giving parents book lists. The books don't need to be pitted against each other, but they are different. The Enchanted Hour is written as a collection of personal essays, combining elements of memoir, journalism, research, and argument. How to Raise a Reader is a collection of bite-size encouragements for parents and lots of recommendations. The Enchanted Hour has book lists (instead of an index, honestly) at the very end. It's not quite as focused on raising title awareness as it is encouraging parents to turn off the TV, God help you, and read to your children.
I'm not exactly the target audience for this book. I'm a reader myself, my husband and I read aloud to each other already, we don't even have a TV (they interrupt my decor, and that's what streaming on laptops is for!), and we aren't planning to have kids anytime soon. Plus, I found myself correcting/expanding plenty of Gurdon's research in my head, because she focused too much on psychological/neuroscientific research and too little on language acquisition research to buttress her argument. Yes, Dr. Abubakar, babies in utero absolutely do hear and even distinguish between their mother's language and other languages when hearing other speech. (p. 49) Babies in utero will also recognize books read to them in the womb when they hear them outside the womb. (Basic research into child language acquisition, which was the subject of one glorious week of my college career, showed me all of this and more. Never underestimate babies' ability to understand language. They are aurally fluent in a language long before they speak it, because speaking is hard!)
This is the type of book I'd give to a bookish friend who was having a baby, along with a stack of good picture books. I doubt it will attract the non-reader parent, honestly, which is the hardest part. Much of what Gurdon promotes really depends on the willingness of parents to read with their children, and their conviction that doing so is important. Thus, some of what Gurdon says can feel classist. Yet, with local libraries abounding and book-centric non-profits a dime a dozen, I hope her work will not go unheeded, and many more enchanted hours established in homes around the world.
Growing up home schooled, other children often told me, "My mom and I would kill each other if we were at home all day together!" Matricide notwithstanding, I wonder if what they were missing in their relationships was the shared language and experience bequeathed by reading aloud, by sharing books together. My mom is a kindergarten teacher, so you can imagine the amount and quality of books/reading aloud present in our home. My brother's two-year-old dramatic "reading" of The Tale of Peter Rabbit is family legend. But even as we outgrew picture books, we continued to share literature as a family, largely though parent/child education, but even beyond that. We listened to Johnny Tremain on a family vacation to Boston, and nothing compares to visiting the historical sights brought to vivid life in the story. In high school, though my mom bore the brunt of teaching, my dad would listen to audiobooks of the literature I was assigned, and we would discuss them in a very grown-up way that flattered my fifteen-year-old self. Even when we had nothing else to talk about in my teen years, we could talk about books, and through them, connect on a deeper level.
Gurdon promotes reading aloud in every way possible. She pulls widely from studies, anecdotes, and her own little experiments. I loved the feel-good stories about non-profits that allow imprisoned and deployed parents to read to their children via video, an autistic boy connecting with his parents through reading, the effects of reading in the NICU, and sharing storytime with elderly Holocaust survivors. Having more than one family member suffering from dementia, I look forward to pulling out a book to read aloud to them when circumstances allow, knowing that it has emotional benefits even if the intellectual ones are uncertain.
Recently, I read How to Raise a Reader, which is more focused on independent reading and giving parents book lists. The books don't need to be pitted against each other, but they are different. The Enchanted Hour is written as a collection of personal essays, combining elements of memoir, journalism, research, and argument. How to Raise a Reader is a collection of bite-size encouragements for parents and lots of recommendations. The Enchanted Hour has book lists (instead of an index, honestly) at the very end. It's not quite as focused on raising title awareness as it is encouraging parents to turn off the TV, God help you, and read to your children.
I'm not exactly the target audience for this book. I'm a reader myself, my husband and I read aloud to each other already, we don't even have a TV (they interrupt my decor, and that's what streaming on laptops is for!), and we aren't planning to have kids anytime soon. Plus, I found myself correcting/expanding plenty of Gurdon's research in my head, because she focused too much on psychological/neuroscientific research and too little on language acquisition research to buttress her argument. Yes, Dr. Abubakar, babies in utero absolutely do hear and even distinguish between their mother's language and other languages when hearing other speech. (p. 49) Babies in utero will also recognize books read to them in the womb when they hear them outside the womb. (Basic research into child language acquisition, which was the subject of one glorious week of my college career, showed me all of this and more. Never underestimate babies' ability to understand language. They are aurally fluent in a language long before they speak it, because speaking is hard!)
This is the type of book I'd give to a bookish friend who was having a baby, along with a stack of good picture books. I doubt it will attract the non-reader parent, honestly, which is the hardest part. Much of what Gurdon promotes really depends on the willingness of parents to read with their children, and their conviction that doing so is important. Thus, some of what Gurdon says can feel classist. Yet, with local libraries abounding and book-centric non-profits a dime a dozen, I hope her work will not go unheeded, and many more enchanted hours established in homes around the world.
January 16, 2019
I grew up with parents who read to me almost every night and at every age. I have been blessed with wonderful memories to cherish forever by reading everything from Dr. Suess books to the Chronicles of Narnia series with my parents. It’s something I’ve vowed to do for my child. What I really never grasped was the importance of reading aloud to not only children, but people of all ages. This book shares some awesome data on just that. It talks about how reading aloud with family members has helped foster bonds and positive relationships, even if it has to be through skype (ie. military families). From helping boost brain development in babies through picture books to creating an extensive vocabulary, reading aloud at any age is proven to be extremely beneficial based on studies shared in the book. I highly recommend this book to any person, not just parents or teachers! You’d be amazed at the power we have to change our lives for the better just by using a book and our voice.
4.5/5 Stars
Thank you Harper Books for my copy.
From my blog and instagram account @livereadandprosper
4.5/5 Stars
Thank you Harper Books for my copy.
From my blog and instagram account @livereadandprosper
November 14, 2020
While overall the content of the book is relevant to the intended audience, what I cannot get past is the author’s deeply troubling history of condescending, racist, and out-of-touch book reviews for the WSJ.
For context: Having listened to the audio version of this text, read by the author, I was first put off by her general reading tone and then by her attempt at different voices/accents. As this is a non-fiction book, I was often disturbed by her attempt to “sound like” the individuals she had interviewed, many of which came off insincere and for some, offensive. Curious about others’ opinions of her audio reading, I searched her name and was struck by the number of authors/others in the literary field speaking out against her problematic history of book reviews, particularly those in the YA category.
In light of this, I have returned my audio copy. For further reading, see this enlightening Twitter thread written by a YA author, Ibi Zoboi, in response to MCG’s review of her book: https://twitter.com/ibizoboi/status/1...
For context: Having listened to the audio version of this text, read by the author, I was first put off by her general reading tone and then by her attempt at different voices/accents. As this is a non-fiction book, I was often disturbed by her attempt to “sound like” the individuals she had interviewed, many of which came off insincere and for some, offensive. Curious about others’ opinions of her audio reading, I searched her name and was struck by the number of authors/others in the literary field speaking out against her problematic history of book reviews, particularly those in the YA category.
In light of this, I have returned my audio copy. For further reading, see this enlightening Twitter thread written by a YA author, Ibi Zoboi, in response to MCG’s review of her book: https://twitter.com/ibizoboi/status/1...
November 16, 2018
A very accessible book that makes the case for reading aloud to children (mostly children, but a few later chapters do talk about reading to adults) as both a way to give children a boost in school and to provide “together” time for a family. It is much less The Sky Is Falling!/hand-wringy than other recent books about the tech vs paper book divide. Gurdon brings together a lot of research and in person interviews (and some cute family anecdotes). Some of the recommendations do seem like they apply mainly to families with two caregivers and stable incomes.
March 6, 2019
"...by reading with a child, we are teaching that child to be human."-- Anna Dewdney via this book
I've read a lot of books about books, so I was prepared to be politely underwhelmed. Instead, I loved it. It's a really lovely tone, weaving bits of research with anecdotes from the author's family life and career as the Wall Street Journal children's book reviewer. So many of the stories and programs she shared really moved and inspired me, and I'm so glad I didn't dismiss it out of hand.
I've read a lot of books about books, so I was prepared to be politely underwhelmed. Instead, I loved it. It's a really lovely tone, weaving bits of research with anecdotes from the author's family life and career as the Wall Street Journal children's book reviewer. So many of the stories and programs she shared really moved and inspired me, and I'm so glad I didn't dismiss it out of hand.
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