Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

This thread is for dropping ideas, questions, resources, comments, and discussion about Task 4: Read a Book Out Loud to Someone Else

A few inspirational posts and ideas to get you started:

http://bookriot.com/2015/11/05/five-t...

http://bookriot.com/2015/01/25/learni...

http://bookriot.com/2013/10/31/readin...

http://bookriot.com/2012/10/19/scary-...

I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner.

I am going to read one of my favourite books - The Giving Tree

I have completed this task and read this to my neighbors daughter.

3/24 tasks completed.

A great read-aloud book (a chapter a night) is the classic Winnie-the-Pooh. It's been years since I've read it and I can't wait to read it again. My husband has volunteered to listen. :)

This is the one I'm least looking forward to. We're going to visit some friends with kids over New Year's, and hopefully I'll have the opportunity to read to them, but I don't want to pick a book yet … and if I don't get to read to kids, I don't know what I'd want to read!

I work at a library, so I'm sure I'll have several I can put here.

I'm going to read a book to my wife. I've read chapters and snippets to her in the past - in bed, or when she's been cooking - from Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (which I wasn't too interested in reading myself, so didn't mind not knowing what was going on) and To Kill A Mockingbird (which I'd already read). She's chosen It Started with Paris by Cathy Kelly, which definitely wouldn't be a book I'd choose myself, so the challenge is certainly expanding my reading horizons...

a friend volunteered to be read to, as apparently it's something she really enjoys! I should ask her what book she actually wants to hear so it's a win for both of us.

I don't know how I'll do this one. I read to the kidlet every night but she reads to us now. :)

I will look for an appropriate book to read to the Sunday School class I help with.

This is one of the easiest categories for me. I am always reading a book out loud to my son. We will be starting Harry Potter #3 soon so that's probably the one I'll use for the challenge.

Bea wrote: "I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner."

I'm taking a similar approach, reading The Princess and the Pony (I love Kate Beaton and figure this is a good excuse to read her latest) to my cats. They'll likely even sit on my lap so I can show them the pictures.

Any of Mo Willems book I think for this task. He amuses the four-year-old.

Does it has to be to persons?

Caro wrote: "Does it has to be to persons?"

Nope! If you want to read aloud to a pet or a stranger's pet or a tree, go for it.

Can you read it into a tape and give it to someone as a gift for them to listen to at a future date?

Carolyn wrote: "Can you read it into a tape and give it to someone as a gift for them to listen to at a future date?"

This is a lovely idea.

Book Riot wrote: "Caro wrote: "Does it has to be to persons?"

Nope! If you want to read aloud to a pet or a stranger's pet or a tree, go for it."

LOL I was wondering this too. Hoping my dogs will enjoy a good book!

Carolyn wrote: "Can you read it into a tape and give it to someone as a gift for them to listen to at a future date?"

This is such a wonderful idea.

Alternately, you could read someone a short piece (poem? Children's story?) on their voicemail. Or record it on video and send it? Share it on Facebook or text?

It'll be fun to see how everyone chooses to go at this one.

I read nightly with my kids I think I'll start a special chapter book with them for this challenge. I just need to pick out one that will work well for a 4 and 6 year old. In the spirit of challenging myself I'm going to look for something with some diversity or a topic that while age appropriate will also get us talking each night.

Katie wrote: "I read nightly with my kids I think I'll start a special chapter book with them for this challenge. I just need to pick out one that will work well for a 4 and 6 year old. In the spirit of challeng..."

I know it's not what you are asking for, but you may want to try Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late. It is funny and has problem set up by age group, so you can give each kid a different problem.

I really hated the audiobook for Re Jane... the reader was not only super stiff, she was completely incapable of pronouncing any of the Korean at all. Might read this aloud and record some of it to boot!

I read aloud to my kids often. For this challenge, I plan to read Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood to them.

I'm going to be a brand new aunt this year! I've alread piled up the books to read to my niece.

Bea wrote: "I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner."

LOVE LOVE LOVE Skippyjon!

A friend of mine is currently illustrating a series of new children's books, so when he brings me copies later in the year I plan to read them out loud to him, hot off the press. I don't even know what they are called yet, but will create records for the Goodreads catalog when they are released.

SealyBug wrote: "Bea wrote: "I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner."

LOVE LOVE LOVE Skippyjon!"

Thanks for that vote, SealyBug. This will be a new writer for me. I usually stick with the tried and trues of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein.

Unfortunately, my husband doesn't like being read aloud to...I might read to a friend's kid, but I'm also thinking about recording an audiobook in regular installments and sending them to my mother (who is probably the only person who would like this). I found a few websites for people interested in doing DIY audiobooks.. It could be a fun thing to do.
how to: https://litreactor.com/columns/5-less...

I have been thinking about those who may not find it so easy to have someone to read to. I used to work in a nursing home, and it is the same for hospitals, that reading to the sick is usually welcome. Perhaps to volunteer a day, or a few, would make someone's day a bit brighter?

I was going to read aloud to my cats, but just realized I may have a more organic opportunity later on in the spring, when I start a new volunteer position of teaching English to refugee families. Perhaps there will be children I can read to there and integrate it into my teaching plan.

Julie wrote: "I have been thinking about those who may not find it so easy to have someone to read to. I used to work in a nursing home, and it is the same for hospitals, that reading to the sick is usually welc..."
Great Idea.

I'm happy to read about who others will be reading aloud to. I'm an elementary school counselor, and always try to incorporate my love for reading whenever I do lessons with my students. Definitely looking forward to discovering some new books! :)

I thought about reading Crazy Hair to my niece (I got her this book for Christmas!), but then I'd have to drive over there and she might not be interested (one year olds, right?) so instead I'm going to read A Season in Hell to my cat because....why not. he probably won't be too interested either. cats. children.

Bea wrote: "I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner."

I have lived alone for a long time with a dog and cat...sometimes I need to hear the sound of my own voice so I read out loud to them!

Bea wrote: "SealyBug wrote: "Bea wrote: "I have decided to read a children's book to my dog: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner."

LOVE LOVE LOVE Skippyjon!"

Thanks for that vote, ..."

I had a favorite student who performed Skippyjon for a Storytelling competition and she was fabulous. Therefore it has a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy it.

I volunteer as a reading helper at a local school, so this should be easy enough. Only question now is: Roald Dahl or Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr Seuss)

I will probably be reading to the little girl I use to take care of since I still see her once in a while. Probably some Dr. Seuss or one of the Pinkalicious books. If not to her then I'll probably be reading some article off the internet to my guy or my sister.

Dom wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Can you read it into a tape and give it to someone as a gift for them to listen to at a future date?"

This is a lovely idea."

This is truly lovely!

I want to read more Agatha Christie books, so I'll read The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side to my husband. We read And Then There Were None this year and enjoyed it.

It's probably a little long for this task, but I'm going to read The Whipping Boy to my 8 year old daughter, and this will also tick the box for books under 100 pages.

I want to learn Danish, so I wll probably read a Danish children's book to my Danish friend :) I can already read it just fine, but my pronounciation is atrocious, so this is going to be interesting.

I read 'The Day The Crayons Quit' to my boyfriend this morning, didn't take long and I got to 'test' my nieces birthday present so win-win. :)
I wonder if "A little Aloud' would count towards this, although it's an anthology it's a lovely book for reading aloud to people who are unwell, or bed-bound elderly people for example. It's been found to be quite successful for reading to people with dementia. Might be an idea if people don't have any boyfriends/dogs to read to..! :)

Read aloud.
Looking for suggestions on something my cat might enjoy. She's a rescue Snowshoe, and a youngster. Any tips?

my boyfriend and I have decided to do this challenge together so we are going to pick a book of poetry or short stories and switch off reading to each other

I have a 3yr old and 18 month old so I'll have plenty of read aloud opportunities. We get through at least 3 books a night, often repeated over the year... :)

My nine year old and I just finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth (we read it every year).

Phantom Tollbooth was my immediate first thought, Brittany! Love it!

If you want a good laugh, read any of Jenny Lawson's books out loud to a friend/significant other. Great for short bursts since they're basically short stories for each chapter :) furiously happy is amazing but has some more serious content (still hilarious though)

Leslie wrote: "Read aloud.
Looking for suggestions on something my cat might enjoy. She's a rescue Snowshoe, and a youngster. Any tips?"

I can think of three books a younger cat might enjoy:

The Little Island by Golden MacDonald
A Cat's Little Instruction Book by Leigh W. Rutledge
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

This task has been completed. I read The Giving Tree to my neighbours daughter. 2/24 tasks completed

My husband HATES being read to and I don't know any children, so I was thinking about reading something for LibriVox for this one. I'd get to encounter something I'm probably not too familiar with already, and there's another free public domain audiobook in the world. Win for everyone?