Favorite Excerpts from The Read Aloud Handbook

"The purpose of literature is to provide meaning in our lives,” said Bruno Betelheim, Child Psychologist. “Finding this meaning is the greatest need and most difficult achievement for any human being at any age. Who am I? Why am I here? What can I be?” –Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook.

At work Kenneth often turns into the resident religious or life counselor. I can’t tell you how many times a coworker approaching the birth of a first baby has come in to talk to him about this basic quest. They realize that in just a short time they will be responsible for answering these questions for their child. Or at least to lead them in the right direction to find these answers themselves. The reason these friends seek out Kenneth’s advice is because they realize he seems to feel confident that he has found these answers himself. Although this is really a lifelong quest, reading the scriptures regularly with your children will help to answer these questions.

On that note, let’s talk about Fairy Tales. I have always been very frustrated with the way Disney waters down fairy tales. Did you know in the real version of The Little Mermaid she turns into sea foam? This is a huge life lesson. You cannot always have your cake and eat it too. There are also other important themes about temptations and sacrifice that are left out of the Disney version.

Though we might think the original version of fairy tales might be too frightening for young children they “admit to the child what so many parents try to cover up or avoid. The fairy tale confirms what the child has been thinking all along – that it is a cold, cruel world out there waiting to eat him alive.” It tells the child to, “take courage and if you persist, you can overcome any obstacle, conquer any foe. And best of all you can achieve your heart’s desire,” writes Jim Trelease.

“By recognizing the child’s daily fears, by addressing his courage and confidence, and by offering him hope the fairy tale presents the child with a means by which he can understand his world and himself,” continues Jim Trelease. To only read dramatically altered versions of fairy tales, “you rob your child of their essential meaning.”

“The two factors most responsible for giving the child this belief that he can make a significant contribution to life are: parents, teachers and literature” – Betelheim

“Children who are not spoken to by live and responsive adults will not learn to speak properly. Children who are not answered will stop asking question. They will become incurious. And children who are not told stories and who are not read to will have few reasons for wanting to learn to read.” - Gail E. Haley

“Fathers should make and extra effort to read to their children. Because 90% of their primary school teachers are women, young boy often associate reading with women and school work.” – Jim Trelease

I remember after Awsumb began reading more and more silently to himself I didn’t feel as if he needed me to read to him as much. I realize it was silly to feel this way.

Jim Trelease says, “The human voice is one of the most powerful tools for calming a child.”

This is so true. How do we calm babies? By talking to them, reassuring them... I personally LOVE to be read to. I am lucky enough that Kenneth will read aloud to me often. And for years now we have been Audible (an audio book monthly service) addicts! But books on tape do not provide the same thing a live person can. Audio books do not have discussion time.

We know a young man who had such a severe injury this past summer that during his recovery he could not even see well enough to watch TV. I know that his mother spent many hours reading to him. I am sure this brought him much comfort to him, especially during the beginning of his recovery process.

A few other good pieces of advice… Keep a good selection of books in the house. Just like a consumer “How much it eventually buys is determined by how much you have on display.” Also, have many different types of reading material, magazines, etc. Introduce your children to new authors, forms of media, etc. “Awareness comes before desire,” reminds Jim Trelease.

“Literature brings us closest to the human heart… When you read aloud to children you are fulfilling one of the noblest duties of cultured man.” –Jim Trelease