Book Smart Reviews
"A fantastic source of practical and easy-to-apply strategies, stories, lessons, and activities for helping children develop early language and literacy skills. As a parent of three young children, I will hold onto this book for years (and refer to it often). Well-written, insightful, and easy-to-read. Highly recommended."
- by Joshua Douglas Smith Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
- by Joshua Douglas Smith Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
"This isn't a book that you'll read once and then put on a shelf. You'll pick it up and use it at every age and stage your child experiences on the path to reading success."
- Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic Inc.
- Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic Inc.
What appeals to me about Book Smart is the way that the reading process is supported by the authors from babyhood through age 8. The book contains lots of practical activities and methods of incorporating the love of reading into everyday life. This is a book to keep on a handy bookshelf in your child's room and pick up as often as possible. Kudos to the authors!
- By Book Momma Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
- By Book Momma Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
"I found this to be an enormously helpful and really interesting book! I devoured it! Book Smart provides so many literacy activities that parents can do with their kids. The activities are not only supported by many scientific studies, but also very easy to implement. Most importantly, children will really love the suggested activities. After reading Book Smart and all the helpful tips and suggestions, I think parents will feel very comfortable helping their children learn to read and get ready for school. I think teachers will really find this book helpful and interesting, too.
One unique thing about this book is that it explained the general principles for supporting children's early literacy and language development in language that makes sense, making it easy for parents and teachers to pick and modify literacy activities for their children based on the research-supported principles. What I found particularly helpful about this part of the book was that these activities can be tailored to children’s individual needs and will effectively promote their literacy development (like building vocabulary, learning letter names and sounds, decoding and comprehending complex text, but also learning to love reading).
The wonderful resources that Book Smart provided are not only for English as native speakers, but also for English as Second or Foreign Language speakers. ELL teachers or parents will find this book to be an abundant resource in fostering their children’s English learning. It's a book I know I'll come back to time and time again. Book Smart provides many cognitive tools and literacy activities that are essential for beginning English learners but usually ignored by ELL teachers and parents in/from Chinese-speaking countries. Book Smart is a productive toolbox for them to successfully support children learning to read."
-By Ang-Chen Tsai - Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
One unique thing about this book is that it explained the general principles for supporting children's early literacy and language development in language that makes sense, making it easy for parents and teachers to pick and modify literacy activities for their children based on the research-supported principles. What I found particularly helpful about this part of the book was that these activities can be tailored to children’s individual needs and will effectively promote their literacy development (like building vocabulary, learning letter names and sounds, decoding and comprehending complex text, but also learning to love reading).
The wonderful resources that Book Smart provided are not only for English as native speakers, but also for English as Second or Foreign Language speakers. ELL teachers or parents will find this book to be an abundant resource in fostering their children’s English learning. It's a book I know I'll come back to time and time again. Book Smart provides many cognitive tools and literacy activities that are essential for beginning English learners but usually ignored by ELL teachers and parents in/from Chinese-speaking countries. Book Smart is a productive toolbox for them to successfully support children learning to read."
-By Ang-Chen Tsai - Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
"This is the thinking parent's What to Expect When You're Raising a Reader, with insightful and practical advice for every age and developmental stage of literacy. The authors bring decades of deep scholarship to the resource and distill it so that it's accessible to parents, educators, or anyone who cares about literacy -- while never talking down to their readers. They trust that you can understand "zones of proximal development," and through clear and relevant explanations, they ensure that you do!
The resource offers entry points for parents or caregivers to engage on any level -- from the importance of simply talking to your child, to providing access to print resources, to telling stories, to sharing reading experiences.
Book Smart also guides families to provide children with intrinsic motivation, with social and emotional benefits that will extend beyond cultivating a love of reading, to fostering skills that will serve children along the path to happy, productive lives.
Reading this book is one of the best investments you can make in your child's future. It's a book to dip into over and over again -- at once skimmable with charts and personal anecdotes, and a reference to read with consideration and care."
- By karen Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
The resource offers entry points for parents or caregivers to engage on any level -- from the importance of simply talking to your child, to providing access to print resources, to telling stories, to sharing reading experiences.
Book Smart also guides families to provide children with intrinsic motivation, with social and emotional benefits that will extend beyond cultivating a love of reading, to fostering skills that will serve children along the path to happy, productive lives.
Reading this book is one of the best investments you can make in your child's future. It's a book to dip into over and over again -- at once skimmable with charts and personal anecdotes, and a reference to read with consideration and care."
- By karen Click on name to see review on Amazon.com
"Book Smart is a big, generous treasure trove of information and instruction for parents. Zibulsky and Cunningham are passionate about the life of the mind and about how reading out loud to our children enriches their cognitive development and education, our families, and the entire community. Written in a clear, vivid style, the book is a perfect blend of practical advice and the theoretical and experimental reasons behind it."
-- Paul Harding, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Tinkers
-- Paul Harding, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Tinkers
"Book Smart, by top scholars, offers a reliable and up-to-date summary of what helps children become better readers. The emphasis on the spoken word - on reading aloud to children and on direct spoken interchanges between children and caregivers (unusual in a book on reading) is well established in research, is enormously important, and is especially welcome. Congratulations!"
-- E. D. Hirsch, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Education and Humanities, University of Virginia; Author of The Knowledge Deficit and Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know
-- E. D. Hirsch, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Education and Humanities, University of Virginia; Author of The Knowledge Deficit and Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know
"Book Smart is a wonderful resource, a book that I read from cover-to-cover. Parents will find the most comprehensive information about reading to date and the crucial skills that are essential for its development. But what distinguishes this book among all the others is that while these authors are pre-eminent in the field of reading, they write with an eye carefully calibrated to their audience... These authors have masterfully unlocked the black box of learning to read in a way that never loses the passion and sheer intelligence they bring to their subject. It is a joy to read and will become a well-worn guide for parents and students of reading."
--Susan B. Neuman, Professor and Chair, Teaching and Learning Department, NYU; Co-Editor, Reading Research Quarterly; former Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education
--Susan B. Neuman, Professor and Chair, Teaching and Learning Department, NYU; Co-Editor, Reading Research Quarterly; former Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education
"Written in parent-speak, Book Smart morphs the latest findings on reading development into fun activities and advice. Thank you Cunningham and Zibulsky for giving parents the toolkit that will help them raise literate, book-happy kids who learn to savor words and to inhabit new worlds through the printed page. Bravo!"
--Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Professor of Psychology, Temple University
--Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Professor of Psychology, Temple University
"As a school psychologist and a mother of two, I love this book two times over! The psychologist in me is thrilled that it really focuses on the research and science behind reading, and the busy mom in me appreciates how incredibly user-friendly it is. First of all, you can utilize different chapters at different times, particularly if you have children of various ages who are working on different reading or pre-reading skills. Second, there are plenty of visual aids, tables, figures, etc. that allow you to pick it up and quickly get the information you need--which is essential for a busy parent who only has a few minutes to read during nap time or before passing out at the end of the day! It also addresses not just reading, but writing development as well. Most of all, from the outset it made me feel like I was doing something wonderful for my children just by taking the time to read it!
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This book has become my go-to baby gift for new parents and will be for years to come! Every parent with a newborn, toddler, preschooler or school-age child should get this book!
By MCG Click the name to see review on Amazon
By MCG Click the name to see review on Amazon
"As a school psychologist and a mother of two, I love this book two times over! The psychologist in me is thrilled that it really focuses on the research and science behind reading, and the busy mom in me appreciates how incredibly user-friendly it is. First of all, you can utilize different chapters at different times, particularly if you have children of various ages who are working on different reading or pre-reading skills. Second, there are plenty of visual aids, tables, figures, etc. that allow you to pick it up and quickly get the information you need--which is essential for a busy parent who only has a few minutes to read during nap time or before passing out at the end of the day! It also addresses not just reading, but writing development as well. Most of all, from the outset it made me feel like I was doing something wonderful for my children just by taking the time to read it!"
By nathalie ziras Click the name to review on Amazon
By nathalie ziras Click the name to review on Amazon
"As a new grandmother, I am just beginning to think again about many topics that haven't been a focus of my life for the past 25 years, and helping children learn to become successful readers is one of them. As an avid reader myself who raised four kids who love to read, I know I must have been doing something right. But schools have changed so much since I was bringing up my children, and I want to make sure my granddaughter knows everything she needs to know to do well in school. This book helped reassure me that many of the strategies that will help kids enjoy reading and become good readers are common sense. Many of the practical activities and fun games that the authors suggest using with toddlers and early elementary school children are similar to the ones I've always used, but the authors helped me understand why each of these activities is important and which specific reading skills each strategy helps to build. I have already bought a copy of this book for my son and his wife, and I think the way it is written makes it a great handbook for parents who want their children to become readers. I'm so glad I bought it!"
By Maureen Johns Click the name to review on Amazon
By Maureen Johns Click the name to review on Amazon
"This is a must read for any new or expecting parent. It's filled with practical tips, that you can use everyday, and at the same time, is based on years of academic research from the authors. It's like taking a college class on child development, though years later, when it actually matters.
Perhaps the most important point of the book is also it's most basic, though one I almost overlooked: Read to you kids! Talk to your kids! About everything! All the time!
Your children will learn by patterning the behavior, and you'll enjoy the time with them more. "Look, Isaac, a bird. What does a bird say? Tweet tweet. See the bird fly away." So, practical, fact-based, good for parents and even better for kids."
By Tim Koelzer Click the name to review on Amazon
Perhaps the most important point of the book is also it's most basic, though one I almost overlooked: Read to you kids! Talk to your kids! About everything! All the time!
Your children will learn by patterning the behavior, and you'll enjoy the time with them more. "Look, Isaac, a bird. What does a bird say? Tweet tweet. See the bird fly away." So, practical, fact-based, good for parents and even better for kids."
By Tim Koelzer Click the name to review on Amazon
"Book Smart is a smart book written with busy parents in mind. This intelligent how-to guide is full of techniques for getting kids to successfully read at each level of development along with well-designed exercises to try out with kids, whether you're a parent or a teacher. I especially love the table format of "what to do" and "how to do it" which is especially helpful to readers preferring bite-sized chunks on which you can take immediate action.
First time parents would be especially wise to read Book Smart before your young ones start to read. You'll find tips about reading and writing in front of your kids as well as lists of books that map to the literacy skill areas in which your kids need to develop.
Simple, wise advice that is backed by the knowledge of psychologists and an education professor who is a former preschool and grade-school teacher as well as a parent."
By Susie Wyshak Click the name to review on Amazon
First time parents would be especially wise to read Book Smart before your young ones start to read. You'll find tips about reading and writing in front of your kids as well as lists of books that map to the literacy skill areas in which your kids need to develop.
Simple, wise advice that is backed by the knowledge of psychologists and an education professor who is a former preschool and grade-school teacher as well as a parent."
By Susie Wyshak Click the name to review on Amazon
"When I first came across Book Smart: How to Develop and Support Successful, Motivated Readers* by Anne Cunningham and Jamie Zibulsky (Oxford Press), I was drawn to it because I wanted to know more about how to help my kids to be internally motivated to read over the long haul. We've hit a few bumps in the road on our literacy journey- boredom, obsessions with other (electronic) things, a struggle with the desire to learn to read, and trouble with comprehension in our fast reader, and I wondered if perhaps this tome wouldn't be a good resource to have for my reference shelf.
After working my way through most of this book (which is not a quick task-- over 400 pages!), I have learned so much about how to support my children at the different ages and stages of reading, writing, and also how technology can support their efforts. As we move into a digital age, books that talk about literacy will no longer be relevant if they don't address the digital age in which we live. I've learned some guidelines in determining which of those activities on Pinterest are probably actually helpful and which ones I can skip over. AND, probably the biggest thing I've learned is that reading with my kids (while fantastic and incredibly important) is not the only thing that kids need in order to be successful, motivated readers. There is also a second aspect, teaching our kids explicitly about books, reading, writing, etc., that is vital as well. I recognize some errors that I have made in-between first kid and third kid, and I'm hopeful that I can be a more intentional teacher of my kiddos from here on out."
By Tiffany Malloy Click the name to review on Amazon
After working my way through most of this book (which is not a quick task-- over 400 pages!), I have learned so much about how to support my children at the different ages and stages of reading, writing, and also how technology can support their efforts. As we move into a digital age, books that talk about literacy will no longer be relevant if they don't address the digital age in which we live. I've learned some guidelines in determining which of those activities on Pinterest are probably actually helpful and which ones I can skip over. AND, probably the biggest thing I've learned is that reading with my kids (while fantastic and incredibly important) is not the only thing that kids need in order to be successful, motivated readers. There is also a second aspect, teaching our kids explicitly about books, reading, writing, etc., that is vital as well. I recognize some errors that I have made in-between first kid and third kid, and I'm hopeful that I can be a more intentional teacher of my kiddos from here on out."
By Tiffany Malloy Click the name to review on Amazon
"What an amazing book. Clear accessible information arranged logically so parents can raise kids who love to read. As a school librarian, reading teacher and literacy educator, I highly recommend this book."
By Helen Huber Click name to review on Amazon
By Helen Huber Click name to review on Amazon
From the point of view of a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), I think SLPs will benefit greatly from reading this book, especially those who work in schools. This book is a great source for SLPs to share with the parents and teachers with whom they work, on how oral language is highly related to reading acquisition. Moreover, I think SLPs will find great ideas to implement in their practice when targeting language and literacy goals.
By Gat Click name to review on Amazon
By Gat Click name to review on Amazon
"There are many books out there on reading development and on helping your child love reading. I have read most of them, so I know! This book is the first of its kind to bridge these important topics. It translates the research in a practical way and includes numerous examples to support us parents as we help our children in delving into the wonderful world of literature. The book provides important insights into the developmental nature and acquisition of a variety of literacy skills. And, most importantly, it incorporates the ways in which motivational and other social-emotional factors should be considered to maximize kids' engagement with books. My three-year-old and infant will benefit tremendously from my reading of this book. I will be referencing it throughout their school careers and lives! My kids are going to be so far ahead of the curve in terms of literacy development and most importantly, their love of reading!"
By Katie Raher Click name to review on Amazon
By Katie Raher Click name to review on Amazon
"The suggestions provided in this book are abundant, easily implemented, and well-supported. The authors are well-versed in (and have contributed to) the research on reading, and they make their expertise very accessible to parents. Chapters are broken down by language skill, and each chapter includes tables of resources and activities that parents can use for YEARS as their children learn to process language, speak, read, comprehend, and even write. Though many parents think of reading as a skill that starts in in or just before school age, this book makes it clear that fundamental skills are being developed much earlier. It's never too early to start!
One of my favorite things about the book is that it identifies opportunities for learning and growth in everyday experiences from car rides to bedtime to trips to the zoo, and it makes reading (and talking and listening) a fun and meaningful part of the parent-child relationship."
By Stevie Click name to review on Amazon
One of my favorite things about the book is that it identifies opportunities for learning and growth in everyday experiences from car rides to bedtime to trips to the zoo, and it makes reading (and talking and listening) a fun and meaningful part of the parent-child relationship."
By Stevie Click name to review on Amazon
This gem of a book is packed with practical advice on how to foster both reading skills in children and the lifelong love of reading. The authors have succeeded in writing a book that is a great read. The chapters start with oral language and what parents can do with their infants and toddlers that will lead to later reading comprehension ability in the early school years. The authors describe a variety of fascinating connections and back them up with a host of scientific research in the references. Each chapter after that follows the child’s development as they learn to read, and discusses the major literacy milestones and activities that parents can do at each stage.
I really liked how the authors’ emphasis both head and heart. The last chapter on social emotional development did a great job tying everything together. The authors describe the powerful role that reading with your child can have in bringing about a shared level of closeness and warmth, and in fostering the child’s social emotional development.
By Parent Click name to review on Amazon
I really liked how the authors’ emphasis both head and heart. The last chapter on social emotional development did a great job tying everything together. The authors describe the powerful role that reading with your child can have in bringing about a shared level of closeness and warmth, and in fostering the child’s social emotional development.
By Parent Click name to review on Amazon
"I bought Book Smart last week, and it has already completely changed the way I read to my son. Now that he is 15 months old and really showing an interest in books, I have so many questions about the right way to support his academic development. Book Smart answered them all and, more importantly, reassured me that the best way to help my son is to focus on activities that feel fun and natural. This book really helps parents understand the theories behind reading development, and then think practically about how to do things with their children that don't take too much time, but really pay off. I'll keep referring back to this book throughout my son's school years, and have already recommended it to all my friends! It is so easy to read, and you can really relate to the way the authors explain things. My son is responding so well to this new way of reading, and he gets so excited when we look at books together. I can't say enough about this book! I highly recommend it."
By Madeline Click name to review on Amazon
By Madeline Click name to review on Amazon
"This book is well-written, engaging, and is an excellent resource for anyone involved in educating children. Truly essential reading. The authors provide a wealth of information on HOW to help children become readers. It's a resource I will use often! I highly recommend this book!!"
By Catmac Click name to review on Amazon
By Catmac Click name to review on Amazon
This is the thinking parent's What to Expect When You're Raising a Reader, with insightful and practical advice for every age and developmental stage of literacy. The authors bring decades of deep scholarship to the resource and distill it so that it's accessible to parents, educators, or anyone who cares about literacy -- while never talking down to their readers. They trust that you can understand "zones of proximal development," and through clear and relevant explanations, they ensure that you do!
The resource offers entry points for parents or caregivers to engage on any level -- from the importance of simply talking to your child, to providing access to print resources, to telling stories, to sharing reading experiences.
Book Smart also guides families to provide children with intrinsic motivation, with social and emotional benefits that will extend beyond cultivating a love of reading, to fostering skills that will serve children along the path to happy, productive lives.
Reading this book is one of the best investments you can make in your child's future. It's a book to dip into over and over again -- at once skimmable with charts and personal anecdotes, and a reference to read with consideration and care.
By karen Click name to review on Amazon
The resource offers entry points for parents or caregivers to engage on any level -- from the importance of simply talking to your child, to providing access to print resources, to telling stories, to sharing reading experiences.
Book Smart also guides families to provide children with intrinsic motivation, with social and emotional benefits that will extend beyond cultivating a love of reading, to fostering skills that will serve children along the path to happy, productive lives.
Reading this book is one of the best investments you can make in your child's future. It's a book to dip into over and over again -- at once skimmable with charts and personal anecdotes, and a reference to read with consideration and care.
By karen Click name to review on Amazon
When I first came across Book Smart: How to Develop and Support Successful, Motivated Readers* by Anne Cunningham and Jamie Zibulsky (Oxford Press), I was drawn to it because I wanted to know more about how to help my kids to be internally motivated to read over the long haul. We've hit a few bumps in the road on our literacy journey- boredom, obsessions with other (electronic) things, a struggle with the desire to learn to read, and trouble with comprehension in our fast reader, and I wondered if perhaps this tome wouldn't be a good resource to have for my reference shelf.
After working my way through most of this book (which is not a quick task-- over 400 pages!), I have learned so much about how to support my children at the different ages and stages of reading, writing, and also how technology can support their efforts. As we move into a digital age, books that talk about literacy will no longer be relevant if they don't address the digital age in which we live. I've learned some guidelines in determining which of those activities on Pinterest are probably actually helpful and which ones I can skip over. AND, probably the biggest thing I've learned is that reading with my kids (while fantastic and incredibly important) is not the only thing that kids need in order to be successful, motivated readers. There is also a second aspect, teaching our kids explicitly about books, reading, writing, etc., that is vital as well. I recognize some errors that I have made in-between first kid and third kid, and I'm hopeful that I can be a more intentional teacher of my kiddos from here on out.
By Tiffany Malloy Click name to review on Amazon
After working my way through most of this book (which is not a quick task-- over 400 pages!), I have learned so much about how to support my children at the different ages and stages of reading, writing, and also how technology can support their efforts. As we move into a digital age, books that talk about literacy will no longer be relevant if they don't address the digital age in which we live. I've learned some guidelines in determining which of those activities on Pinterest are probably actually helpful and which ones I can skip over. AND, probably the biggest thing I've learned is that reading with my kids (while fantastic and incredibly important) is not the only thing that kids need in order to be successful, motivated readers. There is also a second aspect, teaching our kids explicitly about books, reading, writing, etc., that is vital as well. I recognize some errors that I have made in-between first kid and third kid, and I'm hopeful that I can be a more intentional teacher of my kiddos from here on out.
By Tiffany Malloy Click name to review on Amazon
I thought this book was a terrific resource guide for parents. I am a pediatric speech/language pathologist who is also a parent to young children. I found this book to be accessible to all parents while not sacrificing the provision of evidence from current findings in clinical research. I felt like I could apply so many of the tips to use with both my students and my own children. I especially loved the tech tips which provided suggestions on ways to integrate technology with literacy.
By Andrew Becker Click name to review on Amazon
By Andrew Becker Click name to review on Amazon
This is a must read for any new or expecting parent. It's filled with practical tips, that you can use everyday, and at the same time, is based on years of academic research from the authors. It's like taking a college class on child development, though years later, when it actually matters.
Perhaps the most important point of the book is also it's most basic, though one I almost overlooked: Read to you kids! Talk to your kids! About everything! All the time!
Your children will learn by patterning the behavior, and you'll enjoy the time with them more. "Look, Isaac, a bird. What does a bird say? Tweet tweet. See the bird fly away." So, practical, fact-based, good for parents and even better for kids.
By Tim Koelzer Click name to review on Amazon
Perhaps the most important point of the book is also it's most basic, though one I almost overlooked: Read to you kids! Talk to your kids! About everything! All the time!
Your children will learn by patterning the behavior, and you'll enjoy the time with them more. "Look, Isaac, a bird. What does a bird say? Tweet tweet. See the bird fly away." So, practical, fact-based, good for parents and even better for kids.
By Tim Koelzer Click name to review on Amazon
Book Smart is a smart book written with busy parents in mind. This intelligent how-to guide is full of techniques for getting kids to successfully read at each level of development along with well-designed exercises to try out with kids, whether you're a parent or a teacher. I especially love the table format of "what to do" and "how to do it" which is especially helpful to readers preferring bite-sized chunks on which you can take immediate action.
First time parents would be especially wise to read Book Smart before your young ones start to read. You'll find tips about reading and writing in front of your kids as well as lists of books that map to the literacy skill areas in which your kids need to develop.
Simple, wise advice that is backed by the knowledge of psychologists and an education professor who is a former preschool and grade-school teacher as well as a parent.
By Susie Wyshak Click name to review on Amazon
First time parents would be especially wise to read Book Smart before your young ones start to read. You'll find tips about reading and writing in front of your kids as well as lists of books that map to the literacy skill areas in which your kids need to develop.
Simple, wise advice that is backed by the knowledge of psychologists and an education professor who is a former preschool and grade-school teacher as well as a parent.
By Susie Wyshak Click name to review on Amazon
I just got my copy of Book Smart and couldn't put it down! It is full of great ideas that are solidly supported by research and is written in a very engaging manner. I'm sure parents will love it, but the audience I am urging to buy it are practicing teachers. If you are a classroom teacher and you need to provide the parents of your students with activities that you can trust to support reading development, this is the book for you! Along the way you will find yourself adding to your own knowledge about reading development and instruction. Drs. Cunningham and Zibulsky are the professors you should have had for those reading courses you took in your teacher training program! Let them refresh your learning so that you can help your students and their parents. I can't recommend this book highly enough. You will profit and so will your students.
By Psy Prof "cogreader" Click name to review on Amazon
By Psy Prof "cogreader" Click name to review on Amazon