RAR #130: Reading Aloud as an Obstinate Act of Love, with Meghan Cox Gurdon

In our culture today, is reading aloud an ‘obstinate act of love?’ Meghan Cox Gurdon, this week’s guest and author of The Enchanted Hour, believes so.

Meghan is the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer and says her five kids were a built-in focus group.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• the power of reading books again and again
• the value of conversations around books
• is reading aloud real reading?

I also answer a listener question about how to continue reading aloud throughout the summer when schedules are wonky, and share some of my favorite audio books for preschool-age children.

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Listener Guide

Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast:

1:37	Reading aloud through the summer
6:47	Meet Meghan Cox Gurdon
7:35	A rich vocabulary
9:54	Interacting with your kids through books
11:31	Reading the same books again and again
14:52	Dialogic reading
17:56	Powerful silence
18:33	The Rough Patch by Brian Lies
22:13	Is reading aloud cheating? Is it real reading?
26:14	Reading with eyes, reading with ears
28:33	Problematic books
35:35	Let the Kids Speak

Links from this episode:

• Audible Deals
• Books to Help Your Grieving Child: Picture books about Loss

Quotes to remember:

“Maybe that is part of the power of reading aloud, it is an invitation into, ‘Here, come sit next to me, let’s do this together.'” – Sarah Mackenzie

“It really is one of the most consequential, beautiful, and nourishing things we can do. The list of good effects of reading aloud is almost without end.” – Meghan Cox Gurdon

(Download the transcript above for more quotes and pull-outs.)

Books from this episode:

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You’ll also enjoy:

• Kate DiCamillo on Reading Aloud for Connection
• What Kids Really Need (and Want) with Dr. Meg Meeker
• Raising Kids Who Read, Daniel Willingham