Reading Magic

September 3, 2001
Two books for adults pay tribute to children's books and to the artists and writers who create them. In Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever, bestselling picture book author Mem Fox extols the benefits of reading to preschoolers even newborns and gives suggestions for helping children learn to read by themselves. Line drawings by Judy Horacek inject some levity.

In a marvelous example of audio's power to improve lives, a children's book author uses her sparkling vocal personality to promote reading aloud to children. "The fire of literacy," she says, "is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading." The sound of her commitment to this notion and the skillful way she makes her case are only the beginning. Through her appealing vocal skills and the specific techniques she teaches, she persuades listeners that reading aloud to children is not only crucial for the child's appreciation of language but also immensely satisfying for anyone caring for young children. In this isolating age of electronic addictions, reading aloud is a magical way to imprint in our children the need for connections with real people. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine