The Book Whisperer

Starred review from March 15, 2009
Miller, a sixth-grade language arts and social studies teacher and blogger, has enabled students of many different backgrounds to enjoy reading and to be good at it; her students regularly score high on the Texas standardized tests. Her approach is simple yet provocative: affirm the reader in every student, allow students to choose their own books, carve out extra reading time, model authentic reading behaviors, discard timeworn reading assignments such as book reports and comprehension worksheets, and develop a classroom library filled with high-interest books. Her students regularly read more than 40 books in a school year and leave her classroom with an appreciation and love of books and reading. Miller provides many tips for teachers and parents and includes a useful list of ultimate reading suggestions picked by her students. This outstanding contribution to the literature is highly recommended for teachers, parents, and others serving young students.Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2009
Because she couldnt find a book that showed her how to use her own love of books to imbue her elementary students with the same love, Miller, Teacher Magazine blogger, decided to write her own. She recalls her personal journey as a teacher and the surprise and disappointment of learning that book loving cannot be automatically passed on to students. No more having the whole class read the same novel. She gave her students questionnaires to determine their interests and personally selected stacks of books of possible interest to them, then allowed them to read independentlyat least 40 books a school year. She recounts the experience of some students struggling and others exhilarated by the freedom to read. Millers tactics resulted in improvement in her students vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. She also saw students respect book suggestions that came from a readers passion rather than a teachers agenda. Miller includes reading lists, activities, questionnaires, and other resources. Although aimed at teachers, this book will also definitely appeal to parents interested in encouraging their children to read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)