The Read-Aloud Handbook

By Jim Trelease

First published in 1982

I purchased this book brand new in 1985 when I was a student in Child Development.  Could that really have been over 30 years ago?

I have quite a collection of books on child development and best practices for education and child-rearing that range from Locke on Education, written in 1693, to several volumes from 2015.  What one is taught to be the best way to discipline, or potty train, or the best time to begin introducing solid foods changes quite a bit from one generation to the next.  Spanking, once considered a necessity for the raising of a well-developed mature person, is now taboo.  I have one book from many years ago that suggests starting infants with a good dose of honey every day.  These days, honey jars come with warning signs to never give it to infants under one year old!

It can be quite overwhelming trying to figure out what is really best and to wonder if what we are doing for our children now will one day be considering harmful.

There is one constant though, from Locke’s thoughts from 1693 to Trelease’s Read-Aloud handbook from 1982, to the books published today.  Reading to children is ALWAYS good!  Always was – always will be!  No question about it!  That’s one thing we can rest easy about!