Reading Tips

Embracing the Digital Age In this rapidly evolving digital age, it is only natural that technology has become an integral part of our lives, including the way we engage with books and stories. As parents, it is important to strike a balance between traditional and digital forms of reading, ensuring ...

Let's Read a Book Together! Reading is not just a solitary activity; it can be a wonderful opportunity for families to bond, learn, and grow together. By incorporating interactive reading techniques, families can make the reading experience more engaging and enjoyable. In this article, we will explore various methods such ...

Porch.com recently reached out for advice from experts, like BookSpring, to provide book lovers with tips on various topics. This is an excerpt from the article written by Lorena Romo. Every book lover will agree that reading not only brings you lots of benefits, but it can take you to ...

The promotion of literacy at home has long-term benefits for the whole family. Reading together not only has developmental benefits, but it also increases the parent and caregiver-child bond, creating healthier relationships and a more solid sense of security and empathy long-term. Steps to create a reader-friendly environment that inspires ...

For a young reader, having access to books is paramount. Research suggests that increasing the number of books available to students, especially at a young age, leads to higher reading scores and academic achievement overall. More books in the classroom and at home means a student has more to choose ...

Research confirms that families play an essential role in promoting early literacy. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, reading daily to young children helps their brain development (O’Keefe, 2014). Families can foster engagement while promoting early literacy! Reading together establishes a shared event in which stronger bonds develop between parents, ...

Why Celebrate Reading Milestones? Reading milestones are important moments to acknowledge and celebrate within a family. Recognizing and rewarding reading accomplishments not only provides a sense of achievement but also reinforces the joy and value of reading. In this article, we will explore the significance of celebrating reading milestones and ...

By Emily Ball Cicchini, PhD Making Back To School Special This year back to school feels so strange for so many families.  The comforting routines and rituals we normally repeat this time of year, from purchasing school supplies to meeting the new teachers to getting back to a schedule of ...

Summer is the perfect time for kids to immerse themselves in reading U.S. Bank employees are teaming up with us to promote summer reading! Employees shared some of their top children’s book recommendations for kids age 6-8. Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene Review by Lauren Mcconnell The Nancy Drew ...

We're reposting this guest blog, by Natalia Mirkowicz, to encourage parents and caregivers, during quarantine, to establish a reading routine with their babies at home. Here's why... A common misconception among families is that literacy education starts during the school years. Yet, research shows that starting to read and speak ...

Encouraging diversity in your children's books early can create a sense of empathy and representation in young readers. While some readers yearn to find themselves in a book, others can learn about experiences outside their own. Diversity in children's books is essential for building a more compassionate world. We've compiled ...

Parents and educators, BookSpring has compiled another list of Spanish-language educational videos and reading materials that are perfect for engaging young children. These links feature resources that are educational and entertaining. They’re ideal for young native Spanish speakers, and for newcomers to the language eager to learn new words! Read ...

Love to read even if it doesn't come easily Encouraging reading at home can sometimes present challenges for families. Distractions, time constraints, and reluctant readers can hinder the reading experience. However, with practical strategies and solutions, these obstacles can be overcome, fostering a positive reading environment. In this article, we ...

BookSpring recommends that families explore reading together at home online. Digital children's books can be a terrific online addition to a print library, if the e-books are simple (without lots of pop-up distractions) and if they are used to read together as a family. Our friends at Unite for Literacy ...

By: Rebecca Shah In our house there are about 15 minutes after supper and before we start the bedtime routine that are often challenging for our five-year-old and two-year-old (and, frankly, for us). The kids are tired and grumpy. It feels impossible to share and absolutely necessary to burst into ...

By Natalie Kelly Be The Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story is the recently published follow up to 2014’s Grandfather Gandhi. Local author, Bethany Hegedus and Arun Gandhi, Mohandas K. Gandhi’s grandson, wrote both books. Bethany Hegedus will be speaking and signing copies of her book this weekend at BookPeople. It ...

By Jill Gonzalez I remember wonderful hours spent under a makeshift tent of blankets and our picnic table under the shade of a beautiful oak tree reading the books I had found at the library. That tent was a magical place, only to be ventured out of for Kool-Aid, or ...

by Cynthia Ivey La translación en español puede ser encontrada aquí. We all know that reading is an essential building block for literacy, but what if English is not your first language or not a language you speak at all?  The need for Spanish and bilingual (English/Spanish) books for children ...

by Mateo Ibranji 54% of parents do not read aloud A new survey shows how far we have to go to encourage parents to read aloud to their children. Conducted by Read Aloud 15 Minutes, a national campaign to increase reading aloud at home, the report shows that fewer than half (46%) ...

by Sophia Toprac Kwanzaa, the Pan-African Diaspora Holiday, is a great time to read a book about this unique holiday to a child! The week long holiday spans from December 26th to January 1st and is a time for African-Americans to reconnect with their roots, and with each other, by ...

by Sophia Toprac An article recently published by the New York Times that discusses recent studies that reveal the benefits of reading aloud to your child. The article points to studies done across the nation that found that the three main traits that all the most voracious young readers seems ...

There are so many good reasons to read!  Here are some of BookSpring's favorite quotes about the importance of reading: "Babies are born with the instinct to speak, the way spiders are born with the instinct to spin webs. You don't need to train babies to speak; they just do ...

by Emily Ball Cicchini, Executive Director My home was one of the many hit by the Texas Memorial Day floods. We are only now getting everything back in order, thanks to many helpful friends and services, particularly two burly men from Stanley Steamer and two helpful home inspectors from FEMA ...

There is something totally inspiring about a person who dedicates their life to a mission that is impossible to complete. A mission impossible, if you will. Lynda Johnson Robb is one of these people. Speaking at the BookSpring Storybook Heroes Luncheon on May 6, 2015, she recounted how her interest ...

Submitted by: Hannah and her amazing mom I started reading Madeline to my daughter Hannah when she was tiny, around 2 months old.  We'd read it two to three times a week before bedtime until she was at least 2-and-a-half, and still read it very frequently. She learned so much ...

Submitted by: Garrett Lenderman I’ve read books my entire life, and I have my parents to thank for that. My mother was an avid reader of “grocery store” novels growing up, and encouraged me to read books with her on Sunday afternoons. And my father, whenever he would catch me ...

Submitted by: Catherine Makk My favorite childhood reading memory features Little House on the Prairie. I remember going to the backroom of my Aunt Theresa's farmhouse. It had a little sitting room that was a small library, and she had all of these old books. I read all of the ...

Submitted by: Kelly Breeden My favorite books as a child were The Value Tale series written by Ann Donegan Johnson and Dr. Spencer Johnson. My mom purchased these treasures that tell inspiring stories of famous people, while sharing examples of different values such as leadership, honesty, helping others, and saving ...

Submitted by: Brett Smith Reading, for me, is about time with my girls. Every night, after bath time, we sit down to read their favorite books. Like most parents, time with my kids is precious. My girls have grown up in a completely different time than I did. The world ...

Submitted by: Ellen Curtis I have such fond memories of this book from when I was a little girl. Although I think it is now available in full size, I distinctly remember my well-worn version was a very small mini-book. But, it taught me a BIG lesson in girl power, ...