Book Review :: What to Read When by Pam Allyn

What to Read When
By Pam Allyn
Founder and Director of LitLife

If you are a parent, or even an early childhood/elementary school educator, this is a book you definitely want on your bookshelf! If there was any book that would help you in finding the right books to answer certain questions, follow a theme, or even just to fill in a space that you want to for holidays and special occasions, Pam Allyn has written it.

What to Read When helps parents and educators choose book to help children become creative, curious learners who want to read all the time, which molds them into lifelong readers. I personally believe one of the most important activities a parent can do with their children is read. Michael and I read every night before bed, in the car on road trips, and whenever we are sitting in the doctor’s office. It is the most intimate time I have with my son. Now, Leilani is nine years old, and I do not necessarily read to her anymore, but in return she reads to me. I feel I have helped mold that desire to be a reader within Leilani because I started reading to her at a young age and going through the same reading routine I do with Michael.

Allyn has set up When to Read When in a manner that you can flip through, find what you need, and not necessarily read it from cover to cover. While you can, I feel this is a keeper because you can flip through it when you need to and always refer back to it another time. There is no set way to read it, and it is easy to get through.

When to Read When offers the following:

• “Why We Must Read to and with Our Children” – a great article that puts the exact idea into perspective
• “The Four Keys to Helping Your Child Become a Lifelong Reader” – this article is definitely a good one to have on hand if you want to find a way to burst that reading element into your child
• “Supporting Your Child’s Reading Life: Frequently Asked Questions” – any question that has filtered into your mind about how to get your child to read and continue to read, it is answered in this article
• “Landmark Books” – I truly agree with Allyn when it comes to her landmark books. These are ones I have had on my shelves since I could snag them, some have been on my own bookshelf since I was Leilani’s age!
• “How to Read Aloud” – it is important to understand the means to reading aloud, although one does develop their own style, including tips on how to extend reading time
• “The Chronological “When”: The Reader’s Ladder” – this, I believe, is one of the best part of the book! I have used most of these books with my children already, but totally agree with Allyn’s recommendations! Allyn walks you through birth up to ten years old with her recommendations.
• “The Emotional “When”: Fifty Essential Themes” – I do not believe Allyn left anything out from a parent’s, or educator’s, perspective with these book recommendations! If you are looking for a great book to fit a certain theme, this list has it!

Overall, I recommend this book to any parent or educator. I will keep this book on my bookshelf for years to come because I value the information within the covers. Allyn definitely wrote a book I could have used years ago when I began working with children and becoming a mother.

Image credit goes to Barnes and Noble.