Raising a Reader: A Mother's Tale of Desperation and Delight

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Summary: Parents Need What This Book Provides -- Perspective & Laughs
Review: As a mother of a six- and eight-year-old who have both approached reading very differently, this book was exactly what I needed -- which was a big deep breath! As I began to question whether "I was doing it right" and when I began to compare my kids to others, I started to panic. It reminded me of the envy and pride I felt when my kids were (or were not) the first ones in their play groups to walk, talk, toilet train, fill in the blank. But with reading it's worse, because you feel like it's something you can and should control and "do better." So, Jennie Nash's book was a welcome pat on the back, arm around the shoulder and loving vote of confidence that I haven't (and I am not going to) screw this up. It's going to be fine and I have to remember to let the love of books, reading and the spoken word happen in its own sweet time. This lesson has helped me in other areas with my kids as well.

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Summary: A Deep Breath & Big Hug for Parents of Beginning Readers
Review: First it's talking, then walking, then potty training. Being a parent is all to often about comparing our kids and their accomplishements to other kids and theirs. When you're little ones start school things heat up even more as you compare their academic achievements and wonderdramatically if they are smart and if you can make them smarter. It's a vicous cycle -- and it can take all the fun out of learning to read, which arguably is one of life's greatest pleasures and rightfully should be a time of fun and exploration with your young child. Jennie Nash knows this. She is admittedly obsessed but candidly shares with us her journey from niggling, nagging, read-to-me Mom to locing, laughing, let's-snuggle-and-read-together Mom. It's a trip we all should take and she shows us how. She also offers lists, tips and tricks to reduce the stress and increase the peace during reading time, homework time and family time. This is a MUST read for anyone with kids under 10!

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Summary: a must read for moms, dads, and grandparents!!
Review: I LOVED THIS BOOK!! as a bona-fide bookaholic mom who wanted more than anything to pass on my great love of books to my own children, this book completely and totally hit home. besides being an utterly charming and enjoyable read, it also has many good parenting/reading tips as well as lists of choice books. i recommend it highly!

Rating:
Summary: Good tips, but...
Review: I'm also a bookaholic mom, so I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I found the author's message in conflict with her actions and had a hard time getting past that. This book presents itself as a guide on how to pass along your passions without being overbearing or minimizing your child's other interests. Nash wants to be able to do this almost as desperately as she wants her daughters to find the same meaning in reading as she has. Both are admirable goals, but the pushy tone pushed me away.

In the chapter titled Grace, Nash paints the picture of her family relaxing in a snowed-in cabin, each one reading by the cozy fire. You can tell this moment, down to the hot chocolate and popcorn, has been a fantasy for her, and she just can't help nudging it towards reality. Nash defines grace as allowing moments like this to "just happen" and encourages her readers to do the same. But she didn't allow the moment to happen - as soon as her youngest, portrayed as the non-reader, finishes her snack, mom prompts her to "pick a book and come read next to me."

If anything, the book served as a cautionary tale for me - when it comes to passions I want to pass on to my daughter, I'm reminded how hard it is to keep yourself in check. That said, Nash seems to have come to that same conclusion intellectually and can share it with her readers, but just finds it difficult to put into practice herself (a very human trait). I gave it three stars because the author provides good tips like keeping a journal of the books your children enjoy, and great reference lists of titles and authors.