by Brianne Anderson

Way back in the 1982, Jim Trelease published the book, “The Read-Aloud Handbook.” Over the years, the book has gone through eight updates (the latest coming in 2019) and has sold millions of copies. In the world of books and publishing, 41 years is an incredible time for a book to stay in print, especially when the book addresses child-rearing topics which we know experts often debate.

This book has longevity because Jim Trelease captured in print one thing almost everyone can agree on: reading aloud to children is important. But not only is it good for them, it’s easy to do and the outcomes are extremely beneficial.

Research has proven over and over that reading aloud to children is one of the single best things you can do to help a child learn to read. The more words they hear, the better context they are able to understand, successfully communicate in complex situations, and more easily interpret and navigate the world around them. The more children hear stories, the more synapses fire in their brains. Reading aloud to children literally builds their brains.

The best thing about all this research and literature? 20 minutes a day is all a parent needs to make a difference. 20 minutes isn’t a magic number and won’t guarantee success; But studies show that kids who have been read to consistently at least 20 minutes a day learn to read in school more easily and are more motivated to put the work into figuring it out.

Parenting is hard and finding hours to sit down and read together isn’t possible for many families. Finding 20 minutes, however, usually is. As a busy, working parent, I’m constantly trying to figure out how much I can manage to get done in the little time I have between work and other activities. I don’t often take 20 minutes to go walk a mile, or sit down to write a letter, but making sure I take 20 minutes to read to my kids most nights ends my day on a positive note. Not only do I have a few quality minutes with my kids, but I can walk away knowing it helped move them one step closer to being successful readers in life.

I challenge all you parents and caregivers out there to find 20 minutes a day with your children and read stories aloud. If you need suggestions on what to read, APL librarians are always ready to help!