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Today we have a special visit from the man behind the Read Aloud Dad blog. And here he is . . .

Um, wait. There’s a story behind this photo. Read Aloud Dad explains . . .

“I don’t blog under my read name, as I felt it could become a distraction from the message. One of my goals when I started blogging was to promote the idea of fathers reading aloud to their kids. Not a specific father like me — I wanted every father to identify with the idea of “Read Aloud Dad.” Think about it. I could be your next door neighbor, your boss at work, a college friend from Detroit, the pizza delivery guy, George Clooney, the governor of your state. It doesn’t matter. Read Aloud Dad can be virtually anyone; there’s nothing stopping fathers from reading to their kids. As regards the photo above — my decision from the outset was to remain anonymous, so long ago I chose a random photo that I found and saved for an occasion such as this. No one ever asked for it yet!”

Five Things About Me as a Young Reader

by Read Aloud Dad

1. Kiki the Parrot

The Island of Adventure is THE book that got me hooked on reading.

I don’t know how it got into our house. I don’t know who bought it. I don’t know why. But that book was a game changer. Reading was never the same again. Enid Blyton’s The Island of Adventure is the first book in her Adventure Series and it begins with a young Philip Mannering being called by a rude voice that talks to him while he is doing algebra problems under a tree. The voice belongs to Kiki the parrot, who in turn belongs to Jack Trent. Kiki became a personal guru of mine at the tender age of six — my mom still remembers how I ran around the house telling everyone what Kiki thinks about life.

2. Enid Blyton

I cannot overstate the importance that Enid Blyton’s books had on my reading habits. I remember how my brother and I went for a summer to Royal Leamington Spa and how we spent all our pocket money on Blyton books. In fact, a family friend gave us GBP200 to take home to our parents and we spent it all on fun and paperbacks! If you remember seeing two young teenage boys dragging suitcases as heavy as anvils in the early 80’s at Heathrow Airport — that was probably us, lugging our beloved Enid Blyton books.

3. Our home library

I did not live in English-speaking countries for part of my childhood. We traveled around and good English-language books were scarce. So scarce, in fact, that our home collection was more valuable than gold. It was the only barrier between me and my brother and total boredom. We read and reread t

Pam Allyn comments:

“More than ever, dads are reading to their kids. I am thrilled about this. It’s crucial that boys and girls see their dads as readers. This is the number one most important way we are going to break the negative cycle of boys as nonreaders.”

I have not read the book, and I am usually suspicious of any list of “best books for boys” because of stereotyping issues, or authors simply listing their own books, but I’m impressed by Pam Allyn.

I’m also very, very impressed with the Read Aloud Dad blog and you’ll now find it on the sidebar (which I keep over on the, er, side).

Go to this link to read what happens when Pam Allyn visits Read Aloud Dad to answer 10 Burning Questions.

A couple of highlights from Pam’s answers:

* I think it’s really more a question of what we are not doing for boys as a society. We have enculterated reading to the point where it seems uncool to be a reader if you are a boy. What is valued in the media is boys who are active and moving quickly, boys in sports, boys who are not sitting down. We also do not value what many boys like to read. We devalue internet surfing. We devalue reading nonfiction. We have to make a far greater effort to be sure we are including boys and girls in the club of reading, and help them to value their reading journeys.

* One big problem is the emphasis in the upper elementary and middle grades on the whole class novel. The whole class novel has been pretty successful in convincing boys NOT to read. The whole class novel is the single most deadly bullet aimed directly at boys’ impulse to read. The teacher has selected a book for the entire class that is about something the boy doesn’t have that much interest in, or it’s about a twelve-year-old girl.

FIVE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO READ TO YOUR KIDS IN 3 MINUTES OR LESS
(a.k.a. A brief guide on how to kill the read-aloud bird)

Time is short these days. Hapless parents are left with less and less time to read to their kids.

So I assembled the best time-tested tips that will allow you to continue telling your friends: “I read to my kids every day!” – while
keeping actual reading sessions at a bare minimum.

A win-win situation for tired parents!

The kids may be unhappy with 3 minutes at first, but – hey - eventually they will let you start skipping reading sessions altogether.

If they do – try not to remind them. It probably means that you are reading very effectively in the remaining sessions that you have
together.

To be successful in cutting back reading to your kids to just 3 minutes a day – you need to:

1. MAINTAIN YOUR VOICE STEADY

(Keep it dull!)

As soon as you start reading, make sure to set the tone. Your voice should be monotonous and low, keep all excitement out of your reading.
It is especially good if you do this on a daily basis, so that your kids know what to expect.

Don’t try to imitate voices or animals, don’t knock on tables when there is knocking on doors in books, don’t move your body and arms
around.

At all costs, do not excite the little ones.

Less is more.

Nothing is as infectious as boredom.

2. FACE THE BOOK AT ALL TIMES

(Don’t show them the pictures!)

Let’s face it. Picture books are so “yesterday”.

The less pictures they see, the less pictures they expect. It’s a success spiral that will ensure that your kids listen to chapter books
as early as possible … or fall asleep. Whichever happens first.

If they see the pictures, then they also want to talk and discuss. If they start debating, you lose time.

Cut debates out easily, by cutting the pictures out.

Picture books are for kids.

It’s the 21 century. It’s time for your four-year old to grow up.

3. READ, BABY, READ

(Rev it up!)

Oh yes. It’s a race.

Never slow down, the end is in sight.

Just one more minute left for six pages. Fill the quota!! Let’s teach our little ones, its not comprehension that matters most of the time.
It’s whether you stick to your plan.

Of course, you may lose your children’s attention while speeding. But don’t slow down, today’s world is all about performance and results.
Lead by example.

Some so-called experts claim that one of the best factors that will help your read aloud style and listener understanding is to slow down,
take it easy.

That’s yesterday’s advice.

Reading slow is for losers.

Oh yes, and you have a quota to fulfill.

4. YOU’RE THE MAN!

(Lead – don’t just read!)

Reading is a great moment to establish your position of natural authority. It’s not a time for debate.

Ask yourself why is China the most s