Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    Reading Aloud: It’s Not Just For Kids

    Guest PostsBy Guest Posts5 Mins Read Ages 9-12 Books with Girl Characters Chapter Books Quest for Literacy
    Always, Abigail By Nancy Cavanaugh
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Nancy J. Cavanaugh | The Children’s Book Review | August 11, 2014

    MomReadingWithChildren
    Image courtesy of sean dreilinger Copyright © 2007

    Most won’t argue about the power of a good book. A book can make us laugh or cry. It can make us angry over injustices in our world. It can whisk us away to places we’ve never been. Or it can keep us in suspense, page after page after page. Everyone knows all that, but what many people don’t know, or what we sometimes forget, is how much more powerful a book can be when it’s read aloud.

    Many of us remember afternoons in elementary school listening to our teachers read to us. No matter how many years ago elementary school may have been, some of us still remember specific books our teachers read. One of the reasons why we remember is because books read aloud are powerful.

    Books capture our hearts and souls in a different way when we hear them read aloud. We don’t just hear the words for what they mean, but we also hear them for how they sound. Authors spend lots of time choosing just the right words to tell their stories. These words are chosen because of what they mean and also because of how they sound, and when we read books aloud, we get to experience the author’s language choices to their fullest.

    When I was a classroom teacher and a school librarian, reading to my students was one of my favorite times of the day. No matter what kind of day my students and I were having, each time I opened that book to read aloud, it was like an oasis for all of us. It felt like rest in the shade on a hot day or a chance to huddle under an umbrella during a sudden summer shower. The story allowed us to be someone else for a few minutes or to take a short trip to a place we had never been. And the act of hearing the story aloud made it even more magical. What could be more powerful than that?

    The fictitious worlds of books are created first by words being written; and then when those words are read by someone, that world is experienced; and when those words are read aloud, it seems that we experience that world in an even more powerful way.

    In our fast-paced world, where information is accessed instantly and technology causes conversation to often be silent and cryptic, just the act of reading a book at all, let alone reading one aloud, can seem somewhat antiquated. But, I hope that we won’t forget the power of slowing down, not just to read a book, but to read a book aloud in order to experience the power within the pages when the words are spoken out loud.

    You don’t have to be a kid in elementary school to listen to a book read aloud. You don’t have to be the parent of a preschooler to read aloud. Though it’s wonderful to read aloud to someone or be read to by someone, the fact is, all you really need is your own voice letting the words an author so painstakingly chose to tell a story be spoken out loud. When the sounds of the language are spoken and heard and your heart fills up with the emotion of the story, you’ll know firsthand, the power of a book when it is read aloud. You might be surprised how powerful that can be!

    About the Author
    Nancy Cavanaugh
    Nancy J Cavanaugh

    Nancy J. Cavanaugh lives in Florida with her husband and daughter. She spends summers eating pizza in her former hometown of Chicago. Always, Abigail is her second middle grade novel. Her debut, This Journal Belongs to Ratchet, earned a Kirkus star – “A book that is full of surprises . . . Triumphant enough to make readers cheer; touching enough to make them cry.” This Journal Belongs to Ratchet also won a gold medal in the Florida State Book Awards.

    Like Abigail, Nancy enjoys writing lists. Her secret to turning an unproductive day into one she can feel proud of is writing a few things on her “To Do” list which she has already accomplished just so that she can cross them out.

    In the past, Nancy’s lists helped her stay organized as an elementary and middle school teacher and also a library media specialist. Presently her lists help her organize her life as a writer. Nancy enjoys doing school visits and writing workshops as well as sharing teaching ideas with librarians and teachers at conferences. Visit her at www.NancyJCavanaugh.com for more information.

    Always, Abigail By Nancy CavanaughAlways, Abigail

    By Nancy J. Cavanaugh

    Abigail dreams of being a pom-pom girl, but when sixth grade doesn’t turn out the way she planned, she finds herself having to choose between the little bit of popularity she has left or risking it all to be a true friend.

    Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky | Aug. 5, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1402293030

    This Journal Belongs to Ratchet By Nancy CavanaughThis Journal Belongs to Ratchet

    By Nancy J. Cavanaugh

    This Journal Belongs to Ratchet is the story of one eleven-year-old’s quest to make a friend, save a park, and find her own definition of normal. Ratchet tells her story through the assignments in her homeschool language arts journal.

    Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky | May 6, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1492601098

     

    What to Read Next:

    1. Kids’ Summer Reading Lists: Early-Fluent to Fluent Readers / Ages 6-10
    2. Piper Reed, Forever Friend by Kimberly Willis Holt | Review
    3. A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez | Review
    4. Remember Your First Crush? Amazing List of Authors Dish & Reminisce

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Friendship Nancy J. Cavanaugh Reading Reading Aloud
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleBest Selling Kids Series | August 2014
    Next Article Children’s Book Trends | August 2014
    Guest Posts
    • Website

    The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • 10 Must-Read Chapter Books with Adventure, Humor, and Imagination
    • The Bangle Bombers Blast Banks | Dedicated Review
    • 5 Award-Winning Teen Audiobooks for Ages 12 and Up
    • The Chubby Bubbies: Trip to the Museum | Dedicated Review
    • Flora and the Jazzers, by Astrid Sheckels | Dedicated Review
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.