READING MAGIC by Mem Fox

If you don't know by now, I am passionate about instilling a love for reading in children. Apparently Australian author and Literary Studies professor, Mem Fox, and I share the same passion. She is the author of several nonfiction books for adults--as well as many wonderful children's picture books. I'd like to share some of her insights offered in READING MAGIC: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever.

• The secret to fostering reading (and the love for literature) is quite simple: reading aloud to children from birth onward. Experts suggest 1,000 stories read aloud before the child begins to read.
• Only 25% of a child’s brain is developed at birth, but within the first year, a child learns all the sounds in her native language.
• Passive sounds/words (such as those heard from a television) don’t work as well as conversation to help foster language development. To encourage language and reading skills “for life,” children need to “talk back” to someone.
• The day a baby is born is the time to start reading aloud to him. Try to have a routine for reading aloud built into the child’s day—but also make books & reading available whenever the opportunity arises. The more a child has access to books, magazines, newspapers, etc. and sees his parents using them the more likely he will become a good reader.

That's enough reading secrets for today. I'll share some more tomorrow. But I'd encourage you to visit Mem's online site as well. Here's a link to her "Ten Read Aloud Commandments: http://www.memfox.net/ten-read-aloud-commandments.html