Jim Trelease, author of The Read Aloud Handbook (2006, Penguin), published the first version of this book on his own in 1979. Three years, and 20,000 copies, later Penguin Books offered to publish the Handbook. Trelease received his biggest boost, though, from a mention in a Dear Abby in 1983 which helped launch his book onto the New York Times Bestseller list where is stayed for seventeen weeks. The Handbook is in its sixth, and final, edition. Trelease will retire in 2008. His website is http://www.trelease-on-reading.com

Here are some highlights from my recent interview:

Can you tell me what kindled your interest in reading aloud?

My father read to me every night when I was growing up in New Jersey. My dad had graduated from high school but the depression prevented him from going to college. My mom had a 10th grade education. But both were readers. There was a constant presence of magazines and newspapers in my house. My brother and I used to read my mom’s magazines all the time. (Trelease’s mailman once complained that his mother received too many magazines.

How often did you father read to you?

Every night. After we listened to the news and sports on the radio, my dad would read me the funny pages [comics]. It was at 7:00 p.m. every night. He was very patient explaining the funny pages. Lil' Abner by Al Capp, for instance, was a satire and I didn’t always get the joke so he would take the time to explain it to me.

I loved the funny pages. I would give them up for Lent, specifically the Phantom. This was a big deal because you never knew if the Phantom was going to die one week.

What made you take on reading aloud as a cause?

Well I was reading to my own kids and we all really enjoyed it. But at the time I didn’t realize the impact it was also having on their vocabulary and, in turn, their academic achievement.

When I first started speaking to classes [Trelease was a reporter who often spoke to students about his work] I found that most classes did not read very much but those that did were usually read to by the teacher and used “sustained silent reading” (SSR).

So I did some research and found that there was a direct link between reading aloud to children, at home or at school, and academic success. Children are exposed to a greater range of vocabulary through reading, have longer attention spans, and are more likely to read on their own.

How often should you read to your children?

It depends on the age of your child, her mobility, and her interest. We should not create bookworms. We want children who are socially and physically adept as well as bright. Bookworms are anti-social.

For active kids meal times are often the best. You have undivided attention while they eat.

Also bed time is a good time. Actually connecting staying up late with reading is a great way to encourage reading with any age of child. Few children won’t take the opportunity to stay up a little later.

Why is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) important?

SSR allows children to read what they want at their pace. Like other skills reading requires practice. The children who read the most, read the best. The more you do it the better you become. Too often reading is assigned as homework followed by a quiz or report. Reading becomes connected with unpleasant experiences. (SSR can be assigned as homework but it should simply be SSR for 20 minutes.)

What is most ironic is that the kids who struggle the most with reading are those who have least amount of parental involvement. They are not often read to, if at all. So if they are not read to at home then schools should fill that need. As we know, the kids with the least also have the worst schools.

What role can parents play in bringing reading aloud and SSR into their schools?

An entire chapter in the latest edition of the Handbook, “In Their Own Words” actually looks at the stories of administrators, teachers, and six different parents who pushed for SSR in their schools. We know how important parental involvement is.

One of the best and saddest lessons I learned was that parents who are very involved in their child’s schools are given better teachers. Conversely students whose parents have less involvement are given worse teachers.

You devote time in your last couple of editions to both the Oprah Book Club and Harry Potter. In your opinion after the success of Oprah original book club, why has Oprah steered the club to a more academic bent? [Recent books have included a William Faulkner trilogy, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and most recently the dark, sci-fi-esque novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy.]

I find that Oprah is struggling with an identity for her club. When she began recommending books in 1996 there were about 200,000 book clubs in the country. Ten years later there are about 550,000. By developing such a large interest in reading she actually created competition for her own club.

She is apparently looking for a way to be different or even outrageous. She is looking to bring the clubs up a couple of notches.

With the release of the final Harry Potter book this summer (July 2007), do you think that the trend in mega-successful children’s books will continue? What, if anything, can replace Rowling’s series?

That is the next big question for the publishing industry. I can’t predict what’s next. I’ve found that what we often end up with is a lot of Potter imitators. It ends up actually diluting any original thoughts.

What we know now, though, based on Rowling’s success is that children are looking for page turners with intelligent writing. Kids don’t actually need to have novels filled with “bathroom jokes.” And although characters in Potter are well developed, like adults, children want a strong plot. They read to find out what happens next.

One book that stands out that could start a new trend is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. It is 526 pages and about one-third of it is illustrated. I wouldn’t call it a graphic novel but it’s a first cousin to a graphic novel. The book is fascinating. It is a little touch of fantasy, magic and mystery.

Regardless of the next big thing, we still have to worry about competition from non-book media. Ten years ago, there were no iPods.

Any book recommendations?

My favorite is James and the Giant Peach. It still reads well and I read it to both of my children.

A couple of new books I would mention are Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo which deals with a young boy who is stranded on a deserted island. The only other person on the island is a Japanese veteran of WWII who doesn’t want to be rescued. The other is The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson. The story takes place in Vienna in 1900 and is similar to The Secret Garden but with shorter sentences.

I also recommend checking out the BBC News website. They have wonderful children’s programming, including interviews with both Morpurgo and Ibbotson about their books.

I also want to add that there is a serious dad problem in the United States. I am thrilled about what you [SAHDs] are doing for dads. Right now about half the boys in school in the US don’t have a father at home.

If you would like a copy of the full interview, please email me at .