Excerpted from Chapter Three of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease (Penguin, 2006, 6th edition). For a list of all topics covered here and in the print edition see Chapter Three question list.

Chapter 3: The stages of read-aloud—continued

How do I get my twelve-year-old to sit still long enough for a story?

Try reading aloud while your child is eating breakfast or dessert. When Jamie and Elizabeth were teenagers, their household responsibilities alternated between setting the table and doing the dishes. And while they did the dishes, I read to them, usually from magazines, newspapers, or anthologies (photo, right). If I came across an interesting article—maybe an obituary for a rock star or a Time magazine essay on hairstyles—that would be the night’s reading; Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story collections were also popular and they're still in print today (check out www.bookfinder.com for used copies).

henever I show parent audiences the above photograph of Jamie doing the dishes when he was in seventh grade, I get some strange looks, to which I respond: “And if you have a preteen or teen who doesn’t do the dishes in your home, then the child’s IQ is higher than yours. Not a good thing, folks.”

Read-aloud selections don’t even have to be books—short pieces work too. For primary grades, try Don Wulffson's The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle (Puffin paperback) for 50 two-minute stories behind the invention of everyday items like miniature golf, animal crackers, or the popsicle. The ultimate objective is to make positive connections between the child and the reading experience to the point where he or she will ask, "Do you have any more books like that one?"

Never mind any misgivings you might have about the title, check out Uncle John’s Great Big Bathroom Reader. Everyone has a hard time resisting the short but true anecdotes included: thousands of articles covering history, politics, family, death, movies, science, law and order, and myths. They've just published a special edition called Uncle John's Bathroom Reader for Kids Only! For high school students, consider the "Best American . . . “ series that has been a showcase for America's best short fiction and nonfiction since 1915 when the series began. The Best American Nonrequired Reading features current fiction, nonfiction, satire, investigative reporting, alternative comics, and more from a variety of publishing sites. If you want a sample of how good the writing can be, go online to read/print Los Angeles Times sportswriter Bill Plaschke's famous essay on Sarah Morris, a cerebral palsy sufferer who is a baseball fan unlike any you may ever know: Plaschke's story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times and then was selected for Best American Sports Stories 2002. There is also an excellent online audio interview with Plaschke in which he tells NPR's "Only a Game" how he stumbled on the Sarah Morris story; the five-minute interview can be heard with RealAudio at:
       http://realserver.bu.edu:8080/ramgen/w/b/wbur/oag/audio/2003/01/oag_0104.rm?start=14:06.

And if you’re looking for a fast-moving novel that will grab even the most reluctant teen audience, try Avi’s Wolf Rider. It's been around for several decades and remains one of the best things this much acclaimed writer has ever written. Another teen favorite of mine is Inventing Elliot by Graham Gardner (reviewed here).

Dear Jim Trelease: My question is: What should children in the classroom be doing when the teacher is reading a fiction story aloud? Many teachers let students draw, doodle, nap, etc. while they read. What is your opinion on this? When I was in the classroom I wanted them to practice listening so I didn’t allow the drawing. What is best practice on this? — Read-Aloud Librarian Dear Librarian: Yours is a frequent question. I know of no research on it but let me share my personal take on it. When I was a young elementary student, I would listened to afternoon kid radio dramas (Superman; Capt. Midnight; Sgt. Preston of the Yukon; and Sky King) while coloring and drawing on the floor in front of the radio in our little apartment. As I grew older, I listened to the more adult dramas (Father Knows Best; The Lone Ranger; Gangbusters; Baby Snooks) while doing my homework, as well as other times while drawing and doing paint-by-number sets. I had no problem keeping track of either the plots or my homework. Fast forward to the present time: Today I listen to my iPod with books, and BBC radio dramas while driving, exercising, and doing household chores. My wife does the same. All across America, multitudes of long-distance truck drivers are listening to recorded books while maneuvering multi-ton vehicles. So far, few of us have been cited for accidents due to listening too attentively. All of that is anecdotal. But here's a science fact: Visual receptors in the brain outnumber auditory receptors by a ratio of 30 to 1. I interpret that as meaning we are well equipped to do both — see and listen — without undue damage, with our visual receptors more than capable of handling the skill needed for listening. One other anecdote: One of my neighbors worked daily with inner-city, at-risk kids in Springfield, Massachusetts. She told me how difficult it was to get these very active, antsy boys to sit still and listen to the book she was reading. When she hit upon the idea of letting them draw while listening — BINGO, she struck gold! It seemed these little boys had so much energy built up inside themselves they needed an outlet. Their hands seemed like a natural conduit for that energy but didn't interfere with their listening. I hope this helps. But ultimately, you must be the judge of your own class/student/child. I'm here and you're there. If you're convinced the distraction interferes with comprehension, then curtail what you consider the distraction Cordially, Jim Trelease

What should be our goals in reading to teenagers?

Beyond eighth grade, the prime objective will usually be motivational. In some cases, you're planting seeds that will bear fruit with the students' future children. It might even be motivating enough to get students to class on time or more regularly. Consider the experience of Nancy Foote of Higley, Arizona, former recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in mathematics and science teaching, but a devotee of reading aloud and its impact on reluctant teens. As she explains it:

Topics covered in Chapter 3 of print and Web editions of The Read-Aloud Handbook:

NEXT: Chapter Four—Do's and Dont's of Read-Aloud

Chapter Three — p. 1   p. 2   p. 3   Footnotes