







































Georgia Journal of Literacy 
2023, Vol. 45(1), pp. 31–50 
https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.100 
ISSN: 2833-7611 

Practitioner Article  

 
 

 

CONTACT Dr. William P. Bintz, Professor of Literacy Education; College of Education, Health, and Human Services; 
School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; Kent State University, Kent, OH; email wbintz@kent.edu. 
 

Reading-Aloud to Children: A Cautionary Tale 
with Recommendations for Success 
 
William P. Bintz 
Kent State University, Kent, OH 

 
ABSTRACT 

This article advocates and promotes the practice of reading aloud to children, adults, 
and everybody in between, by parents, siblings, teachers, librarians, and guardians 
throughout the world. At the same time, it article presents a cautionary tale about 
reading aloud. The tale is based on an instance of one guest reader who read aloud 
a picturebook to children at a public reading session sponsored by Scholastic. Author 
experiences with and personal reflections on this session describes several cautions 
to adults (teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents, and guardians) that 
reading aloud to children is not a simple activity, but a complex art. A brief review of 
research on reading aloud is presented, highlighting four major categories: reading 
aloud picturebooks, reading aloud picturebooks across the curriculum, reading aloud 
picturebooks to older readers, and reading aloud to English Language Learners. A 
variety of recommended texts and instructional strategies for reading aloud to 
children are presented and some final thoughts described. 

KEYWORDS 

reading aloud; 
picturebooks; 
cautionary tale; 
read-aloud texts; 
read-aloud 
strategies 

 
What Is It That You Like To Do 

 
What is it that you like to do 
With someone you care about 
In a comfortable place 
With a lot of expression  
And with no interruptions?  
READ ALOUD! (of course) 

 
(Layne, 2001, p. 53) 

 
his little poem poignantly captures the big idea about reading aloud. It is a pleasurable 
experience because someone reads aloud to someone else who they care about. For parents, 
it is their children and for teachers it is their students. Moreover, reading aloud is a 

memorable experience, often lasting throughout a lifetime. One parent, who also is an elementary 
school teacher, stated:  
 

I read aloud to my students as often as I can. They absolutely love it. They 
particularly like it when I perform while reading a book, changing my facial 
expression and fluctuating the tone of my voice. As for myself, I really enjoy 
reading aloud to individual students. It always reminds me of when I read to my 
son when he was a young child.    

T 

mailto:wbintz@kent.edu


32 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

This article promotes the practice of reading aloud to children, adults, and everybody in between. 
It is a universal experience practiced by parents, siblings, teachers, librarians, and guardians 
throughout the world. At the same time, this article provides a cautionary tale about reading aloud. 
The tale cautions adults (i.e., teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents, and guardians) that 
reading aloud to children is not a simple activity, but a complex art.  

I begin by sharing a vignette about an instance of reading aloud to children. Next, I share 
reflections on this instance of reading aloud from a reading educator point of view. Then, I describe 
research on reading aloud, highlighting four major categories: reading aloud picturebooks, reading 
aloud picturebooks across the curriculum, reading aloud picturebooks to older readers, and reading 
aloud to English Language Learners. Finally, I share a variety of recommended texts and 
instructional strategies for reading aloud to children. I end with some final thoughts. 
 
Vignette 

Readin’ Worries 
 

I got some readin’ worries and 
They’re buggin’ me to beat the band 
The stuff they’re tellin’ me in school 
Is makin’ me look like a fool! 
 
Those diagraphs are plumb hard to take 
And schwa gives me a belly ache! 
I’m sick to death of blends and such 
And no more vowels - I’ve had too much! 
 
The words I’m s’posed to know on sight 
Are keepin’ me up late at night! 
And darn that word wall makes me frown 
I’d like to say, “Let’s tear it down!” 
 
But teacher, she likes words a bunch 
She reads to us right after lunch 
And when she does, I start to feel 
That books just might have some appeal. 
 
“Cause all us kid’sill gather ‘round 
A-sitting, lyin’ on the ground 
As teacher reads aloud each day 
My readin’ worries melt away. 
 

(Layne, 2001, pp. 54–55) 
 

Reading aloud to my granddaughter takes away, or at least temporarily pauses, my worries. 
That’s why I recently took my four-year old granddaughter to a read-aloud session for young 
children sponsored by Scholastic Publication. The session took place in a library/media center at 



Bintz 33 
 

a large, local university. A total of nine children attended, each accompanied by at least one parent, 
grandparent, or caregiver. The read aloud was conducted by an adult affiliated with this university. 
 For this session, the library/media center was organized as a Book Fair. A variety of 
literature, mostly children’s picturebooks, were displayed on tables so that children and adults 
could browse and purchase. As the session started, the guest reader sat in a large, soft, cozy chair, 
accompanied by her nine-year old daughter, and the children sat in a semi-circle in front of them. 
She introduced herself and her daughter and displayed the front cover of the picturebook she 
selected to read that morning. It was The Good Egg (John, 2019). The following is a precis. 
 

This story uses a good egg as both an idiom and a description of the main character. 
It tells the story of not just a good egg, but a verrrrrrry good egg, one is kind to, 
generous with, and thoughtful of other eggs. He is perfect to everyone, and that is 
the challenge. The good egg lives in a recycled carton with 11 other eggs, all of 
whom, except for the good egg, get into mischief and trouble. His carton-mates 
behave rotten and are just plain rotten. Metaphorically, the good egg starts to crack 
from the pressure of feeling like he, unlike the other eggs, must be perfect. He 
decides it’s time for a change. The good egg makes time for himself, goes on a road 
trip, and learns the value of caring for self is as important as caring for others (even 
if they are rotten!). 
 

The guest reader started to read-aloud the picturebook. Not long after, she invited her daughter to 
read the rest of the story aloud to the children. 

As a grandfather, I was grateful that the guest reader and her daughter took the time on a 
weekend to read aloud to a group of children. To be sure, it was an enjoyable experience for the 
children, as well as for the parents and grandparents. In addition to grandfather, however, I am 
also a teacher educator in literacy education, specializing in reading education. As such, I spent 
time afterward the session reflecting on the whole experience, not as a grandfather but as a reading 
educator. 
 
Reflection 

There’s Something 
 
There’s something in their eyes 
There’s something in their hearts 
There’s something in their souls 
That longs to hear a story. 
 
There’s something in their eyes 
That sparkles like a gem; 
Each time I tell them of a book 
I’d like to read to them. 
 
There’s something in their hearts, 
A yearning deep within; 
They’re hoping I will take them, 
To a place they’ve never been. 



34 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

 
There’s something in their souls, 
Which craves the chance to meet; 
The characters who seem to somehow, 
Make their lives complete. 
 
There’s something in their eyes 
There’s something in their hearts 
There’s something in their souls 
That longs to hear a story. 
 

 (Layne, 2001, pp. 60–61) 
 

This poem is an important reminder that there is just something special about reading aloud 
to children. It is a joyful experience for children and the joy is reflected in their eyes, hearts, and 
souls. Mem Fox, an internationally renowned children’s book author and advocate for reading 
aloud to children, characterizes the practice as “magic” (Fox, 2022, p. 2). Reading aloud to children 
comes natural to most adults, but tips are always helpful. Table 1 illustrates some general tips for 
reading aloud (Trelease & Giorgia, 2019). 
 
Table 1: Suggested Tips for Reading Aloud 

Tip 1 Preview the book by reading it to yourself ahead of time. Such an advance 
reading allows you to spot material you may want to shorten, eliminate, or 
elaborate on. 

Tip 2 Remember that reading aloud comes naturally to very few people. To do it 
successfully and with ease, you must practice. 

Tip 3 If you are reading a picturebook, make sure the children can see the pictures 
easily. 

Tip 4 Allow listeners a few minutes to settle down and adjust their feed and minds to 
the story. 

Tip 5 Set the stage for reading. Read the title, show the illustration, introduce the 
author and illustrator. Discuss briefly. 

Tip 6 Remember that the art of listening is an acquired one. It must be taught and 
cultivated gradually—it just doesn’t happen overnight. 

Tip 7 Vary the length and subject matter of your readings. 

Tip 8 Position yourself so that you and the reader are comfortable. Your head should 
be above the heads of your listeners for your voice to carry to the far side of 
the room. 

Tip 9 Use plenty of expression when reading. If possible, change your tone of voice 
to fit the dialogue. 

Tip 10 Adjust your pace to fit the story. During a suspenseful part, slow down, draw 
your words out, bring your listeners to the edge of their chairs. 



Bintz 35 
 

Tip 11 When possible, encourage the listeners to join in on repetitive parts of the 
story. 

Tip 12 Allow time for discussion after a reading a story. Do not turn discussions into 
quizzes or insist upon prying story interpretations from readers. 

Tip 13 Do not read too fast. Read slowly enough for readers to build mental pictures 
of what they just hear you read. Slow down enough for listeners to see the 
pictures without feeling rushed. 

Tip 14 Try to read a story that you personally enjoy. Your dislike may show in the 
reading. 

Tip 15 Don’t be unnerved by questions during the reading. Foster curiosity with 
patient answers, then resume the reading. 

Tip 16 Relax and have fun! 

 
Although it comes naturally, reading aloud is often viewed not as magic but as a simple activity in 
which an adult (i.e., teacher, parent, grandparent, or caregiver) reads aloud a picturebook to a child. 
While appearing simple, reading aloud is actually a complex art, requiring attention to at least two 
interrelated perspectives: curricular and instructional. 
 

Curricular. This perspective focuses on text selection, and asks: What text is to be selected 
for reading aloud? Many parents and teachers use a variety of texts to read aloud in the classroom, 
but tips for text selection are always helpful. Table 2 illustrates some suggestions for selecting 
texts to read aloud. 
 
Table 2: Suggestions for Selecting Texts to Read Aloud 

Suggestion 1 Select a short text or excerpt from a book that provides several natural 
stopping points for the teacher to pause during a read-aloud, share her 
thinking about the strategy, and explain how the strategy helps her better 
understand the text. 

Suggestion 2 Select an interesting, perhaps provocative text in which children are likely 
to be engaged in the topic because it is relevant, compelling, or intriguing. 

Suggestion 3 Select a text that is more challenging than one that all the children would 
be able to read independently. 

Suggestion 4 Select a familiar, well-loved text for a particular group of children. 

Suggestion 5 Select a short text from a student’s own writing that is conducive to 
thinking aloud about a particular strategy. 

 
In this instance, although well-intended, I question The Good Egg as a good text selection 

for reading aloud to this particular group of children. In addition to the criteria identified above, I 
question it for at least three reasons: audience, theme, and tone. One, all children in this group 
were at, or under, the age of four years old. During the reading, they all sat quietly and listened 
passively, moving only to tilt their heads periodically to get a better view of the illustrations. They 
were not actively engaged. Two, the major theme of the picturebook is how the good egg had 
difficulty dealing with being perfect, exacerbated by the fact that his carton-mates were just the 



36 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

opposite. While important, the children were not understanding this theme, even though the guest 
reader referred to it often. In fact, near the middle of the story, I heard one child whisper to another 
child: “This story is silly because eggs don’t talk.” Three, instead of being enjoyable and 
conversational, the tone of the picturebook is didactic, almost moralizing. It stresses the 
importance of behaving like the good egg and not like the mischievous eggs. I question whether 
any of the children created this meaning, or any other like it, from this text. 
 

Instructional. This perspective focuses on how to read aloud a selected text. In this 
instance, at the beginning, the guest reader displayed the front cover of the book and then started 
to read aloud. Disappointingly and somewhat surprisingly, the reader provided no engaging 
introduction to the read-aloud experience. For example, there was no build-up to the experience, 
no attempt to generate curiosity, no invitation to children to ponder the front cover and make 
inferences and predictions about the story, no attempt to connect the book to children’s personal 
experiences, and invitation to children to wonder about what the title, characters, or story. The 
reader read the first two or three pages, and then invited her daughter to read aloud the rest of the 
story nonstop. Periodically, the adult reader paused the reading to share her ongoing 
understandings of the text. Children were not invited to share or discuss what they were 
understanding about the story at any time in the whole experience.    

What was particularly noticeable, however, was that the daughter did not seem prepared to 
read aloud the book. From the time she started to read, it was apparent that she had not rehearsed 
reading-aloud the picturebook before her mother invited her to be a co-reader. For example, at one 
point in the story the good egg returns to see his carton-mate and greets each of them by their first 
name, e.g. “Hey, Greg.” However, when the daughter needed to read “Aloha, Shelly”, she 
struggled to read the word aloha. She tried to decode the word several different ways but wasn’t 
sure which, if any, pronunciation was correct. Finally, a parent in the group pronounced the word. 
The daughter smiled and continued to read. 

In the end and upon reflection, I had mixed views on the whole experience. On the one 
hand, I view this experience as a generous and gracious instance of a guest reader and her daughter 
reading aloud to other people’s children. On the other hand, I see this experience as a cautionary 
tale, a caution for teachers to see reading aloud as a complex art, not a simple activity. What makes 
reading aloud a complex art is that the practice requires the integration of curriculum (Who am I 
reading aloud to? What texts are most appropriate for this person or group? How do I select a 
specific text to read? Why is this particular text appropriate to read aloud to this person or group?) 
and instruction (What are different ways to read aloud a text? What way should I read aloud this 
specific text to this person or group?). This integration and these questions illustrate the complex 
art of reading aloud. The following sections describe some of this complexity.   
 
Reading Aloud 

Reading aloud to children of any age improves their literacy. 
 

(Fox, 2013, p. 5) 
 
Historically, reading aloud has been, and continues to be, a common practice in schools, libraries, 
and homes all around the world. The benefits of reading aloud are universally recognized. Among 
other things, reading aloud supports language and language development, introduces children to a 
wide range of authentic literature, particularly picturebooks, demonstrates what good reading looks 



Bintz 37 
 

like and sounds like, creates and supports meaningful relationships, and develops positive 
dispositions about reading (Fox, 2013, 2022). Simply put, reading aloud is a good way for teachers 
and students to spend time in school and for parents and children to spend time at home.  

Here, I share a brief literature review of reading aloud across four categories: reading aloud 
picturebooks, reading aloud picturebooks across the curriculum, reading aloud picturebooks to 
older readers, and reading aloud to English Language Learners (ELLs). 
 

Reading Aloud Picturebooks. Picturebooks are particularly beneficial for reading aloud. 
They provide opportunities to increase student engagement in reading and foster a positive 
disposition about reading. Moreover, picturebooks have much power and potential for students of 
all ages and across all content areas. For example, “picturebooks serve to help middle grade 
students visualize concepts, become familiar with vocabulary, connect to content, and get excited 
about science” (Braun, 2010, p. 46).  

Reading aloud informational picturebooks is also important (Hoyt, 2009, as cited in 
Oczkus, 2009). Among other things, it helps students learn important content area material across 
the curriculum. Laminack and Wadsworth (2006) use bridge as a metaphor for the role 
picturebooks can play across the curriculum: 

Picturebooks have the very real potential for bringing together ideas, images, 
content, vocabulary, language and art in the minds of any learner. Picturebooks 
often do become a bridge to span the curriculum, connecting each subject and each 
topic into one interconnected entity. This makes it possible for both teaching and 
learning to travel freely in the territory of ideas and information. (p. 208) 

Reading Aloud Picturebooks Across the Curriculum. Picturebooks can be used to 
introduce a new topic or generate interest in a concept across the curriculum. Science is a good 
example. Reading aloud informational picturebooks in science helps students better understand 
scientific ideas (Webster, 2009). It can also help students develop an interest in science that 
currently doesn’t exist, as well as ultimately help them read better. Reading aloud picturebook 
biographies of scientists can help students understand how scientists think, observe, infer, 
formulate and test hypotheses, and draw conclusions (Zarnowski & Turkel, 2012).  

Mathematics is another good example. Reading aloud informational picturebooks in 
mathematics can “provide students with opportunities to explore ideas, discuss mathematical 
concepts, and make connections to their own lives” (Hintz & Smith, 2013, p. 104). Making 
personal connections in math class helps make mathematics accessible for students. Integrating 
literature and mathematics helps students make sense of their lives. 

Social Studies is yet another good example. Columba et al. (2009) state, “Events in the past 
are told in stories; we learn about others in remote places through stories; and myths and legends 
from ancient civilizations are passed down as stories” (p. 21). Informational picturebooks are also 
ideal to integrate literacy and social studies. They can be used “to promote civic competence, the 
underlying reason for teaching social studies” (Libresco et al., 2011, p. 2). Lastly, reading aloud 
picturebooks across the content areas can also increase word knowledge, syntax knowledge and 
genre knowledge, and thus motivation to read (Allen, 2007), as well as support student conceptual 
understanding (Hoffman et al., 2015). 



38 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

Reading Aloud with Older Readers. Compared to young readers, little research has been 
conducted on reading aloud with older readers. And yet, in Becoming a Nation of Readers, the 
Commission on Reading states: “[Reading aloud] is a practice that should continue throughout the 
grades” (Anderson et al., 1985, p. 51), including middle grades education. Despite this emphasis, 
little is known about the effectiveness of read aloud practices beyond elementary school (Albright 
and Ariail, 2005). This may be because students are exposed to read-alouds less frequently as they 
move from primary through intermediate grades (Duursma et al., 2008), and in middle and high 
school the practice of reading aloud has all but disappeared (Delo, 2008). 

Interestingly, reading aloud is an instructional strategy teachers use to encourage literacy 
for students regardless of their age. In fact, it is one of the most preferred instructional strategies 
by middle grades teachers (Harvey & Goudvis, 2017). For middle grades students, reading aloud 
can have positive outcomes for motivation, interest, engagement, and learning (Follos, 2006. 
McCormick and McTigue (2011) state that “because students can often comprehend orally 
presented texts that are normally above their own reading level, teacher read-alouds allow middle 
school students to experience texts that may be otherwise inaccessible” (p. 46).  

Similarly, for middle grades teachers, it allows them to model aspects of fluent reading, 
such as pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and style, as well as make texts more accessible to 
students (Albright & Ariail, 2005). It also helps teachers enhance student vocabulary development, 
especially when teachers pause to go over difficult words and then have conversations with 
students using the new words after reading (Reutzel & Cooter, 2018). 

Reading aloud benefits students at all grade levels including high school (Zehr, 2010). Jim 
Trelease (2013), author of the The New Read-Aloud Handbook, believes that continuing to read 
aloud to learners at any age is beneficial. Similarly, Routman (2018) notes that “reading aloud—
in all grades—has long been viewed as a critical factor in producing successful readers as well as 
learners who are interested in reading” (p. 20). In particular, older students who are less fluent 
readers receive the greatest benefits from teachers reading aloud (Meloy et al., 2002). Trelease 
(2013) states that 
 

the first reason to read aloud to older kids is to consider the fact that a child’s reading level 
doesn’t catch up to his listening level until about the eighth grade . . . You have to hear it 
before you can speak it, and you have to speak it before you can read it. Reading at this 
level “happens through the ear.” (pp. 1–2)  

 
In addition to children and adolescents, Pitts states that even “college students read more and better 
books when they are read to” (as cited in Krashen, 2004, p. 78). 
 

Reading Aloud to English Language Learners (ELLs). Reading aloud helps English 
Language Learners develop English fluency, word meanings, oral language and thinking skills 
(Hickman et al., 2004). Interactive read-alouds help ELL students’ language development; 
curiosity; vocabulary development, particularly incidental vocabulary acquisition (Hoyt, 2009); 
and learning and comprehension, especially making connections with and across texts (Giroir et 
al., 2015, p. 647). Moreover, reading aloud is beneficial with special needs students. The practice 
helps “build a sense of community in any class that experiences the same shared, secret joy of 



Bintz 39 
 

listening to the same great pieces of literature, be they brief or much longer. The class bonds in 
such a way that it becomes more like a family than a class” (Fox, 2013, p. 6). 
 
Selecting Texts to Read Aloud 

Whether reading to children, adolescents, young adults, or English Language Learners, there are 
several important factors to consider when selecting text to read aloud. Among others, these 
include student interest, student enjoyment, cultural relevance, authentic language, evocative 
illustrations, exposure to traditional literature, as well as variations of that literature, ability to 
develop positive disposition about reading, potential to illustrate what good reading looks and 
sounds like, potential for active engagement and discussion, and an introduction to award-winning 
literature, authors, and illustrators.  

Selecting a text to read aloud is a curricular decision and an instance of creating curriculum. 
All too often, this decision is made as much, if not more, by commercial reading programs than 
by classroom teachers. Some time ago, however, Burke (1995) reminded us that “the most 
important curricular decisions about learners should always be made by those closest to learners.” 
Teachers, not reading programs, are closest to learners. On average, teachers spend approximately 
6 hours per day, 185 days per year, with students in the classroom. Therefore, teachers, not 
programs, are in the best position to select the most appropriate, meaningful, and relevant texts to 
read aloud to their students. 

Text type is an important consideration in selecting text to read aloud. Patterned text is an 
important text type, especially for young children. Patterned texts are “purposefully crafted 
conversations that are organized in predictable patterns” (Grote-Garcia & Durham, 2013, p. 45). 
Where is the Green Sheep? (Fox, 2004) is an example of this text type. It is a delightful and 
engaging picturebook that presents different colored sheep engaged in different activities. There 
are red sheep and blue sheep, and scared sheep and brave sheep. But, where is the green sheep? 
This is the question that is repeated throughout the story. The mystery of the whereabouts of the 
green sheep is only revealed at the end of the story.  

In addition to patterned texts, other types include predictable language text, familiar 
cultural patterns, familiar problem pattern, chronological pattern, circle pattern, rhyme/rhythm 
pattern, and antiphonal voices pattern. Table 3 (in the appendix) illustrates these text types for 
reading aloud, provides a description, example, and citation for each text type. 
 
Selecting Instructional Strategies for Reading Aloud 

Like selecting texts, selecting instructional strategies for reading aloud is also a strategic and artful 
process. It is an instructional decision and, like text selection this decision is best made by teachers 
not publishers of reading programs. Of course, teachers use a variety of instructional strategies to 
read aloud text to their students. Many teachers have their favorites, but always welcome other 
strategies.  

Table 4 (in the appendix) illustrates a variety of instructional strategies for reading aloud a 
text. These include interactive reading aloud, shared reading, echo reading, choral reading (single 
voices, accumulating voices, cacophonous voices, cast of background voices, multiple voice 
poems), reading/thinking aloud, reverse reading/thinking aloud, and readers theatre. It also 
provides a description, example, and citation for each instructional strategy. While different, these 



40 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

strategies share a common characteristic, namely, they promote active engagement and social 
interaction of readers. 

Final Thoughts 
Some time ago, Soren Kierkegaard, the famous Danish theologian and philosopher, stated, “Life 
can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards” (McCallum, 2019, p. 5). I have 
always found this statement powerful in my personal and professional life, although it has been 
easier for me to remember it as moving forward also means looking backwards. In this final section 
I look back again at the reading aloud experience described here as a cautionary tale, in order to 
move forward with some recommendations for success with reading aloud to children, adults, and 
everybody in between.  

Looking back at the reading aloud experience, I am reminded of Carolyn Burke, a 
nationally recognized reading teacher and researcher, who once stated, “When teaching is easy 
student learning is often hard, and when teaching is hard student learning is often easy.” Reading 
aloud is not particularly difficult for teachers and other adults. More often than not, teachers have 
a receptive audience. Students enjoy teacher read alouds, especially young students who have little 
experience being read to. Older students enjoy them as well, but sometimes for unexpected 
reasons.  

For instance, I was recently invited by a 9th grade science teacher to conduct a read aloud 
in her science class. At the time students were studying important concepts in earth and space 
science. I read aloud Stay Curious! A Brief History of Stephen Hawking (Krull, 2020) for four 
reasons. One, the class period was only 45-minutes. This piece of literature is a 32-page, 
beautifully illustrated picturebook that I could read and discuss with students within that time limit. 
Two, I decided to conduct an interactive read aloud, stopping at strategic parts of the text and 
inviting students to share their current thinking. Three, this picturebook is an engaging biography 
of the science superstar, describing his personal life struggling with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 
(ALS) as well as his professional life exploring mysteries of the universe. Four, this picturebook 
deals with important concepts in earth and space science and therefore was relevant to what 
students were studying at the time.  

After reading aloud the entire picturebook, I invited students to share their impressions of 
the book. One student stated, 

I’ve heard about Stephen Hawking from movies, television shows, and the internet. 
I knew he was a scientist and studied the universe, but I didn’t know he was 
interested in black holes. I don’t know anything about black holes, but after you 
read this book, I am interested in knowing more about them. 

I was pleased to hear that comment, especially that the picturebook motivated the student to want 
to know more about black holes. Another student stated,  

I really liked this story. I didn’t know much about Hawking’s personal life, 
especially the fact that he liked to go to parties. What struck me the most, however, 
was how you read that book. You really are a good reader, and I haven’t seen a 
good reader read since elementary school. 



Bintz 41 
 

I paused for a moment after hearing this comment. It was unexpected, but also appreciated. His 
comment reminded me that students can, and often do, experience teacher read alouds very 
differently.  

Afterwards, I reflected on the whole experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and, 
according to the teacher and students, so did they. Quite frankly, it felt easy. I was not surprised to 
find this read aloud an easy and comfortable experience. After all, I am experienced. Over the 
years, I have conducted hundreds and hundreds of read alouds in K–12 classrooms and in my own 
graduate courses. What made this, and many other read alouds easy was preparation. I spent much 
more time preparing for this read aloud than conducting it. 

Specifically, I spent much time considering and making curriculum decisions based on the 
question, What text should I read? I considered the audience, in this instance, 9th grade students. 
I also considered the content area, science, and specific topics in science, earth and space science, 
as well as time constraints, 45-minutes. I also spent much time considering and making 
instructional decisions: How should I read aloud this text? I considered many different read aloud 
strategies and decided on an interactive read aloud I wanted to engage students with an engaging 
story. Lastly, I considered some form of informal assessment or feedback. I decided on an 
interactive read aloud so I could hear student responses during the reading experience and 
reflections after the experience.   

In sum, I tried to develop and conduct a read aloud that made student learning easy and 
enjoyable. To make student learning easy, I had to make my teaching hard in terms of 
consideration, preparation, and integration of curricular, instructional, and assessment decisions. 
Once again, I was reminded that reading aloud is not a simple activity but a complex art. 
 I end with the following poem.  

Read to Them 

Read to them 
Before the time is gone and stillness fills the room again 
Read to them 
What if it were meant to be that you were the one, the only one 
Who could unlock the doors and share the magic with them? 
What if others have been daunted by scheduling demands, 
District objectives, or one hundred other obstacles? 
Read to them 
Be confident Charlotte has been able to teach them about friendship, 
And Horton about self-worth; 
Be sure the Skin Horse has been able to deliver his message. 
Read to them 
Let them meet Tigger, Homer Price, Aslan, and Corduroy; 
Take them to Oz, Prydain, and Camazotz; 
Show them a Truffula Tree. 
Read to them 
Laugh with them at Soup and Rob, 
And cry with them when the Queen of Terabithia is forever lost; 
Allow the Meeker Family to turn loyalty, injustice, and war 



42 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

Into something much more than a vocabulary lesson. 
What if you are the one, the only one, with the chance to do it? 
What if this is the critical year for even one child? 
Read to them 
Before the time, before the chance, is gone. 
 

(Layne, 2001, pp. 62–63) 

For me, this poem is endearing and gentle, but also a direct reminder for adults to read to children 
for many reasons, but especially before the time is gone. This reminder is important, not just 
because children will become adolescents and less receptive to being read aloud to by parents and 
teachers, but because reading aloud is a joyful and pleasurable experience for the child, parent, 
sibling, grandparent, guardian, and teacher. It is a valuable way to spend time with a child in 
school, at home, in the library, or any context in which adults and children interact with each other. 
I am speaking from personal experience.  

I have a five-year-old granddaughter who just started kindergarten this year. I have read to 
her since she was born and continue to do so today. Like this poem, she shows and reminds me 
how important it is for me to read to her. We both will select books for me to read to her. Among 
others, she selects books about popular characters like Elsa and Anna in the movie Frozen, Peppa 
Pig and all her friends, the Disney princesses, the Three Little Pigs (Marshall, 2000) and its 
variations, Rapunzel (Zelinsky, 1997), If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Numeroff, 2015) and its 
variations, I Know an Old Lady who Swallowed a Pie (Jackson, 1997) and its variations, Mother 
Goose rhymes (Crews, 2011), and The Little Engine That Could (Piper, 1992). In turn, I also select 
books but introduce her to the works of popular authors like David Shannon, Mem Fox, Pat 
Hutchins, Denise Fleming, Don and Audrey Wood, Lois Ehlert, and Remy Charlip. Together, and 
perhaps most importantly, reading aloud her selections and mine helps me and her to stay 
personally, socially, emotionally, and psychologically connected with each other. 

I hope this article is a reminder to “read to them before the time, before the chance, is gone” 
(Layne, 2001, p. 63). I also hope that it starts new conversations about reading aloud as a complex 
art, a valuable way for parents and guardians to spend time with children at home and for teachers 
to spend time with students in the classroom. Let the conversations begin. 
 
References 
Albright, L., & Ariail, M. (2005). Tapping the potential of teacher read-alouds in middle schools. 

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 48(7), 582–591. https://doi.org/10.1598/jaal. 
48.7.4 

Allen, J. (2007). Inside words. Stenhouse.  
Anderson, I., Hiebert, E. Scott, J., & Wilkinson, I. (1985). Becoming a nation of readers: The 

report of the commission on reading. The National Academy of Education. 
Braun, P. (2010). Taking the time to read aloud. Science Scope, 34(2), 45–49.  
Burke, C. (1990, 1995). Personal correspondence.  
Columba, L., Kim, C., & Moe, A. (2009). The power of picture books. Holcomb Hathaway.  
Delo, L. (2008). Reading aloud. The Science Teacher, 75(5), 33–37. 
Duursma, E., Augustyn, M., & Zuckerman, B. (2008). Reading aloud to children: The evidence. 

Disease in Childhood, 93(7), 554–557. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.106336 

https://doi.org/10.1598/jaal.%20%E2%80%8C48.7.4
https://doi.org/10.1598/jaal.%20%E2%80%8C48.7.4
https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.106336


Bintz 43 
 

Follos, A. (2006). If teens want to listen, why do we shut up? School Library Journal, 52(10), 57–
60. http://interactivereadalouds.pbworks.com/f/If+Teens+Want+to+Listen,+Whay+Do+
We+Shut+Up.pdf 

Fox, M. (2013). Reading magic: Why reading aloud to our children will change their lives forever. 
Harper. 

Fox, M. (2022). Reading magic: How your child can learn to read before school and other read-
aloud miracles. Ligature Finest. 

Giroir, S., Grimaldo, L. R., Vaughn, S., & Roberts, G. (2015). Interactive read-alouds for English 
learners in the elementary grades. The Reading Teacher, 68(8), 639–648. 
https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1354 

Grote-Garcia, S., & Durham, P. (2013). Engaging readers, increasing comprehension and building 
skills: The power of patterned books. Texas Journal of Literacy Education, 1(1), 45–53. 
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1110819.pdf 

Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2017). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for engagement, 
understanding, and building knowledge. Stenhouse. 

Hickman, P., Pollard-Durodola, S., & Vaughn, S. (2004). Storybook reading: Improving 
vocabulary and comprehension for English-Language learners. The Reading Teacher, 
57(8), 720–730. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20205423 

Hintz, A., & Smith, A. (2013). Mathematizing read-alouds in three easy steps. The Reading 
Teacher, 67(2), 103–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1182 

Hoffman, J., Collins, M., & Schickedanz, J. (2015). Instructional challenges in developing young 
children’s science concepts: Using informational text read-alouds. The Reading Teacher, 
68(5), 363–372. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1325 

Hoyt, L. (2009). Interactive read-alouds: Linking standards, fluency, and comprehension. 
Heinemann. 

Krashen, S. D. (2004). The power of reading: Insights from the research (2nd ed). Greenwood 
Publishing Group. 

Laminack, L., & Wadsworth, R. (2006). Reading aloud across the curriculum. Houghton Mifflin.   
Layne, S. (2001). Life’s literacy lessons: Poems for teachers. International Reading Association. 
Libresco, A., Balantic, J., & Kipling, J. (2011). Every book is a social studies book. Greenwood. 
McCallum, T. (2019). Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 

https://tommccallum.com/2019/02/25/life-can-only-be-understood-backwards-but-it-
must-be-lived-forwards/ 

McCormick, M., & McTigue, E. (2011). Teacher read-alouds make science come alive. Science 
Scope, 34(5), 45–49. 

McGill-Franzen, A. (2006). Kindergarten literacy. Scholastic.  
Oczkus, L. (2009). Interactive think-aloud lessons. Scholastic. 
Opitz, M., & Rasinski, T. (1998). Good-bye round robin: 25 effective oral reading strategies. 

Heinemann. 
Reutzel, R., & Cooter, R. (2018). Teaching children to read: The teacher makes the difference. 

Pearson. 
Routman, R. (2018). Literacy essentials: Engagement, excellence, and equity for all learners. 

Stenhouse. 
Trelease, J. (2013). New read-aloud handbook. Penguin. 
Trelease, J., & Giorgis, C. (2019). Jim Trelease’s read-aloud handbook. Penguin.  

http://interactivereadalouds.pbworks.com/f/If+Teens+Want+to+Listen,+Whay+Do+%E2%80%8CWe+Shut+Up.pdf
http://interactivereadalouds.pbworks.com/f/If+Teens+Want+to+Listen,+Whay+Do+%E2%80%8CWe+Shut+Up.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1354
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1110819.pdf
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20205423
https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1182
https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1325
https://tommccallum.com/2019/02/25/life-can-only-be-understood-backwards-but-it-must-be-lived-forwards/
https://tommccallum.com/2019/02/25/life-can-only-be-understood-backwards-but-it-must-be-lived-forwards/


44 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

Webster, P. S. (2009). Exploring the literature of fact. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 662–671. 
https://doi.org/10.1598/rt.62.8.4 

Zarnowski, M., & Turkel, S. (2012). How nonfiction reveals the nature of science. Children’s 
Literature in Education, 44(4), 295–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-012-9194-z 

Zehr, M.A. (2010). Reading aloud to teens gains favor among teachers. Education Digest, 76(1), 
4–7. 

 
Literature Cited 
Crews, N. (2011). The neighborhood Mother Goose. Greenwillow Books. 
Fox, M. (2004). Where is the green sheep? Penguin. 
Jackson, A. (1997). I know an old lady who swallowed a pie. Scholastic. 
John, J. (2019). The good egg. HarperCollins Publishers. 
Krull, K. (2020). Stay curious! A brief history of Stephen Hawking. Crown Books. 
Marshall, J. (2000). The three little pigs. Grosset & Dunlap. 
Piper, W. (1976). The little engine that could. Platt & Munk. 
Zelinsky, P. O. (1997). Rapunzel. Dutton Books for Young Readers. 
 

https://doi.org/10.1598/rt.62.8.4
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-012-9194-z


Bintz 45 

 

 

Table 3: Text Types for Reading Aloud 

Text Type Description Text Reference 

Patterned Text Texts having recurring 
patterns to help readers 
build fluency and support 
comprehension.  

Where is the Green Sheep? Fox, M. (2004). Where is the Green Sheep? Clarion.  
It Didn’t Frighten Me Goss, J., & Harste, J. It Didn’t Frighten Me. Willowisp Press.  
The Important Book  Brown, M.W. (1977). The Important Book. Harper Collins. 
Fortunately Charlip, R (1993). Fortunately. Aladdin.  
To Market, To Market Miranda, A. (2001). To Market, To Market. Clarion.  
Fortunately, Unfortunately Foreman, M. (2011). Fortunately, Unfortunately. Andersen Press.  
Our Granny Wild, M. (1998). Our Granny. Clarion.  
No David Shannon, D. (1998). No David. Blue Sky Press.  
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes Fox, M. (2010). Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Clarion.  
Knock Knock Who’s There? Grindley, S. (1986). Knock Knock Who’s There? Knopf.  
Uptown Collier, B. (2004). Uptown. Square Fish.  
Hist Dennis, C. (2012). Hist. Penguin Australia.  
Guess What? Fox, M. (1995). Guess What? Clarion.  
Who’s Hiding Here Yoshi. (1987). Who’s Hiding Here. Picture Book Studio. 

Predictable 
Language Text 

Texts having “repetitive 
language patterns or 
story patterns or familiar 
sequences such as 
numbers, the days of the 
week, or hierarchical 
patterns” (Huck, Hepler & 
Hickman, 1993) 

The Very Busy Spider Carle, E. (1995). The Very Busy Spider. World of Eric Carle.  
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Numeroff, L. (2015). If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. HarperCollins.  
Koala Lou, I Do Love You Fox, M. (1994). Koala Lou, I Do Love You. The Trumpet Club.  
The Napping House Wood, A. (2009). The Napping House. Clarion.  
Bark Feiffer, J. (2018). Bark. Michael di Capua Books.  
Something from Nothing  Gilman, P. (2012). Something from Nothing. Scholastic Canada.  
Pout-Pout Fish Diesen, D. (2013). Pout-Pout Fish. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  
Go Sleep in Your Own Bed Fleming, C. (2017). Go Sleep in Your Own Bed. Schwartz & 

Wade.  
We All Went On Safari Krebs, L. (2021). We All Went On Safari. Barefoot Books.  
William’s Winter Nap Groenink, C. (2017). William’s Winter Nap. Little Brown Books for 

Young Readers. 
One Day in the Eucalyptus, 
Eucalyptus Tree 

Bernstrom, D. (2017). One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus 
Tree.  

The Maestro Plays  Martin, Jr., B. (1994). The Maestro Plays Voyager.  



46 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

A Bear Sat on My Porch Today Yolen, J. (2018). A Bear Sat on My Porch Today. Chronicle.  

Familiar Cultural 
Pattern 

Texts having common 
patterns in a culture 

Q is for Duck Folsom & Elting (2005). Q is for Duck. HMH.  
I Just Want to Say Good Night Isadora, R. (2017). I Just Want to Say Good Night. Nancy 

Paulsen Books.  
Chicken Soup with Rice Sendak, M. (2018). Chicken Soup with Rice. HarperCollins.  
Jo Macdonald Saw a Pond  Quattlebaum (2013). Jo Macdonald Saw a Pond. Dawn 

Publications.  
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, 
Too? 

Carle, E. (2005). Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? 
HarperCollins.  

There Was an Old Lady Who 
Swallowed a Shell 

Colandro, L. (2008). There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a 
Shell. Scholastic.  

Once Upon a Time Prater, J. (1995). Once Upon a Time. Candlewick. 
Where are My Shoes? Dudke, M.A., & Larsen, M. (1993). Where are My Shoes? Barney.  

Familiar Problem 
Pattern 

Texts having patterns 
based on other patterned 
stories with similar 
problems. 

Three Little Pigs Weisner, D. (2001). Three Little Pigs. Clarion. 
Somebody and the Three Blairs Tolhurst, M. (1990). Somebody and the Three Blairs. Orchard.  
Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree  Christelow, E. (1991). Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree. 

Scholastic.  
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! Fox, M. (2000). Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! Voyager.  
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs Scieszka, (1996). The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Puffin.  
The Three Little Wolves and the Big 
Bad Pig 

Trivizas (1997). The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. 
Margaret K. McElderry Books.  

The Three Javalenas Lowell, S. (1992). The Three Javalenas. Cooper Square 
Publishing.  

Moose’s Loose Tooth Clarke, J.A. (2003). Moose’s Loose Tooth. Scholastic.  
Three Billy Goats Gruff Barnett, M. (2022). Three Billy Goats Gruff. Orchard Books.  

Chronological 
Pattern 

Texts following a 
sequence of events 

The Grouchy Ladybug Carle, E. (1999). The Grouchy Ladybug. Harper Festival.  
One Monday Morning Shulevitz, U. (2003). One Monday Morning. Square Fish.  
Grandpa’s Slippers Watson, J. (1989). Grandpa’s Slippers. Scholastic.  
Spunky Little Monkey  Martin, Bill, Jr. (2017). Spunky Little Monkey. Scholastic. 
Dreadful David Odgers, (1984). Dreadful David. Scholastic.  
Seven Blind Mice Young, E. (1992). Seven Blind Mice. Puffin.  
The Teeny-Tiny Woman Galdone, P. (1984). The Teeny-Tiny Woman. Clarion.  



Bintz 47 
 

Circle Pattern “Texts that are artistically 
and purposefully crafted 
so that the main character 
or characters experience 
a great adventure that 
terminates back at the 
original location” 

City Dog, Country Dog  Willems, M. (2010). City Dog, Country Dog. Hyperion. 
If You Give a Dog a Donut Numeroff, L. (2011). If You Give a Dog a Donut. HarperCollins. 
Nicolas, where have you been? Lionni, L. (1987). Nicolas, where have you been? Alfred A. Knopf.  
I Love You More Duksta, L. (2001). I Love You More. Shine. 
Meerkat Mail Gravett, E. (2006). Meerkat Mail. Macmillan.  
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes Dean, J. (2010). Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. 

HarperCollins.  

Rhyme/Rhythm 
Pattern 

Texts having words that 
produce the same or 
similar sounds, and the 
reoccurrence of these 
sounds.  

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do 
You See 

Martin, Jr., B. (1996). Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You 
See. Henry Holt.  

Walking Through the Jungle Harter, D. (2001). Walking Through the Jungle. Mantra Lingua.   
The Flea’s Sneeze Downey, L. (2000). The Flea’s Sneeze. Scholastic. 
The Day the Goose Got Loose Lindbergh, R. (1990). The Day the Goose Got Loose. Scholastic.  
Baby Hearts and Baby Flowers Charlip, R. (2002). Baby Hearts and Baby Flowers. Greenwillow.  
Big Pigs Helakoski, L. (2014). Big Pigs. Boyds Mill.  
Sleepytime Rhyme Charlip, R. (2001). Sleepytime Rhyme. Greenwillow. 
I Wish I Had a Pirate Suit Allen, P. (1989). I Wish I Had a Pirate Suit. Viking Kestral.  
Here Comes the Band! Jorgensen, G. (1988). Here Comes the Band! Rigby.  
Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick: Send for 
the Doctor, Quick, Quick, Quick 

Charlip, R. (2001). Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick: Send for the 
Doctor, Quick, Quick, Quick. Tricycle Press.  

Antiphonal 
Voices Pattern 

Alternating reading by two 
or more readers in which 
one reader reads with a 
high voice vs. low voice, 
happy voice vs. sad 
voice, assertive vs. 
questioning voice, etc.  

That’s Good, That’s Bad Cuyler, M. (1993). That’s Good, That’s Bad. Henry Holt. 
Eat Your Peas  Gray, K. (2009). Eat Your Peas. Random House UK. 
Macca the Alpaca  Cosgrove, M. (2018). Macca the Alpaca. Scholastic.  
Tops & Bottoms Stevens, J. (1995). Tops & Bottoms. Scholastic. 
I am a Tiger Newson, K. (2019). I am a Tiger. Scholastic. 
Hairy Bear Cowley, J. (1990). Hairy Bear. Wright Group. 
Don’t Say That Word Katz, A. (2007). Don’t Say That Word. Margaret K. McElderry 

Books. 
Dear Mr. Blueberry James, S. (1991). Dear Mr. Blueberry. Aladdin.  
Yo! Yes? Raschka, C. (2007). Yo! Yes? Scholastic. 
The Ghost Eye Tree Martin Jr., B. (1985). The Ghost Eye Tree. Henry Holt.  
No, No, Kitten Thomas, S.M. (2015). No, No, Kitten. Boyds Mill.  
Duck! Rabbit! Rosenthal, (2009). Duck! Rabbit! Chronicle.  



48 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

Table 4: Instructional Strategies for Reading Aloud 

Text Type Description Text Reference 
Interactive Reading 
Aloud 

Strategy for reading aloud 
a text, occasionally 
pausing for conversation 
at selected points in the 
text. 

The Wise Woman and Her 
Secret 

Merriam, E. (1991). The Wise Woman and Her Secret. Simon & Schuster.  

What Joe Saw Hines, A.G. (1994). What Joe Saw. Greenwillow. 

Owl Moon Yolen, J. (2001). Owl Moon. Philomel Books. 

Into the Forest  Browne, A. (2004). Into the Forest. Walker Books.  

What Do You Do With a 
Tail Like This? 

Jenkins, S., & Page, R. (2009). What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? 
Houghton Mifflin.  

A Nice Walk in the Jungle Bodsworth, N. (1990). A Nice Walk in the Jungle. Viking Kestrel.  

Shared Reading Strategy for reading aloud 
a text in which the teacher 
conducts most of the 
reading and students 
respond based on what 
they are understanding.  

You Read to Me, I’ll Read 
to You 

Hoberman, M. (2006). You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You Little Brown 
Books. 

Very Short Fairy Tales to 
Read Together 

Hoberman, M. (2012). Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together. Little 
Brown Books. 

Very Short Fables to Read 
Together 

Hoberman, M. (2013). Very Short Fables to Read Together. Little Brown 
Books. 

Very Short Mother Goose 
Tales to Read Together 

Hoberman, M. (2012). Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together. 
Little Brown Books. 

Echo Reading Strategy for reading aloud 
a text line by line or 
sentence by sentence 
modeling appropriate 
fluency and prosody. After 
reading each line, 
student(s) echoes the 
reading of the line with the 
same rate, fluency, and 
prosody. 

Shh! We Have a Plan Haughton, C. (2014). Shh! We Have a Plan. Candlewick. 

Tough Boris Fox, M. (1998). Tough Boris. HMH Books. 

I Went Walking Williams, S. (1996). I Went Walking. Clarion.  

Here Are My Hands Martin, Jr., B., & Archambault, J. (1985). Here Are My Hands. Henry Holt. 

Quick as a Cricket Wood, A. (1982). Quick as a Cricket. Scholastic.  

Choral Reading: 
Single Voices 

Strategy for reading aloud 
a text or sections of a text 
in unison with whole class 
or group of students, 
helping build students’ 
fluency, self-confidence, 
and motivation. 

What Does The Fox Say? Nyhus, S. (2013). What Does The Fox Say? Simon & Schuster.  

The Spider in the Shower Mahy, M. (1988). The Spider in the Shower. Rigby. 

Chicken Little (retold) Hillman, J. (1989). Chicken Little. Rigby.  

Who Sank the Boat? Allen, P. (1982). Who Sank the Boat? Putnam. 

Suddenly! McNaughton, C. (1994). Suddenly! Voyager.  



Bintz 49 
 

Who’s That Tripping Over 
My Bridge? 

Salley, C. (2002). Who’s That Tripping Over My Bridge? Pelican.  

Choral Reading: 
Accumulating 
Voices 

Strategy for using choral 
reading with accumulating 
voices. 

Hattie and the Fox Fox, M. (1986). Hattie and the Fox. Clarion. 

King Bidgood’s in the 
Bathtub 

Wood, A. (1996). King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub. Harcourt Brace 
Jovanovich.  

The House That Jack Built Miller, J. P. (2008). The House That Jack Built. Little Golden Books. 

The Great Big Enormous 
Turnip 

Award, A. (2013). The Great Big Enormous Turnip. Award Publications.  

Henry’s Stars Elliot, D. (2015). Henry’s Stars. Philomel.  

I Have to Go! Munsch, R. (1993). I Have to Go! Annick. 

Old Devil Wind Martin, Jr. B. (1971). Old Devil Wind. Voyager.  

The Napping House Wood, A. (1984). The Napping House. Harcourt Brace. 

Today is Monday Carle, E. (1993). Today is Monday. Scholastic.  

Where are You Going? To 
See My Friend! 

Carle, E., & Iwamura, K. (2001). Where are You Going? To See My 
Friend! Scholastic.  

Henny-Penny Wattenberg, J. (2000). Henny-Penny. Scholastic. 

Choral Reading: 
Cacophonous 
Voices 

Strategy for using choral 
reading with cacophonous 
voices. 

Grumbles from the Town: 
Mother-Goose Voices With 
a Twist 

Yolen, J. (2016). Grumbles from the Town: Mother-Goose Voices With a 
Twist. Wordsong. 

Red: A Crayon’s Story Hall, M. (2015), Red: A Crayon’s Story. Takatuka.  

Strega Nona De Paola, T. (1975). Strega Nona. Aladdin. 

Some Smug Slug Edwards, P.D. (1996). Some Smug Slug. HarperCollins. 

Mice Squeak, We Speak dePaola, T. (1997). Mice Squeak, We Speak. G.P. Putnams.  

Noisy Nora Wells, R. (1997). Noisy Nora. Penguin. 

Duck on a Bike Shannon, D. (2002). Duck on a Bike. The Blue Sky Press. 

Dooby Dooby Moo Cronin, D., & Lewin, B. 2006). Dooby Dooby Moo. Scholastic. 

Betsy Red Hoodie Levine, G.C. (2010). Betsy Red Hoodie. HarperCollins.  

The Day the Crayons Quit Daywalt, D. (2013). The Day the Crayons Quit. Philomel. 

The Day the Crayons 
Came Home 

Daywalt, D. (2015). The Day the Crayons Came Home. Philomel. 



50 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

Superchicken Jane, M. (2003). Superchicken. Scholastic. 

Gotta Go! Gotta Go! Swope, S. (2004). Gotta Go! Gotta Go! Sunburst.  

Fix-It Duck Alborough, J. (2001). Fix-It Duck. HarperCollins.  

Giggle, Giggle, Quack Cronin, D. (2002). Giggle, Giggle, Quack. Simon & Schuster.  

Quacky Quack-Quack! Whybrow, I. (1991). Quacky Quack-Quack! Candlewick.  

Crunch the Crocodile Croser, J. (1986). Crunch the Crocodile. McClean-Carr. 

Choral Reading:  
Cast of Voices 

Strategy for using choral 
reading with a cast of 
different voices. 

Wolf Won’t Bite Gravett, E. (2012). Wolf Won’t Bite. Simon & Schuster.  

What’s That Noise? Rosenfeldt (1988). What’s That Noise? Orchard Books. 

Elmer Takes Off McKee, D. (1997). Elmer Takes Off.  HarperColings.  

Petunia Duvoisin, R. (1977). Putunia. Alfred A. Knopf.  

Wake Up, Big Barn Chitwood, S.T. (2002). Wake Up, Big Barn. Scholastic. 

Happy Birthday Hamster Lord, C. (2011). Happy Birthday Hamster. Scholastic. 

Bear Snores On Wilson, (2002). Bear Snores On. Little Simon.  

Rain! Stojic, M. (2000). Rain! Random House. 

Cloudland  Burningham, J. (1996). Cloudland.  Dragonfly.  

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows 
That Type 

Cronin, B. (2000). Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. Atheneum Books 
for Young Children. 

Skippyjon Jones Schachner, J. (2003). Skippyjon Jones. Puffin. 

Who Eats Orange White (2018). Who Eats Orange. Beach Lane Books.  

Choral Reading: 
Reading Aloud 
Multiple Voice 
Poems 

Choral Reading: Reading 
Aloud Multiple Voice 
Poems 

Boom! Bellow! Bleat!: 
Animal Poems for Two or 
More 

Heard, G. (2019). Boom! Bellow! Bleat!: Animal Poems for Two or More. 
Wordsong.  

Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems 
in Different Voices 

Janeczko (2001). Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices. 
HarperCollins. 

Joyful Noise: Poems for 
Two Voices 

Fleischman, P. (2004). Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. 
HarperCollins.  

I am Phoenix: Poems for 
Two Voices  

Fleischman, P. (1989). I am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices. 
HarperCollins. 

Big Talk: Poems for Four 
Voices 

Fleischman, P. (2000). Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices. HarperCollins. 



Bintz 51 
 

“Me” “Me.” In Swados, E. (2002) Hey You! C’mere: A Poetry Slam. Arthur A. 
Levine. 

Voices in the Park Browne, A. (2001). Voices in the Park. DK Children.  

Math Talk Pappas, T. (1993). Math Talk. Wide World Publishing.  

Readers Theatre Reader’s theater 
highlights reading fluency 
and involves students 
reading parts orally from 
scripts that include 
multiple characters and 
much dialogue. 

The Web Files  Palantini, M. (2001). The Web Files. Scholastic. 

Dinner at the Panda 
Palace 

Calmenson, S. (1995). Dinner at the Panda Palace. HarperCollins.  

Yo, Hungry Wolf Lewin, B. (1993). Yo, Hungry Wolf. Dell.  

The Shopping Basket Burningham, J. (1980). The Shopping Basket. Candlewick. 

Alvie Eats Soup Collins, R. (2002). Alvie Eats Soup. Arthur A. Levine. 

Woolbur Helakoski, L. (2008). Woolbur. HarperCollins. 

The Obvious Elephant Robinson, B. (2000). The Obvious Elephant. Bloomsbury. 

Time to Sleep Fleming, D. (1997). Time to Sleep. Henry Holt.  

 
 
Received: November 2, 2022 | Accepted: January 2, 2023 | Published: April 3, 2023 


	04 100 Reading-Aloud to Children (Bintz, 2023) 01
	Vignette
	Reflection
	Table 1: Suggested Tips for Reading Aloud
	Table 2: Suggestions for Selecting Texts to Read Aloud
	Reading Aloud
	Historically, reading aloud has been, and continues to be, a common practice in schools, libraries, and homes all around the world. The benefits of reading aloud are universally recognized. Among other things, reading aloud supports language and langu...
	Here, I share a brief literature review of reading aloud across four categories: reading aloud picturebooks, reading aloud picturebooks across the curriculum, reading aloud picturebooks to older readers, and reading aloud to English Language Learners ...
	Selecting Texts to Read Aloud
	Final Thoughts

	References
	Literature Cited

	04 100 Reading-Aloud to Children (Bintz, 2023) 02
	Table 4: Instructional Strategies for Reading Aloud


