The book in this new post is not a middle grade title, but I know all my friendly readers (because you promote reading) will love this new book as I do. In fact, I am savoring the ending of this book. After finishing the audio version read by the author I plan to buy the book for myself and re-read this book many times. Why? The Enchanted Hour is full of so many enlightening thoughts about books and tales from around the world, books from every decade, century, and cultural group, so I want to write down every inspiring quotation and share with everyone.
This book is one I will buy for every new parent and grandparent if I can find enough copies. Meghan Cox Gurdon is my newest author crush who I have been reading every week in the Wall Street Journal. In fact, her column on book reviews for children’s books is the first part I read every Saturday. Ms Gurdon refers to cultural allusions in the books she recommends for families. She uses words such as miraculous, wondrous, magic, enchantment, and prescience. Those words describe my own feelings as I listen to and read her book.
So far in this post, I have only shared the basic title but look closely at the subtitle, a title which is perfectly descriptive of her premise. The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction. Each word in the title is important. Another reason I recommend the title is the humor, scientific data, the personal stories about reading aloud, and the interviews with authors and experts on literacy that Ms Gurson presents. You will recognize many author’s names as you savor this book as I have.
If you think reading aloud is only for pre-school age children, see the chapter titled “From the Nursery to the Nursing Home.” Here is a cogent quotation:
” I believe that one of the strongest motives that leads men to art and science is escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness. From the fetters of one’s own ever-drifting desires, a finely-tempered nature longs to escape from personal life into the world of object perception and thought.” Albert Einstein
Did I share that I will gift as many copies of this book to as many families as I can purchase books for them?
What are more things I like about this book? Each of the chapter titles will give you hints about the relatable topics:
- What Reading to Children Does to Their Brains
- Where It All Began
- Reading Together Strengthens Bonds of Love
- Turbocharging Child Development with Picture Books (Including Lists)
- The Rich Reward of a Vast Vocabulary
- The Power of Paying Attention and Flying Free
- Reading Aloud Furnishes the Mind
- From the Nursery to the Nursing Home
- There is No Time Like the Present
Happy Reading, Friends!
Best Books By Beth 
Thanks for telling me about this. It looks quite interesting.
FISH in the fifth chapter is supposed to be RICH!!
Beth Schmelzer http://www.BESTBOOKSBYBETH.com
On Sat, Oct 9, 2021 at 8:51 PM Best Books By Beth wrote:
> schmelzb posted: ” The book in this new post is not a middle grade title, > but I know all my friendly readers (because you promote reading) will love > this new book as I do. In fact, I am savoring the ending of this book. > After finishing the audio version read by the author ” >
FISH in the fifth chapter is supposed to be RICH!!
What a great motivator for reading to kids. I’ve always been a proponent of reading out loud and this is certainly an affirmation of the good that it does. Thanks for featuring on Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.
I absolutely love this book! I bought some for gifts, too. 🙂
I forgot to thank Greg Pattridge for posting my blog on his wonderful, regular blog called ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE on MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) on October 11, 2021. He and Rosi Hollinbeck, another regular contributor to this site, who held my hand, helping me add the cover picture! I highly recommend these blogs!
What an fascinating book with interesting chapter titles. Sounds like an ideal gift for parents and grandparents. Like the chapter on “From the Nursery to the Nursing Home.” Couldn’t agree more.
This book sounds like such a wonderful read! My family still reads books aloud despite our ages, and it really is a wonderful way of connecting over a story and our experiences of it. I’m glad some authors agree! Thanks so much for the thoughtful review!
Reading aloud is powerful. I read aloud to my students all the way up to senior year students. They loved it. Sounds like an interesting book.
I found this comment on my blog! Thanks for your comment!
Yay, Beth!
Thanks for commenting. Which Holly are you since I have two lovely friends named Holly. One of you is a writer and illustrator and one of you is the mother of a writer! Let me know which one you are!!
I love read aloud. As a former 5th grade teacher and current librarian- I am happy to say I read aloud daily. I also love listening to audiobooks. Such a treat!
Thank you for commenting, Stephanie. Have you read my latest blog post? I was absent for some time, reading and not writing my blog. But I am working on my own MG novel. TBD