Books like Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook — picked by fans

I’ve been fascinated by relationships since I was a kid. I grew up a keen observer of the relationships in my own family, mostly focused on the way in which the dynamics were difficult for me. This led me to develop a strong interest in psychology, a passion I pursued in my undergraduate education. I became acutely intrigued by an idea a professor exposed me to early on – that experiences of safety and security within attachment relationships are essential in order for children to thrive, and that without safety/security, they can experience chronic struggles. This early interest paved the way for what developed into my career as a psychology professor and therapist.

I’ve written and spoken on raising children and creating a home environment that supports learning, self-worth, a growing faith, a confident child who has character and creativity. I’ve had a passion for children all my life, and after teaching and working with kids from ages two to eighteen, and college, I began writing to inspire and equip parents to make the most of the fast-moving years of their children’s growing up years. My books like Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential, When Mothers Pray, Mothering By Heart, The One Year Book of Praying Through the Bible, have been published in eighty countries because they are inspiring, contain doable ideas, and are applicable to parents in other nations.

I’ve written and spoken on raising children and creating a home environment that supports learning, self-worth, a growing faith, a confident child who has character and creativity. I’ve had a passion for children all my life, and after teaching and working with kids from ages two to eighteen, and college, I began writing to inspire and equip parents to make the most of the fast-moving years of their children’s growing up years. My books like Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential, When Mothers Pray, Mothering By Heart, The One Year Book of Praying Through the Bible, have been published in eighty countries because they are inspiring, contain doable ideas, and are applicable to parents in other nations.

I’ve written and spoken on raising children and creating a home environment that supports learning, self-worth, a growing faith, a confident child who has character and creativity. I’ve had a passion for children all my life, and after teaching and working with kids from ages two to eighteen, and college, I began writing to inspire and equip parents to make the most of the fast-moving years of their children’s growing up years. My books like Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential, When Mothers Pray, Mothering By Heart, The One Year Book of Praying Through the Bible, have been published in eighty countries because they are inspiring, contain doable ideas, and are applicable to parents in other nations.

As a speech pathologist, as well as a fiction writer and poet, I’ve been fascinated by language ever since I learned how to speak. Once I had kids, I was amazed to listen in on their conversations, which often surprised me in all the ways they were discovering and thinking about the world. I began researching how the adults in their lives could best help them express themselves—and how we can best understand them. Along the way, I realized that having these sorts of conversations can enhance our family lives and let us have more fun. I hope this list starts up some great conversations for you!

I write fiction and nonfiction. I tell the truth, but on occasion, I twist the truth to create entertaining stories to feed your soul like soul food Sunday. I write for kids: for the teeny tots and rebel rousers. Stories both short and long with characters brave, bold, and strong. Settings that transport you to a world so captivating, you don’t want to leave. My stories are like quilts, threaded with themes of love, hope, family, and food. They provide comfort, keeping you hopeful through times of despair. I handle your heart, mind, and soul with care. I love seeing children have agency on the page. I love that they do them, and they are unapologetic about what they do. 

Ever since my younger years, I’ve spent many hours dwelling within the realms of my imagination, daydreaming myself into whirlwind romances from slow-burn to forbidden and everything in between. Why? The best answer I can give right now is my love of love, my innate understanding that the invisible string that pulls two people so fiercely together at the right time and place ultimately are the connections and relationships that propel us into up-leveling ourselves, evolving into our next best versions. So when I read, watch, or write romance, it’s beyond the physical–it’s emotional, mental, and truly spiritual.

I like Harold and the Purple Crayon as much as the next guy, but what I look for most in a picture book—or really any work of fiction—is whether it touches my heart. I write most often about history, and in those books, I aim to be as rational as possible, but as a reader, I deeply appreciate honest sentimentality—the kind that an author earns through authenticity rather than contrivance. It’s what I struggled to achieve myself when Habitat for Humanity asked me to collaborate with them on a picture book that evoked the spirit of the organization.

As a reading educator my mission in life is to give the gift of literacy. Inspiration came from my mother, my first-grade teacher who taught me to read. At 90-plus years old and declining, I dedicated one of my 18 books on teaching literacy to her. She sent me the last letter she would ever write and said, “Oh, oh, oh!”—a quote from Dick and Jane, the book she used to teach reading to three generations of first graders—“I always wanted to write a book but never did. I hope a word of mine is on a page or two of yours.” Her inspiration is on every page.

I’m a British writer but I have lived in Norway for over twenty years. My yearning for history goes back as long as I can remember and I often feel trapped in the wrong time. Writing historical fiction is my way of delving into the past and bringing it back to life. I’ve always been creative and enjoyed arts and crafts and, as well as being a writer, I am also a creativity coach and have my own podcast, The Creatively You Show, which helps writers and artists deal with the emotional challenges of the creative process. My book choices reflect these interests and the broader themes of history and art.