Home Is Where the Books Are: Creating Literate Spaces, Choosing Books, and Why It Matters

Meghan Rose and Ruth Shagoury believe in sharing the playful adventure of reading with children from the time they are born, raising readers who not only know how to read, but want to read and become passionate life-long readers. A mother/daughter collaboration, Home is Where the Books Are takes you into the daily life of a household where reading is infused throughout everyday activities with Meghan’s young twins from their birth through kindergarten. Filled with practical tips and dozens of annotated book lists, this book is more than another read-aloud handbook; it’s a guide for creating the kind of home atmosphere and stance toward reading that will help families build reading into their lives—because it’s enjoyable. Meghan and Ruth’s approach is fun and practical. From festive and impromptu holidays like “Yes Day” to calming bedtime rituals, they share dozens of their favorite books, as well as ways to integrate them naturally and delightfully into the lives of babies, toddlers, and children ready to enter kindergarten. They also cull down the bewildering mountain of research on child development, including the effects of screen-time and other media-related literacy issues, sharing simple truths that will help parents trust their instincts when it comes to reading at home.