Nancy Newman - Raising Passionate Readers: 5 Easy Steps to Success in School and Life

Advance praise for Raising Passionate Readers

Raising Passionate Readers is a perfect primer for parents looking to instill a love of reading in children. I regularly share Nancy Newmans advice with families at my library and use her techniques with my own children.

Carrie Silberman M.L.S., Head of Childrens Library, New York Society Library

Nancy Newman delineates clear, simple, and powerful steps that promote a love of reading, one of the essential foundations for success in school and in life.

Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D., A.B.P.P., President, National School Climate Center; author, Educating Minds and Hearts

Raising Passionate Readers is rich with ideas for having fun while sharing adventures in language. Any parent, grandparent, or educator can benefit from this book!

Emily Comstock Di Martino, Ph.D., specialist in childrens literature, Director of Teacher Education, Baruch College, City University of New York

Follow Nancy Newmans wise, joyous advice and your child wont lift his eyes from his favorite book!

Patricia Laurence, Ph.D., City University of New York

Raising Passionate Readers is a deeply valuable book that reminds us of the importance of reading in a fast-paced, technological world.

Marlene Veloso, Executive Director, KIDS Research Center

Nancy Newman offers enjoyable ways to turn playful moments into meaningful learning experiences. Suggestions for parents of struggling readers are particularly helpful and inspiring.

Carol Tomason Ed.S., M.Ed., Learning Consultant, Reading Specialist, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Imagine a world of passionate readers. Thats what novelist, teacher, and mother Nancy Newman didthen developed a method to make it happen. Now every child can curl up with a good book and enjoy a lifetime of reading!

Trish Marx, author of award-winning books for children including Touching the Sky and Everglades Forever

Nancy Newmans easy-to-implement action steps will have a transformative, lifelong impact on childrens reading and learning skills, providing the key to unlock every future door and challenge.

Karin Taylor, former Executive Director, New York Center for Independent Publishing

Newman provides encouraging advice and easy-to-follow tips that are practical and fun. I recommend this book to all parents, and to organizations that focus on family literacy.

Jo Umans, Executive Director, Behind the Book

Acclaim for Nancy Newman

Inspirational and encouraging advice on how to make reading and learning fun without the urgency of a hurried performance.

Rosemary Milliman, Principal of Lower School, Trinity School

The school was buzzing with enthusiasm for your presentation which balanced the reality of parenting with practical tips every parent felt they could manage at home. Your message was clear, simple, and encouraging.

Nancy Schulman, former Director, 92nd St. Y Nursery School; Division Head: Early Learning Center, Avenues School

You speak to parents from the perspective of one who has been in their shoes and survived to tell about it! Your suggestions are such simple, practical things that one doesnt often think of but yet are so easy to do.

Deborah Markewich, Parent Coordinator, Public School 166

More parents raved to me about your workshop than any workshop we have had. It was really inspirational.

Lydia Spinelli, Director, Brick Church School

Your creative ideas can be implemented stress free. Parents, teachers, college professors, and learning specialists all walked away with valuable information.

Linda Selvin, former Executive Director, New York Branch of the International Dyslexia Association

Those who attended were unanimous in their praise. Many have tried out your suggestions and found that they really do work!

Beth Tashlik, Head of Lower School, Collegiate School

You provided teachers with valuable information as well as ideas to share with parents.

Kevie P. Michael, Director of Lower School, Birch Wathen Lenox School

The parenting secrets you arrived at through your experiences as a parent and educator are very compelling.

Valerie Kennedy, former Director, International Preschools

TRIBECA VIEW PRESS 2014

Copyright 2014 by Nancy Newman

41 River Terrace

New York, New York 10282

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data

Newman, Nancy, 1944

Raising passionate readers: 5 easy steps to success in school and life / Nancy Newman. 1st ed.

p. : ill. ; cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN: 978-0-615-84754-2

1. ReadingParent participation. 2. ChildrenBooks and reading. I. Title.

LB1139.5.R43 N49 2014

649.58 2013951969

This book is available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at Tribeca View Press by emailing .

Designed by Rgis Zaleman

FIRST EDITION

ISBN 978-0-615-84754-2

Printed and bound in the United States of America

For my husband, H.H.E., with love.

Flames shot up from the garbage pail as students hooted and tossed paper balls into the blaze. I shouted for help and a janitor rushed in with a fire extinguisher. Foam smothered the flames, but I was left in despair. My high school English classes were so chaotic, I felt I was more policeman than teacher. Most of my sixteen-year-old students could barely readand I didnt know how to help them.

The year was 1965. I was a newly minted New York City public school teacher in my early twenties. I was idealistic and determined to make a difference in young peoples lives. But I was confronting a seemingly insurmountable barrier that stumped meand many of my colleagues.

Some days, as I gazed into the angry, sullen faces of my teenage students, I searched for traces of the sparkly-eyed six-year-olds they must have been in kindergarten. Every little child Id ever met loved books and couldnt wait to learn to read. Why did these kids lose their passion for books and their excitement about learning? What happened to their appetite for reading and their explosive intellectual energy?

These questions echoed through my mind as I struggled week in and week out to reignite my students interest in reading. But I couldnt get past their indifferenceif not downright hostility. Eventually, I slunk out of that inner-city high school and took a job as a remedial writing instructor at a community college in one of the surrounding boroughs.