The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

“The Book Whisperer (I love the name!) was both inspirational and incredibly practical. I highlighted many passages to share with my students and teachers, and I plan to use this as a text next year when I teach my undergraduate reading methods course. “ --Patricia M. Cunningham, Professor of Education, Wake Forest University

"Miller's new book, The Book Whisperer, is a breath of fresh air in this era of teacher-dominated reading test preparation lessons. She sets forth both an argument and evidence for immersing kids in reading as the alternative to the often mindless reading lessons offered in hopes of improving test scores. She writes about her own 6th grade classroom where students are expected to read at least 40 books each year, and her stories will convince you that it is time to focus on teaching children rather than teaching books or stories. She will convince you that it is time to stop assigning book reports, whole class novels, vocabulary lists, quizzes, and worksheets and, instead, give students the opportunity to choose what they will read (within limits). She will also persuade you to allocate the school time actually needed to read 40 books in a given year. This is a powerful and practical book, one that will support you as you change your classroom for the better while helping you understand how to overcome current classroom cultures where some children learn and many learn to hate reading." --Richard L Allington, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

"Donalyn Miller’s practical ideas about children and books are sound. In an age of test-driven curriculum, reading this book will remind teachers, administrators and parents why giving reading back to the students is the right thing to do.”--Dr. Carol D. Wickstrom, Associate Professor of Reading, University of North Texas

“This book reminds anyone--who is lucky enough to have loved a book--what classrooms and kids have lost in our frenzy to 'cover'content and standardize student performance in the name of reading. This is a primer of the heart on how to make reading magical again.”--Carol Ann Tomlinson, William Clay Parrish, Jr. Professor of Education, University of Virginia

"In The Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller deftly describes the inherent need children have to engage with books, intellectually and emotionally.  The book is a timely and rare gift for teachers."--Ellin Oliver Keene, Author/Consultant