Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child - The Book Whisperer

Great book! Full of inspiration for the classroom. As a reading teacher, this provides me hope that I can be a Book Whisperer, too! I enjoyed this so much that I immediately ordered Donalyn's other book- Reading In The Wild. So far, just as good or better.

A must-read for any teacher. I am more determined than ever to protect choice and time for reading in my classroom. We, as educators, need to stand firm in doing what we know is best for our students and stop making education all about passing a state mandated test. If they read more, they will become strong readers, and if they are strong readers, they will pass the test. Thanks for the reminder and inspirational words, Donalyn! You made me want to teach again. And I have read more books myself in the last few weeks than I've read in the last 2 years! You have awakened my love of reading and it is already becoming contagious in my classroom.

Donalyn Miller loves reading. Unequivocally. Her goal? To share this passion and inspire everyone to read. The book Whisperer gives the reader a glimpse into a classroom solely focused on reading as the driving factor. This book may not change your pedagogy entirely, but it will inspire you to encourage a love for the written word.

Miller does what most educators should do: puts her kids first. Most teachers choose to do what has been done before because it's easy and less work for them. Miller asks, "What's best for my students? What do they need?" As a new teacher, I'm as open as they come to new teaching methods and new curriculum. I'm slowly building and tweaking as I go. Unfortunately, I see so many teachers who refuse to change what they've been doing for the last 13 years simply because "it's too much work." I'm so excited to use Miller's tools in my classroom, along with Kelly Gallagher's Readicide, and Nancie Atwell's In the Middle. If you are an educator - you must read this book!

This is a great book for current and future teachers. It is PACKED with great information about teaching reading and I find myself highlighting everything because their are just so many good ideas! It goes by so fast. I am half way through without even feeling like I have read that much

I am a teacher beginning her 30th year of teaching. I read this book over the summer and I have not stopped passing it out to my team members. I have been saying for so many years that we need to give children TIME TO READ everyday if we want them to become better readers, but also to become Life Long Readers. Our entire school has already adopted one of the suggestions. The ideas in this book can be used alongside your lessons for Daily 5 and CAFE. I really appreciate the book suggestions too! Teachers from all grade levels would benefit from reading this book!

We are reading this as required reading in the fall....at my school where i teach. Choice, choice, choice..
One of our teacher"s implemented the plan for student choice reading and their reading scores rose significantly.
Books separated by genre and choice given to the students. Her plan was based on this book! Worth reading for sure..

An inspirational look at one teacher's instructional practice. Miller's book, The Book Whisperer, is a great companion book to Readicide by Kelley Gallagher. The book addresses the issue of students who can read but choose not to read by challenging the very practices that have created these alliterate students. Miller gives the reader a view of her own classroom practices and throughout shares her students' responses in their own voices.

This book should be required reading for every language arts teacher. I gained a host of information. Although I didn't get it in time to implement at the beginning of the year, I have found it's never too late to get a child to enjoy reading. We recently changed the format of class with a block of time devoted every day to independent reading. After two weeks, the majority of my class has bought in to the idea of reading for pleasure each day. They enjoy when we share funny parts of our books, especially when I share from the book I'm reading. Great book.

If you teach reading , read this book! The love of reading is essential for life long learners, and it is our job to foster that love. This book will guide you in the best, and in the most simple way, to promote not only reading but higher level analysis and questioning in your classroom.

I purchased this book for a college course required reading. I did not expect to like it, as this is how most assigned reading tend to go. I absolutely loved this book. This is a must read for anyone in the teaching profession, especially middle and high school language arts. This book follows a teacher and her implementation of a unique reading curriculum in her classroom. This book offers many great instructional implications as well as classroom examples paired with student work samples. This book will be a re-read in my library for years to come.

So many insight thoughts and reminders about teaching reading! Students must have choice. Our classroom needs to be a place where students can find books of their liking and have time to read. Move from traditional practices like book unit studies and book reports. Now, implement book commercials and reviews. I can't wait to read the second book.

After reading this book, I am going to implement independent reading everyday on the classroom...this book has allowed me to reflect on the way I will be teaching reading this coming year.....and I am going to join the Book Whisperer movement!

I bought this book for a continuing education class and I agree completely with Donalyn Miller's view on reading. I think back to when I was in school, and looking at the current conditions in our schools, and she has the key to greatly improving our students reading skills and comprehension. With improved reading comes better comprehension in all subjects, thus resulting in higher test scores. This book is a must for any teacher, regardless of grade taught, to learn a new and better way of teaching reading.

Great read! Finished it in two days. I am looking forward to my staff reading this and adapting it's principles to their teaching. Nothing better than walking down the halls and seeing student's noses in books.

Excellent information and ideas to instill and encourage the love of reading in students. Well written by a knowledgeable educator who has used these techniques in her own classroom. Item was shipped promptly. Excellent seller.

If you have always wanted to have a self-selected reading component in your classroom but didn't know how to explain to your principal why it is the best approach, then this is the inspirational book for you. Geared towards intermediate and middle grade teachers, this book clearly shows why the traditional "read the chapter and answer the questions" will never get students to make great gains in reading. Donalyn writes with great passion and her stories are touching. She believes that if she can get a student to read 40 books in one school year, she will ignite a life-long passion in them for reading. Passion is certainly sorely needed in schools these days!

Amazing book. Easy read. This was a book I could not put down. Very much worth reading. It validates the idea that if kids are given time to read and read what they want, there will be more of a buy-in to the openness of exploring many, many books and hopefully learn to enjoy reading. This is what happened to me in college. I hated to read before I took a children's literature class. But, I was asked to read a specific number of books in particular genres, but the books were my choice. I know LOVE to read.

This book could change the way Language Arts is taught is upper elementary and middle school. Imagine having children just read! What could be better? There is research to back up the plan, which is perfect for passionate reading teachers. I not only LOVE this book, but follow the author's log. Truly inspiring.

I love, love, love this book. Easily read. SO much great information. Every teacher who teaches reading needs to read it. Their students deserve it. The concept and premise warms my heart. I cannot recommend it enough!

Practical and eye opening! Why don't kids love to read, because they don't get to read books they love. This book inspires leaders to help students become lifelong readers while still achieving education goals and outcomes. Everyone wins!

The Book Whisperer is a must-read for elementary school teachers. It has helped to solidify my beliefs about the teaching of reading and the necessity of allowing children the time to learn to enjoy reading. I will be sharing it with others at my school.

I have collected a lot of wonderful educational books over my 12 year career. The Book Whisperer has changed my teaching more than any other book. I would strongly recommend it to anyone in elementary or secondary English. The ideas in this book taught my 24 second graders to be passionate about reading. I have never seen the kids read so many chapter books. Our goal was to read 20 chapter books during the year (adapted from 40 book goal of the author's sixth graders). It is the beginning of April and only my two resource readers haven't met or exceeded the goal, and we still have two months to go! Get this book!

The Book Whisperer has wonderful tips for getting students to read. The author emphasizes so many things that I totally agree with as a teacher. Students must read daily to become better readers. This book is a quick read and has totally inspired me as a teacher to try some of the strategies when I go back to teaching this fall. 6th grade is mentioned a lot and since this is what I teach it was even more meaningful to me.

What a great book. It really makes you think about what, why and how you are teaching. She gives ideas, proof, back up plans...all bases were covered for all types of school experiences. I have felt the way she has for a long time about reading, so it gave me the courage to change some of my teaching. I recommend this as a companion book to Readicide!

I consider myself pretty good with matching books to students and students to books, but after reading The
Book Whisperer, I learned I have much that can be improved. When I finished reading this book over the summer, I couldn't wait to get back to school to start what I had read in my own classroom. I am eager to hold my students to a new standard of reading and hope that I can push them in that direction. A wonderful read!