Leonard Marcus, children's book historian, author and critic, shares read-aloud memories:

- What read aloud memory is most significant for you?

In elementary school, one of my teachers played us a recording of Robert Frost reading his poetry. I can still hear Frost's craggy, powerful voice. I responded to the clarity and music of his words. The experience also showed me that writers were real people and I think it was one of the touchstone experiences that convinced me I might want to be a writer one day.

- Were there books in your own childhood that have impacted you tremendously? And why?

I had trouble learning to read. Dr. Seuss books are the first ones I remember, in large part because they made reading fun. Also, I enjoyed making up my own rhymes, so I fed on the Seuss books. We were birds of a feather! By fourth or fifth grade, I was a devoted reader of biography and history books. I loved American history (and still do). Why? One reason may be that my parents, who were first generation Americans, rarely talked about their childhoods, and my grandparents had died before I could know them. So history books made up for the past that our family did not seem to have and biographies pointed to different possible futures.

- Why do you think it is important to read aloud to children?

It's now a well-documented fact that reading to very young children fosters brain development. It's as basic as making sure that a child has enough to eat. Children who start life with a good feeling about books and language have a strong foundation not only for their future education but also for life-long learning in the largest sense.

- Which children's books are not to be missed, and why?

Among picture book authors some of the essential ones would certainly be Margaret Wise Brown, Eric Carle, William Steig, Maurice Sendak, Ezra Jack Keats, and James Marshall. Each is an author with a sense of fun and an understanding of what really matters to children and their stories never get old.

- Any final thoughts on the power of reading aloud for all children?

Reading to a child is a wonderful way to draw closer to that child. It's a chance to strengthen the bond. No parent should feel unqualified to do it. No training is necessary and the good effects of setting aside some time for reading each day really can't be exaggerated.


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