Hamilton, Emma Walton (author).

Dec. 2008. 208p. Beech Tree, paperback, $14.95 (9780981583303).

A quote from B. F. Skinner sums up the goal of this book: “We shouldn’t teach great books; we should teach a love of reading.” Hamilton, a prolific children’s book author, believes that success in reading—or in any endeavor, for that matter—depends on the pleasure that results. After beginning with some disturbing statistics about the decline in American reading habits, Hamilton lays out ideas, strategies, and book lists that aim to rescue reading from the deadening clutches of school assignments. Traditionalists will bristle at Hamilton’s kitchen-sink approach; she advocates nearly anything that can connect reading with joy, including relevant movies, TV, comics, games, snacks, even staying up late. Heavy with bulleted lists, the book invites browsing for the section most relevant to your child’s age and preferences, and though the content is appropriately broad, Hamilton occasionally tackles specifics (her concern with the teen “problem novel” is particularly illuminating). This is a great tool for parents hoping to instill in their child a love of the printed word.

—      Daniel Kraus

(Source: Booklist)