July 15, 2019
Paul and Russo, respectively editor and children’s book editor of the New York Times Book Review, bring parental and editorial knowledge to this practical, reassuring guide to encouraging children to read. Devoting different sections to different age levels, from infants through teenagers, the authors give recommended reading lists, with a mix of classics and newer titles, in each. Suggestions for fostering a love of reading in children include reading to one’s newborn, giving books as birthday gifts and organizing used-book swaps as birthday party events, and encouraging teenagers to connect online with contemporary YA authors (Sarah Dessen, Brendan Kiely, and Tahereh Mafi are cited as particularly engaged writers). Writing in the second person, in a casual but fact-based style, Paul and Russo also seek to quell adult worries. For example, they assure their audience that while school curricula may push reading in kindergarten, “many perfectly bright children are simply not able to process the steps of independent reading before age 6 or 7.” Furthermore, parents need to remember to leave the instruction to school, and to focus on enjoyment, “sprinkling the fairy dust around reading and books.” With the bottom line that “If you want to raise a reader, be a reader,” their primer is recommended for all worried parents and anyone looking for suggestions of what books to read or give to children.

August 15, 2019
Savvy counsel and starter lists for fretting parents. New York Times Book Review editor Paul (My Life With Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues, 2017, etc.) and Russo, the children's book editor for that publication, provide standard-issue but deftly noninvasive strategies for making books and reading integral elements in children's lives. Some of it is easier said than done, but all is intended to promote "the natural, timeless, time-stopping joys of reading" for pleasure. Mediumwise, print reigns supreme, with mild approval for audio and video books but discouraging words about reading apps and the hazards of children becoming "slaves to the screen." In a series of chapters keyed to stages of childhood, infancy to the teen years, the authors supplement their advice with short lists of developmentally appropriate titles--by their lights, anyway: Ellen Raskin's Westing Game on a list for teens?--all kitted out with enticing annotations. The authors enlarge their offerings with thematic lists, from "Books That Made Us Laugh" to "Historical Fiction." In each set, the authors go for a mix of recent and perennially popular favorites, leaving off mention of publication dates so that hoary classics like Janice May Udry's A Tree Is Nice seem as fresh as David Wiesner's Flotsam and Carson Ellis' Du Iz Tak? and sidestepping controversial titles and themes in the sections for younger and middle-grade readers--with a few exceptions, such as a cautionary note that some grown-ups see "relentless overparenting" in Margaret Wise Brown's Runaway Bunny. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series doesn't make the cut except for a passing reference to its "troubling treatment of Indians." The teen lists tend to be edgier, salted with the provocative likes of Art Spiegelman's Maus and Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give, and a nod to current demands for more LGBTQ and other #ownvoices books casts at least a glance beyond the mainstream. Yaccarino leads a quartet of illustrators who supplement the occasional book cover thumbnails with vignettes and larger views of children happily absorbed in reading. Mostly conservative in its stance and choices but common-sensical and current.

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November 1, 2019
It's hard not to compare their advice book to ours (A Family of Readers, 2010), and Paul and Russo do strike a similar tone to Sutton and Parravano: books are to be enjoyed; give your children time and space; don't panic. In the first four sections, the New York Times Book Review editors discuss books for babies and toddlers, emerging readers and independent readers, middle graders, and young adults. Recommended booklists appear regularly (with title, author, illustrator, and some jackets, but no publication info); the final section presents over a dozen additional booklists organized by age level within parent-friendly themes ("Books That Make Us Laugh," "Tearjerkers," "Family Stories"). The recommendations include plenty of "classics" and some solid modern-day favorites. Sidebars delve into such topics as reading aloud, visiting the library, and supporting struggling readers. Friendly spot art and occasional full-page images are included, with each of the illustrators' distinct styles well matched to the section he or she is covering. Ind. Elissa Gershowitz

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 1, 2019

New York Times Book Review editors Paul and Russo are the perfect candidates to guide us in raising children who love reading. Colorful and visually pleasing, this attractive text shares not only book lists but also "must-knows" for each age level, from toddlers to teens. For instance, reading for babies should involve all their senses, while four month olds appreciate lift-the-flap pages and feeling the textures of a book, as children are starting to develop good hand control at this age. Interruptions aren't a bad thing, state the authors, as they reveal whether your toddler is engaged and remind adults that each child views the world through their own eyes. Chapter ideas range from helping new readers engage other readers to building conversations and friendships around books to why paying for some downloads on Audible or iTunes may be the key to keeping your teen reading. VERDICT Bold and bright illustrations combine with varied recommendations for instilling a love of reading in children of all ages; a must-purchase for all collections.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.