Nancy Newman
Parent Educator, Literacy Consultant, Author
Easy-to-do, enjoyable, science-based tips and strategies that even the busiest parents and educators can manage in the course of normal everyday routines to boost language and literacy skills and instill a love of reading in children from infancy through grade school.
Using accessible language, humor, and realistic examples of family life, Newman offers an update on recent scientific research, explains key underlying ideas, and describes dozens of effective strategies that help all children become skilled, avid readers.
Raising Passionate Readers will inform, empower, and inspire parents, grandparents, educators, and pediatricians who want to help all children become lifelong readers.
Learn...
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Why raising avid readers is easier than you may realize
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What scientists have learned about the brain and reading
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When “early” does and doesn't matter in the reading process
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Why some children develop an aversion to reading
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Which myths about technology and teachers to ignore
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How to deal with time pressures of family life
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How to motivate children to practice reading at home
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How to help all children get the best out of technology
Book Endorsements
“At last a brilliantly simple, doable, fun approach to raising lifelong readers. This book will change your child’s life!”
— Ann Pleshette Murphy, Zero to Three, author, The 7 Stages of Motherhood
“A toolkit of simple activities busy parents can use to boost reading skills and instill a love of books in children.”
— Marlene Veloso, Director, KIDS Research Center
“Newman brilliantly offers us a foolproof guide that begins on the day your newborn child is brought into the family.”
— H. Carl McCall, Chairman of Board, State University of New York
“Nancy Newman translates neuroscience into common sense, dispels myths, and offers a bounty of joyful ideas for parents. She will make you passionate, eager, and confident about raising passionate readers!”
— Robert Weissman, Public Citizen, Washington DC
"Everyone can profit from Nancy Newman's wealth of ideas. Her advice is sound, her anecdotes are lively.”
— Mary Ellen Levin, Ed. D., middle school principal, reading teacher, and teacher educator
“Practical, creative ideas to use in your normal routine to help children of all levels become life-long readers.”
— Ellen Stein, Head of School, The Dalton School, NYC
"Encouraging advice and easy-to-follow tips that are practical and fun. I recommend this book to all parents."
— Jo Umans, Executive Director, Behind the Book
“Raising Passionate Readers is rich with ideas for having fun while sharing adventures in language. Any parent, grandparent, or educator can benefit from this book!”
— Emily Comstock Di Martino, Director of Teacher Education, Baruch College, City University of New York
“Enjoyable ways to turn playful moments into meaningful learning experiences. Suggestions for parents of struggling readers are particularly helpful and inspiring.”
— Carol Tomason Ed.S., M. Ed., learning consultant, reading specialist, Chapel Hill, N.C.
“Follow Newman’s wise, joyous advice and your child won’t lift his eyes from his favorite book!”
— Patricia Laurence, Ph.D., City University of New York
“Clear, simple, powerful steps that promote a love of reading, one of the essential foundations for success in school.”
— Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D., A.B.P.P., Pres., National School Climate Center; author, Educating Minds and Hearts
"A terrific book on many levels. The content and writing style make it immediately available to parents, teachers and pediatricians.”
— Martin T. Stein, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus, University of California San Diego
“Raising Passionate Readers owes its extraordinary force and unique authority to Newman’s combination of perspectives. Whether speaking as a professional, a teacher or a mother, her strategies are aimed at enhancing fun for parent and child. Ms. Newman is proposing an inspiring, irresistible ideal for parents: intelligent love.“
— Thomas de Zengotita, Ph.D., contributing editor, Harper’s Magazine; author, Mediated: How the Media Shapes Your World and the Way You Live in It
"Wonderful contribution. Clear and accessible to parents and teachers.”
— Gardner P. Dunnan, Academic Dean, Upper School Head, Avenues: The World School
“A perfect primer for parents looking to instill a love of reading in children. I regularly share her advice with families at my library and use her techniques with my own children.“
— Carrie Silberman, New York Society Library
“Imagine a world of passionate readers. That’s what novelist, teacher and mother Nancy Newman did--then developed a method to make it happen. Now every child can enjoy a lifetime of reading!”
— Trish Marx, author of award-winning books for children including Touching the Sky and Everglades Forever
Magazine and Newspaper Reviews
“Teacher, parenting educator, and novelist [Nancy] Newman offers an update to the reading literature, with considerations for today’s classroom and the use of technology. Aimed at parents with the youngest of children…the author’s enthusiastic philosophy is worth every parent’s consideration. Recommended.”
— Julianne J. Smith, Library Journal
“Fine and unusually accessible. I recommend this book to all teachers and parents.”
— Ann La Farge, Hudson Valley News
“A handbook aimed squarely at parents from a wide range of backgrounds on encouraging children to love reading…Newman’s genuine passion for and experience with her subjects is conveyed in a practical parent-friendly package. Recommended!”
— Jen Robinson, Book Page
“Raising Passionate Readers is a breezy, accessible how-to guide that explains how to make reading fun. Newman offers humor, real-world examples and the science behind learning and literacy using simple, everyday language. The most important lesson is that raising skilled, enthusiastic readers is easier than parents may believe. This book would make an excellent gift idea for parents…it may be the best gift you could give someone.“
— Melissa Stoneburner, examiner.com
“How do we get our children to grow into lifelong readers? In her new book, Raising Passionate Readers, Nancy Newman outlines her plan to help children learn to love reading. Newman points out that we need to focus on pleasure. Reading should be fun and nurturing. Surprisingly, her plan doesn’t start with the ABCs in kindergarten, but much earlier. Actually, it begins right at birth.”
— Rifka Schonfeld, The Jewish Press
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“Ms. Newman dedicated her [teaching] career, and her life as a mother, to deconstructing why children turn away from reading, and how to get them started on the right track from the beginning. Everything hinges, she feels, on keeping reading and writing fun, even though learning to read, especially for some, can be a long process…creating lifelong readers, Ms. Newman feels, is not just about looking at words on the page, but creating an environment where kids brains are stimulated through downtime and their own imaginations...Raising Passionate Readers is a set of guidelines and ideas for parents to explore with children in a relaxed way.”
— Bill Eville, Vineyard Gazette
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“A fantastic tool for anyone who is helping shape a young mind. Easy to read, presents concepts in clear language, summarizes the information, then give action suggestions. I like that there is a combination of scientific analyses and practical experience used to back up the author’s advice.”
— Night Owl Reviews
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“Heredity or environment–which makes us who we are? Newman’s first novel, a delicious foray into the frenzied world of a single woman searching for her identity, is chock-full of interesting characters and wicked insights.”
— Booklist
Sarah is smart, sexy, talented, and funny … and less than satisfied with her life. She has a career that she adores and romance on the horizon. But there’s something missing — something that has her restlessly scanning the faces in the crowd and asking, Is she the one?
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