Twice-Exceptional Readers: Gifted with Learning Differences

Your child demonstrates remarkable creativity and advanced thinking skills, yet struggles with basic reading tasks. They can discuss complex topics with sophisticated vocabulary but stumble over simple words on a page.  If this sounds familiar, you might be parenting a twice-exceptional reader—a child who is both intellectually gifted and has a learning difference. Understanding this […]

Newbery Medal 2025: This Year’s Outstanding Children’s Books

Imagine opening a book and discovering that reading can transport you not just to different places, but to different times entirely. This year’s Newbery Medal winner does exactly that, proving once again that the finest children’s literature combines compelling storytelling with profound themes that resonate across generations. The American Library Association’s announcement of the 2025 […]

Vocabulary Gaps: How to Build Your Child’s Word Bank for Reading Success

Your five-year-old can perfectly sound out “s-a-d” in their early reader book, but looks puzzled when the next page uses “gloomy” instead. They breeze through phonics worksheets but stumble when books use words like “furious” instead of “mad” or “enormous” instead of “big.” Welcome to the vocabulary gap—the hidden reading roadblock that trips up countless […]

Reading Stamina: Building Your Child’s Attention Span for Longer Texts

Your kindergartner eagerly picks up a book but loses interest after two pages. Your second grader loves stories but gets restless during chapter books. Building reading stamina, the ability to focus on text for extended periods, is crucial for your child’s literacy success. What Is Reading Stamina? Reading stamina is your child’s ability to sustain […]

Lois Lowry for Early Readers

When we think of Lois Lowry, our minds often jump to her profound middle-grade and young adult classics like “The Giver” or “Number the Stars.” Yet this celebrated author’s rich storytelling tradition can begin much earlier in a child’s reading journey. While her most famous works might wait for later years, Lowry’s engaging style, memorable […]

What are High Frequency Words?

Imagine watching your child open a book and read confidently, without stumbling over every other word. That magical moment when reading transforms from a laborious process to a flowing, enjoyable activity is often built on a foundation of high frequency words. These seemingly ordinary little words—think “the,” “and,” “is,” “of”—are actually reading superheroes in disguise! […]