You Read to Me and I'll Read to You
Knopf, September, 2001.
Hardcover, 256 pages.
ISBN: 0375810838
Ages 4-8
![You Read to Me and I'll Read to You by Janet Schulman](https://cdn.writerswrite.com/journal/feb02/youreadtome.gif)
In You Read to Me and I'll Read to You, Ms. Schulman has worked hard to target the child who can now read on his own, but who would really enjoy reading with a parent or grandparent. After all, an entertaining and knowledgeable guide can help a young reader through the jungle of available literature, and very enjoyable authors who might have been missed can be experienced. Often students on their weekly trip to the library make entirely random selections governed more by chance or a classroom assignment. While random browsing and assignments have brought all readers some memorable discoveries, a student will have met so many delightful new paths and adventures in reading this anthology that he will perhaps make reading widely an enduring habit.
The stories in this anthology were selected with two criteria in mind: they should be real literature and they should be appealing to children. The editor decided against abridgements and only one story, "Daniel Pinkwater's Blue Moose," was shortened because it was a little too long. The stories were field-tested on actual children or at least read aloud to see how they would sound. Variety was also considered to be important. The original illustrations from the actual books were also retained, so that the flavor of the book itself was maintained. The stories range from humorous to inspiring. Favorite authors such as Judith Viorst, Judy Blume and Roald Dahl are represented as are equally beloved illustrators such as Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, and Edward Gorey.
Educators have been urging families to read together most of the 20th century, in hopes that it will stimulate reading as well as offer a more mind expanding activity than watching TV. This anthology is a the perfect choice, either for reading aloud at home or on a road trip. It will cost less than a month's worth of movie rentals and it will pay dividends for years.
--Sarah Reaves White
You Read to Me and I'll Read to You is available for purchase on Amazon.com
Note: We may receive a commission from sales made through product links in this article.
This review was published in the February, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.
Copyright © Writers Write, Inc. All Rights Reserved.