Rock Your Read Aloud: Sparking Curiosity and Confidence in Little Readers

by Matthew Hammersley, Melissa Hammersley

Overview

Help K-5 students experience the magic of reading by sparking amazement, wonder, and excitement through the art of the read aloud

It is not news to educators that kids have trouble paying attention. The allure and interactivity offered in televisions, tablets, and video games are tough to match. Consequently, reading scores have plummeted and educators say the joy has been sucked out of teaching. Rock Your Read Aloud brings back the joy and helps you create a read aloud experience that will have even the most reluctant of K-5 readers begging for just one more story.

A must read for every current or aspiring elementary teacher, librarian, and administrator, this book shows you why read alouds are critical to literacy education in today's media-saturated world. Inside, you'll find techniques for turning reading scores around in early elementary classrooms, so you can rediscover how rewarding teaching can be when students are engaged and learning. You can even link this book to the Novel Effect app to access a unique soundscape that will give you a taste of just how fun reading can be.

• Discover how reading aloud to kids can improve reading scores and outcomes
• Get tips for making your read alouds magical and igniting students' love of books
• Motivate struggling readers by creating a culture of reading together
• Learn about proven techniques like buddy reading and community read alouds

K-5 teachers, parents, administrators, librarians, and reading interventionists will gain insight and inspiration as Rock Your Read Aloud shows how to cut through the distraction and make reading fun again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781394197262
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	04/01/2025
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Matthew and Melissa Hammersley are partners in both work as the founders of Novel Effect and in life with two little ones Max and Willa. They’ve spent the last 10 years immersing themselves in read-alouds at home and in the classroom. They’ve appeared on the hit TV show Shark Tank and reached millions of kids, teachers, and parents in pursuit of their mission: to make reading together magical.

Table of Contents

Preface xi 

Acknowledgments xiii 

About the Authors xv 

Introduction xvii 

Part I The Art and Science of the Read Aloud 1 

01 The Magic of the Read Aloud 3 

02 Unleashing the Power of the Picture Book 17 

03 “Game-changer”: Reading Aloud with Novel Effect Soundscapes 31 

04 Your Reading Brain: The Foundations of Literacy 41 

05 Developing Young Writers and Storytellers 57 

06 Getting Ready to Rock Your Read Aloud 71 

Part II Bringing Stories to Life 87  

Interact 89 

The Book with No Pictures 89 

Press Here 93 

This Book Just Ate My Dog! 97 

Tap the Magic Tree 101 

If You’re Scary and You Know It 105 

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus 108 

Play This Book! 111 

Laugh 115 

Dragons Love Tacos 115  

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates 119 

The Wonky Donkey 123 

The Serious Goose 127 

Love and Connection 131 

Love 131 

Hair Love 135 

Stellaluna 139 

Love Monster 143 

Owl Moon 147 

Last Stop on Market Street 151 

The Scarecrow 155 

The Invisible String 159 

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend 163 

Move and Play 167 

Giraffes Can’t Dance 167 

We Will Rock Our Classmates 171 

Comfort and Acceptance 175 

The Bad Seed 175 

Be Who You Are 180 

Imagine and Create 183 

What Do You Do with an Idea? 183 

The Dot 187 

Rosie Revere, Engineer 191 

Mae Among the Stars 195 

The Most Magnificent Thing 198 

Jabari Jumps 202 

The Magical Yet 206 

We Are Water Protectors 210 

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist 214 

First Day Jitters 218 

Our Class Is a Family 222 

Chrysanthemum 226 

The Kissing Hand 231 

The Day You Begin 235 

Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome 240 

Oh, the Places You’ll Go 244 

Index 249

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Rock Your Read Aloud

“Cue the epic trumpets and crowd-cheering sound effects—Rock Your Read Aloud by Matt and Melissa Hammersley, the team behind Novel Effect, will inspire and uplift educators, parents, caregivers and anyone who wants to instill a love of reading in children.”

—Josh Funk, award-winning picture book author of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series

“Rock Your Read Aloud will have you reading like a story time rockstar—without the stage fright! Packed with tips to keep kids hanging on your every word, it’s the ultimate guide to turning story time into an encore-worthy performance that will keep kids wanting to come back for more.”

—Megan Broussard, M.Ed, Implementation Specialist, The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program

“Matt and Melissa have created a must-read for all families, librarians, and educators! Rock Your Read Aloud highlights the important and lasting impact reading aloud has on children. They have created such a gift to share with us through Novel Effect, as everyone can ‘rock their read-aloud’ with this fun and important digital tool.”

—Shannon McClintock Miller, District Teacher Librarian at Van Meter School, Iowa

“In our school district, we are on a mission to inspire the joy of reading in our students as we help them prepare for college, careers, and life. Matt and his team have helped support our mission by developing Novel Effect. The intuitiveness of this resource has made the read-aloud experience not only fun and engaging for the listener, but the reader, too! Rock Your Read Aloud is a must-have for anyone looking to make reading an adventure!”

—Jennifer Saunders, Director of Library Media Services, Atlanta Public Schools

“Rock Your Read Aloud is a transformative guide that elevates the way educators, parents, and caregivers connect with young readers. Matt and Melissa Hammersley, with their deep expertise in literacy and technology, offer an innovative and practical roadmap for creating read-aloud sessions that inspire a lifelong love of reading. Their insights make this an invaluable resource for anyone invested in fostering a meaningful connection with children through storytelling.”

—Jen Davis Wickens, Founder, Impact Public Schools and Co-Founder, Seminar

“For those aspiring to master read-aloud skills, you need this book and its valuable insight. Matt and Melissa emphasize the significance of reading aloud to children through research-backed expertise and practical lesson ideas.”

—Blake Hopper, Assistant Principal and Former School Librarian in Tennessee