Book Whisperer

Donalyn Miller teaches 6th grade language arts and social studies at Trinity Meadows Intermediate School in Keller, Texas. She also writes an ongoing blog for teachermagazine.org. The book is published in partnership with Education Week Press (www.edweek.org).

• Foreword, by Jeff Anderson, author and literacy staff developer ixIntroduction 1Chapter 1 There and Back Again 7Chapter 2 Everybody Is a Reader 19Whisper STUDENT SURVEYS 39Chapter 3 There’s a Time and a Place 47Chapter 4 Reading Freedom 69Whisper READER’S NOTEBOOKS 99Chapter 5 Walking the Walk 103Chapter 6 Cutting the Teacher Strings 119Whisper END-OF-YEAR EVALUATIONS 153Chapter 7 Letting Go 159Afterword, by Ron D. Myers, principal 179Appendix A: The Care and Feeding of a Classroom Library 183Appendix B: Ultimate Library List 193Appendix C: Student Forms 201References 213Index 217Acknowledgments 225About the Author 228About the Sponsor 228

[Starred review] Miller, a sixth-grade language arts and social studies teacher and blogger, has enabled students of many different backgrounds to enjoy reading and to be good at it; her students regularly score high on the Texas standardized tests. Her approach is simple yet provocative: affirm the reader in every student, allow students to choose their own books, carve out extra reading time, model authentic reading behaviors, discard timeworn reading assignments such as book reports and comprehension worksheets, and develop a classroom library filled with high-interest books. Her students regularly read more than 40 books in a school year and leave her classroom with an appreciation and love of books and reading. Miller provides many tips for teachers and parents and includes a useful list of ultimate reading suggestions picked by her students. This outstanding contribution to the literature is highly recommended for teachers, parents, and others serving young students.—Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY (Library Journal, March 15, 2009) "Mrs. Miller's message was powerful, yet simple. She reminded educators of the simplest way to foster a love for reading: let students read for fun without asking for a book report when they are done." (The Examiner, November 4, 2009)