Tomorrow is World Read Aloud Day, a global celebration created to remind families that reading aloud builds knowledge, empathy, and lifelong literacy — well beyond the early years. That makes it the perfect moment to talk with Pam Allyn, founder of LitWorld and the creator of World Read Aloud Day, whose work has inspired countless readers around the world.
In this conversation, Allyn explains how parents can evolve from bedtime‑story readers to enduring reading partners — modeling a love of books, keeping read‑aloud rituals going (even with big kids), and matching materials to changing interests. Her message is simple and encouraging: whether your child is 3 or 12, shared reading time remains a powerful way to boost language, confidence, and connection.
Read on for our conversation with Allyn, and her wise guidance for families with readers of every stage.
1. Many parents associate reading together with bedtime stories when kids are little. How do you think our role changes as children grow into independent readers?
One of the miracles of childhood is the constant change, and this is true for their reading lives too. Stay very aware of their growing interests in things so you can match those interests to books you have in the home. The important thing to know is that even though what or how your child likes to read will change over time, they will always benefit from your involvement and encouragement in their reading lives, even when they become more independent.
Create new rituals: the ritual of reading together might extend to other parts of the day in addition to the bedtime read aloud.. It could be that you are reading together in transit, while waiting for the second game at the soccer field, or just eating cereal together on a Saturday morning while listening to an audiobook. You might say to your child: “What are you reading in school? I’ll get a copy of the book too so we can both read it together as we go through our day.”
The smallest, most doable step is to stop whatever you are doing, turn off all the technology, and present your child with a gift of a new book, whether from the library or the bookstore and say:”Will you read with me right now? I want to be with you.”
I urge you to maintain a nighttime read-aloud ritual; it may just look a little different. Try inviting your child to read aloud to you, or take turns reading pages one at a time. But don’t give up on the simple, eternally beautiful read aloud. A tired child experiences reading aloud after a long day as a way to be close to you and to let go of all the responsibilities of the day. It could be a treasured book you’ve read a million times, or it could be a new and gripping series you both can’t wait to get back to, it could be a short, beautiful poem that takes sixty seconds to read but provides comfort and luminous inspiration before your loved one drifts off to sleep. The older child gains a lot from reading aloud to the child: the immersion into higher level language, the sound of your voice as a mainstay, the lilting, literary elements of these books that linger long after the book is finished.
Recognize the power of your role as a reading role model. Having your child see you reading visibly is really and truly important, especially as they get older. Reading aloud from older kid picture books, chapter books or graphic novels and having your own response and reactions be a part of the experience helps them to know that you too value reading in your own life. Show that you value reading in your own life. Make sure your phone is off and away. Books in hand have a different power entirely than books on a screen. Read your own books or magazines alongside your child so they can see you are reading and that you are enjoying it. Set up “independent reading time” for you and your child: get cozy on the couch, bring some snacks, and make sure you’ve set it up so they have some options (either a browsing book or a longer book if they are game), while you genuinely read a book you like. Even if this is only a ten-minute experience, I promise you it will be memorable.
Surround your growing child with books that resonate with their changing interests. Whether you’re browsing books together about deep sea exploration, listening together to an audiobook of an adventure story, or being the first two to see the sports team recap in the morning before school, show your child that you are in deep response to their growing interests and changing tastes in topics, passions, and wonderings.
2. Why is it so important for parents to keep reading with kids — even after they’ve learned to read on their own?
There is so much work that a child is doing long after the early stages of reading are accomplished. A child may be able to stretch the sounds of words and be skilled in the area of phonics and sight vocabulary but there are many more dimensions of learning to achieve and you can be hugely influential in this. Reading is about knowledge building, about learning about the world and life around us, about learning about human nature, about building empathy and growing as a friend and as a caring person. Literature helps us talk about these things with children in really meaningful ways and also to model how we read by pursuing ideas and asking questions to seek more knowledge and more understanding.
I want families to know how important reading is going to be for a child for the entirety of their lives, both for the practical reasons of being able to navigate a complex world but also for the sheer joy and comfort reading can give in times of hardship or loneliness.
Once a child learns to read on their own, the exciting and life-changing work of reading for pleasure, knowledge, and connection can really begin. It’s essential that we step into this new phase of reading with as much (if not more!) enthusiasm than before. Even if children have developed the skills to read independently, they still benefit from parental support in finding books they enjoy and building strong reading habits.
The world starts opening up as the child breaks through to the next levels of reading. They can begin reading different genres, from fiction to poetry to nonfiction. They can read online and offline and you being near to them in conversation with them will help them build critical thinking skills so that they can take from your modeling how they will continue to read as they grow. We can model for them how we wonder: “I am thinking about what this author knows about the topic. I am curious to find out more about other people’s points of view.” This is so important. We want our children to see us so deeply engaged with ideas and new facts that reading becomes something they know they can rely on for the rest of their lives.
3. What do you wish more families understood about reading beyond early childhood?
I want families to know how important reading is going to be for a child for the entirety of their lives, both for the practical reasons of being able to navigate a complex world but also for the sheer joy and comfort reading can give in times of hardship or loneliness.
I want families to know that reading aloud is an imperative part of raising a lifelong super reader, and shouldn’t stop once children can read independently. This shared reading time gives a child a chance to interact with challenging ideas and language while we guide their questions and conversations. Over time, these skills help them approach their own independent reading with confidence and understanding. Meaningful engagement with books, especially through reading aloud together, is one of the most powerful ways to build your child’s language skills, vocabulary, and strengthen their ability to communicate and collaborate. When you read aloud with your child, you can choose a rich, interesting book and use it as an opportunity to model thinking about the characters, illustrations, and author’s purpose. Invite a child to make connections to their own lives.
I want families to know through reading together they can get to know their children in ways that may not be possible otherwise. A hard day at school, a breakthrough in new friendship, a discovery about oneself or about the world, all of this is seen and discovered in the pages of great books and provide us ways to have conversations with our children that illuminate their very essence and being. It is truly a gift that stories give us: how we become more known to one another.
Reading with our children and helping them see themselves as lifelong readers is saying to them: I believe in you and I want you to have reading in your life always. I want families to know that if they are the ones inviting their child into the magical world of story, a place that will be a home to them for their entire lives, this is a permanent and unshakable gift you are giving to your child.
Speaking of stories, one more thing I’d like families to know: celebrate the stories a child tells from reading other people’s stories. Keep a notebook nearby or a little stack of paper and pens. Once your child is reading on their own, or if you are reading together, you can say: “What has inspired you in this story? Let’s write it down or draw about it so we don’t forget.” That reading/writing connection at home lets the child know that we are here to hear how their own stories intersect and interweave with those they read: a beautiful, beautiful way to say how much we value their lives.
Ages 0-5: Laying the Foundation
4. What are some simple ways caregivers can make reading feel joyful and interactive with toddlers, preschoolers and beginning readers?
As Maria Montessori said, “Play is the work of childhood.” From setting up a home library with your child at eye level for them and inviting them to help you create the library to reading joyfully and with a playful spirit, this is all early literacy. This is especially true for reading at these early ages. Play can be a gateway for both building foundational reading skills and cultivating an early love of reading. Try “playing” the story together. Use this language so that you can act out stories together, sing them together, add music and beats together to the rhythm of early read alouds and more.
Read in lots of fun places, from waterproof books to bring into the bathtub to easy to clean books that you can have on the high chair while your busy toddler is multitasking! Bring books into their play spaces such as a little housekeeping corner or their doll bed. Tuck little books there that match those themes so they can see the concepts come alive in their play.
Most importantly, read aloud, read aloud, read aloud! Every chance you get! And it doesn’t have to be perfect or fancy and you don’t have to be the best at it by any means. You can make up words or shorten the story if your toddler’s attention span is short. You do not have to stick to reading every word! You can even read an entire book just by sharing about the pictures.
Ages 6-9: Early & Emerging Readers
5. This is often when kids start reading on their own. How can parents stay involved in a positive way, ensuring that reading doesn't turn into a chore?
No one wants to feel like they’re in the middle of a comprehension pop quiz! Invite your child to share about what they’re reading and share about what you’re reading in turn. Ask child-centered questions about what they are reading, like “What does the cover of this book make you wonder about?” or “What surprised you about this part?” Ask open-ended questions that are more about generating conversation and building confidence than about finding one right answer. This is the perfect opportunity to share about your reading habits as well. What are you reading and why does it interest you? How is it making you think or feel differently about the world around you? Maybe you (or your child!) don’t like what you’re reading! Talk about what you don’t like and why. These conversations help children develop their own reading tastes, interests, and preferences.
Keep up on the latest new series books as this age group loves those. Don’t judge what they are reading. Anything and everything at this age is really great. One thing to keep in mind is how important re-reading is at these ages. Children want to reread favorite books. You will see this in some of the favorites such as Clifford or Captain Underpants and you may wonder about that. But there are huge benefits to rereading books. A child goes deeper into themes during each read. Vocabulary that escaped them the first time will now more permanently enter their cognitive mindset. They will start reading faster because the story is more familiar to them, building stamina and speed.
Have family reading celebrations! Have a Friday afternoon ice cream social where everyone shares one thing they read during the week that they loved. It doesn’t have to have been a whole book, it can be something they read about a topic they really like, like football or ballet. It could be just a little snippet of a book the teacher is reading to them at school
These ages are prime for meaningful and deep read aloud experiences at bedtime and at other times of the week when you have a spare moment together. Turn off all the technology (yours especially) and invite your child to get cozy with you. Read a funny book, an excerpt from a cute news story, or a poem. It will mean the world to you both.
6. Should parents correct mistakes when kids read aloud — or let them work through it?
While some corrections are helpful, when given too frequently, they can hurt a child’s reading confidence, often leading to greater struggles. Rather than celebrating perfection, celebrate effort. Affirm your child’s effort by saying things like “You did a great job tackling this sentence,” or “I can see you working hard to sound out this word.” If you notice a specific mistake happening over and over again, offer a gentle correction. But if your child stumbles over a word or struggles with a sentence, also really don’t hesitate to help them: you don’t have to play “teacher” at home. You are the loving, beloved adult, their favorite person in the world. Let the work of reading feel a little less stressful, and a little more joyous at home.
Ages 10-12: Tweens & Growing Independence
7. Many parents feel like they’ve “lost” reading time once kids get older. What does meaningful reading together look like in the tween years?
For older children, it’s so important to have them really feel engaged with you as a reader so they don’t feel you too are simply just telling them to do their homework! Make sure to find wonderful and peaceful times together as readers. Visit bookstores and give them little certificates to buy a book of their choice. Visit the library together and turn it into a special time to be out and about together, with a cup of hot chocolate on the way home.
Use reading together as an opportunity to turn off the screens (my favorite piece of advice!). I am concerned about the overuse of screens at this age and the loneliness and alienation that sets in for them. Having print books in the home and rituals you create to read them together changes reading from what could feel like a chore to something special and precious that represents your family.
Let the work of reading feel a little less stressful, and a little more joyous at home.
Give them the opportunity to engage with stories differently by creating projects together.This might look like offering them frequent opportunities with an art table at home to write in and create different genres: poetry, opinion pieces, letters, how-to guides, film scripts, or comic strips. Help them read and write about the things that interest them: a favorite sports player or a singer they love. Set up garageband or some other app on your phone or laptop that has music accompaniment on it so they can make a video or song about what you are reading together.
Don’t forget the read aloud at this age! Reading content area info to them, about big ideas happening in the world like AI or world issues or sports or art or anything at all they might be interested in means you can read some of this to them if the articles or nonfiction texts would be hard for them to read on their own. This will launch a million interesting conversations.
And finally, read aloud with them, if not at bedtime always then at some point in the weekend or in a quiet time after school: a select poem, a recipe from a grandmother, and just say: “I love how this sounds, Want to hear it?” Keep it casual and don’t ask too many questions. Let the joy of literacy wash over you all.
8. How can conversations about books replace traditional read‑aloud time as kids mature?
Read alouds can always blend with conversations about books. You might read a little less aloud and save more time for the conversation. But don’t ever put the read aloud away entirely! It’s really good for you both to have that shared text to build a more powerful conversation and sometimes the hardest things to talk about can emerge more easily with a text between you.
9. What advice do you have for parents whose kids say they “don’t like reading” at this age?
Often what a child is really saying when they say they don’t like reading is: “I feel like reading is too hard for me.””I feel embarrassed I’m not reading at the level my friends are” or “It feels boring” because they may be offered books at school that are not in their interest zone.
Make sure you are a good listener in these moments. Ask them what feels hard and why reading isn’t feeling good for them. Ask what you can do to help. Make sure to reach out to your child’s teacher to have a one on one about it. Make sure you are not judging what counts as a “good” book. Graphic novels, series fiction, nonfiction tied to a child’s interests, and books with characters who reflect their lived experiences all count. Funny books count. Joke books count. Browsing books count. All books are not chapter books. Make sure you are not judging what kinds of books are the best ones to read. At home, let the wide range of reading be your core value. Let reading feel truly fun.
They also need to know that oftentimes we as adults don’t finish books, don’t love a particular author, and find reading hard. Talk honestly and openly with your child about all that and that these are all parts of growing as a reader and there is nothing wrong with any of that.
We also must be sure to be ok with our child reading at a lower level than we would or might expect. Part of their shame is that they may recognize they are struggling. At home, give them the space and the permission to read “easier” books. Let them know these books matter too, and will help them grow and accomplish great things as readers too.
10. You often talk about reading as a way to support children emotionally. How does reading together help kids navigate big feelings, stress, or change at any age?
Reading together is a most extraordinary way to learn about your child and for them to learn about you. By reading stories together, or biographies of people’s lives, or a beautiful poem, or a news article, we are saying to a child: you might find yourself in this text. You might recognize a feeling or a change in yourself happening to this character or in this moment in this reading. By reading, we understand that feelings are universal. That a character grappling with a friendship, or a deep loss, or a problem to solve is someone just like us and that we can feel less lonely through that understanding. Also, as we read, we open ourselves up to emotions of other people and characters in places we have never been and experiences we haven’t had. Learning through reading makes us stronger and more confident in being in the world. We are being introduced to ideas as well as feelings and language to help us explore and make sense of an often confusing world.
Life is full of milestones and life changes and transitions. Often a child is moved along through those through the adult vantage point. But what children’s books are uniquely able to do, with the work of our great authors, is to put themselves in the minds and hearts of a child experiencing sorrow, the loss of a beloved, or the wonderful moment of self discovery. They can do this in ways we cannot always express. But they can! And so by reading together, they give us the language and the opportunity to say to our child” Tell me what you are thinking. Tell me who you are.”
11. If you could leave families with one small, doable step they can take today to strengthen their child’s relationship with reading — no matter their child’s age — what would it be?
The smallest, most doable step is to stop whatever you are doing, turn off all the technology, and present your child with a gift of a new book, whether from the library or the bookstore and say:”Will you read with me right now? I want to be with you.”
There is nothing, nothing more powerful than this: the invitation, asked in love, to join you in the world of stories.
