Reading aloud builds readers — and memories — for all ages
This Christmas, my younger son received a wooden “books read” tracker that he posted near our home’s entryway. Last year he listened to nearly 50 audiobooks and this year he hopes to surpass that figure (he walks all over town so it’s an easy way to multi-task).
If you have a similar stretch goal or new year’s resolution for 2026, here’s an idea you might not have considered to put a few extra books in the “read” pile: Try reading aloud to someone else or being read to.
Some of my fondest memories are of reading aloud each night to my kids when they were young. Those quiet moments at the end of the day, curled up with a book, voices changing for different characters, pausing to exclaim “oh my gosh,” or to explain a tricky word, are memories I still treasure.
While one of our children has since grown up and moved away, reading aloud remains an important part of our family life. We still read regularly with our nearly 16-year-old, moving comfortably between beloved holiday classics, favorite picture books and longer chapter books. We’ve just started “Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow” (volume 4 of the series). Since the first book was released back in 2017, we’re excited to finally continue the series together.
Reading out loud creates space to share stories, exchange ideas and spend meaningful time together. It also plays a vital role in child development and supports learning in countless ways. Reading aloud can help build confidence, even when the child isn’t the primary reader, expand vocabulary for both listener and reader, and foster a sense of accomplishment as books grow longer and more complex.
One of my favorite examples of that sense of achievement comes from when we read the Harry Potter series as a family. We bought a boxed set where the books were housed in a large cardboard trunk. When we finally finished book seven, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and placed it back in its chest, the entire family celebrated. It truly felt like we had completed a journey together.
Of course, not all reading has to involve epic sagas. We also love shorter books and picture books –– lots of them. At this point, I think we have around 400 picture books on our shelves (although many are now in closets and various nooks around our house to accommodate an ever-growing chapter book collection). That may sound like a lot, but we still regularly reread old favorites, and many have become part of our family traditions. One such ritual is reading “A Visit from St. Nicholas” every Christmas Eve. When our oldest son read “The Night Before Christmas” aloud for the first time, it was a moment my wife and I will never forget.
That said, the opportunity to read aloud isn’t universally loved. For some, it can be deeply uncomfortable. I know this firsthand. I was (and still am) a slow reader, and I vividly remember the anxiety I felt whenever a teacher announced, “OK, class, I’m going to have each of you read a paragraph.” I could feel the heat rush through my body as I counted how many students were ahead of me, desperately trying to calculate which paragraph would be mine so I could silently practice it. Inevitably, my math was wrong –– someone would read extra or a paragraph would be skipped –– and I’d be thrown off completely.
What’s worse is that I usually had no idea what was happening in the story, because I was so focused on the words I might stumble over. That anxiety stayed with me for a long time. Even now, if I ever need to read something in public, I make sure to practice it repeatedly in advance.
Thankfully, children in Napa County have an opportunity to practice reading in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment –– and, if they’re lucky, get to pet a dog while they’re at it. For many years, we’ve partnered with an organization called Paws for Healing (http://www.pawsforhealing.org/). Its trained dogs visit schools, hospitals and more than 160 sites throughout the area, including our library locations.
This partnership takes the form of Bow Wow for Books, a monthly program where volunteers and their canine companions visit so kids can practice their reading skills. Every month Barney, Bubbles and Henli visit a library to give kids the opportunity to practice their reading. By practicing regularly, if ever their class reads a book aloud, they’ll hopefully be able to listen to the story and be a confident reader when it’s their turn.
Our Grandparents and Books program flips things around. Kids can come in and have a story read to them by a local resident and volunteer. This program is currently in American Canyon and Napa, but if you’re interested in volunteering your time, please reach out to learn more about all our volunteer opportunities.
Each of our libraries boasts a large and diverse collection of materials –– from board books for infants to picture books for early readers to chapter books. If you spend time around little ones, it’s well worth a visit to discover some new read-aloud favorites. You just might find that they become your favorites, too.
To learn more about Bow Wow for Books or Grandparents and Books, visit: www.napalibrary.org and go to the Events page.
Napa
The Napa Library is open seven days a week:
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Call the library at (707) 253-4241
Or visit online at www.napalibrary.org/
Yountville
The Yountville Library is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Call the library at (707) 944-1888
Contact the author at Anthony.halstead@countyofnapa.org
Questions or suggestions for the Yountville Library Commissioner: myrnadavid2014@gmail.com
Learn more about Friends of the Yountville Library be reaching out to: yountvillefol@gmail.com
Calistoga
The Calistoga Library is open six days a week:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Call the library at (707) 942-4833
Or visit online at www.napalibrary.org/
American Canyon
The American Canyon Library is open six days a week:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Call the library at (707) 644-1136
Or visit online at www.napalibrary.org/
