Read Aloud Dad

Tintin's Lost Adventure: Tintin Travels To Dublin California!

2013-04-16T13:48:00.000+02:00

Third time lucky!

Tintin in Tibet

After two unsuccessful attempts to award a free Tintin book in my giveaway, the luck of my readers turned.

With the help of Random.org I picked Reshama from Dublin California as the new winner.

Alas, the first two chosen email subscribers did not contact me in 48 hours, so the prize was awarded to Reshama whose name was selected third in line.

My online book seller is already processing the order and Reshama's desired Tintin book will soon be on its way to California.

But which Tintin book did she choose?

click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

Billions of Blue Blistering Barnacles! A new winner of the Tintin giveaway has been chosen!

2013-04-13T12:44:00.001+02:00

Ten thousand thundering typhoons!

The winner of the Tintin book giveaway
has not contacted me in time.

What does that mean? Well, a new winner has been chosen!

Yes, YOU just got a second chance.

And they say that in life you don't get many second chances.

Wrong!!

The new winner of the Tintin giveaway is ...
click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

You Have 48 Hours To Contact Me If You Are The Winner of the Tintin Book Giveaway!

2013-04-11T00:32:00.001+02:00

Woo-hoo! It is time to learn who won my Tintin book giveaway.

Hurry, there is no time to lose!

My fingers have been itching to select a winner and I know you were waiting on the edge of your seat too.

Let me remind you, the winner gets to choose any single Tintin title from the 25 books or so about the intrepid detective that were authored and illustrated by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name of Hergé!

A little tidbit - Georges Remi used his initials backwards to get his pen name R G (pronounced Hergé in French).

But no, I must not keep you waiting any longer.

The winner of the giveaway is ...
click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

Win a Free Book for International Children's Book Day!

2013-04-02T16:26:00.000+02:00

April 2 is International Children's Book Day!

Did you know that?

One of these Tintin books could be yours. You choose!
A list of all the books can be found here.

Well, Read Aloud Dad didn't until ten minutes ago.

I saw it by chance on Wikipedia ... and who did I think of immediately?

You!

My fabulous readers.

So, in order to celebrate this day, Read Aloud Dad is giving away a free children's book.

I'll make it as simple as possible to take part.

Read on...

click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

The First Thing You Should Do When You Start To Read Aloud

2013-03-31T22:06:00.002+02:00

Reading aloud is NOT the smooth sailing as many of us imagine it will be.

Keep it exciting

Kids are hyperactive these days and they will often jump around, bang on the table or climb on the furniture while you try to read.

Other kids will slowly sink into a state of deep torpor the more you read and by the time that you reach the most exciting part of the chapter - you will hear loud snoring.

The more you read, the more critical they are.

Children will come to expect good books.

Better books.

How do you get around these hiccups?

You don't.

click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

Bestselling Children's Books in Q1 2013

2013-03-30T00:19:00.000+01:00

Everyone loves bestsellers. I know I do.

And each day many of you, my friends, buy children's books via affiliate links on my website.

Some books are more popular, some less.

Trends? Well, I can see them only after I crunch the numbers.

So, I decided to compile a list of the Top 10 bestselling children's books based on purchases made via the Read Aloud Dad site, so that we can all see which books were the most popular between January and March 2013.

So without much further ado, I will let the numbers speak for themselves.

click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

The Story of Doctor Dolittle: The Best Illustrated Children's Edition

2013-03-28T01:02:00.004+01:00

Some children's books simply amaze me.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle
illustrated by Michael Hague

You know that glorious feeling when you unexpectedly come across a wonderful example of children's literature?

A book that expands your horizons.

Take, for example, The Story of Doctor Dolittle that was published back in 1920.

I know what you are thinking...

Read Aloud Dad ... that is so passé!

But wait a moment, great books are never passé.

Admittedly, everyone knows about Doctor Dolittle.

There are twelve books in the series and The Story of Doctor Dolittle is the first, but not the most famous book from the Doctor Dollitle series.

In fact, its sequel The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle won the Newbery Medal in 1923.

So, you ask... is there really something special about this first book, The Story of Doctor Dolittle?

Or is it merely 'the boring sibling' from the Doctor Dolittle book series?
click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

Press Here ... And Get Ready For Fun!

2013-03-23T14:57:00.001+01:00

Looking for a perfect children's gift?

Press Here by Hervé Tullet

Look no more.

You don't have to listen to me.

Let me describe to you what my five-year old twins think.

I've never seen such enormous smiles on their cute little faces.

I've never seen such unbridled excitement over a book.

My twins never jump around in their seats while I read a book - like they do for this one.

They giggle like crazy.

They can forget their petty little rivalries that poisoned the atmosphere just a minute ago.

Yes, that is the ultimate recommendation for a children's book.

And be prepared, this isn't a standard children's book.

Standard is average. And average is boring.

This is Great.

French children's book author Hervé Tullet respects children so much that created this book by thinking out of the box.

This book is 100% designed for the young reader and listener.

This is what THEY want.

He respects the intellect and the energy of children so much that he provided them with the perfect book.
click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

Remember, You Are Not Alone!

2013-03-16T00:57:00.000+01:00

Reading aloud on a daily basis can sap your strength.

Every afternoon - you feel a little bit more tired when you have to start reading aloud.

It starts building up.

A fight breaks out among your children over which book will be chosen for a read aloud tonight...

You have to convince your hyperactive audience to settle down...

And - getting through just the first page... I won't get you started on that one.

These are all challenges that can take twenty to thirty minutes of preparations on a good day.

Many things conspire to make reading aloud an unbearable daily chore.

But don't give up.

We all face these challenges. I do to.

But there is a silver lining that makes it all much easier.

click here to read the rest of this amazing story…

2013 Shortlists Announced for Britain's Most Prestigious Children's Book Awards

2013-03-12T13:16:00.002+01:00

Just yesterday, Jen Robinson - author of the marvelous Jen's Book Page - was discussing how children's book bloggers could do more to promote high quality books to parents.

I agree, it is important to make it easier for parents to find excellent reading material for their kids.

And, as Jen explained in her post, there are several good sources for find good reading recommendations.

Not surprisingly, children's book awards are one of them.

Maybe one of the best.

So in that spirit - let's celebrate together, as the shortlists of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway children's book awards 2013 in Britain have just been announced by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

The Carnegie Medal was instituted in memory of library champion Andrew Carnegie. The medal is awarded by children's librarians every year to the writer of the most outstanding book for children and young readers.

Interested?

If not, maybe you will be after you hear that previous winners include C.S. Lewis, Philip Pullman, Eleanor Farjeon, Mary Norton and Terry Pratchett. Eight books have been shortlisted this year.

The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in 1955 and named after popular children's book artist Kate Greenaway. It is awarded by children's librarians every year for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.

Previous winners include Raymond Briggs, Shirley Hughes, Janet Alhberg and Quentin Blake. Eight books have been shortlisted this year for this medal, as well.

OK, Read Aloud Dad will not keep you waiting any more.

Drumroll.... so who are the shortlisted candidates for the UK's oldest and most prestigious children's book awards?
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