The Enchanted Hour

Reading has been an important part of our family life. I always read to our boys from when they were babies and have continued the reading with our grandchildren. When our sons and the two grandchildren that we looked after regularly started reading I listened to them read and then read to them from a book written for an older age group. Over the years we have read a great variety of books and enjoyed many adventures through books. My grandson and I still read together when he visits us after school. We share the reading - he enjoys reading the dialogue - but recently he will take over the book and read it to me if it is one that really appeals to him.

 Consequently I looked forward to reading Meghan Cox Gurdon's book about the joys of reading out loud, The Enchanted Hour: the miraculous power of reading aloud in the age of distraction.. 

In this book the author stresses the importance of reading aloud to children from a young age. Information from research projects showing the advantages of reading to children from an early age compared with children who do not have books read to them is used to back up her theories. Reading aloud is particularly important in houses where family members are immersed with media on screens. The author also discusses the advantages of reading aloud to older people, either in a group or individually.

The Enchanted Hour is an interesting study of the history and science showing the importance of reading aloud. 

This book was one of three books selected as a possible title for the Monash Alumni Book Club in May-June 2025.