Familial inspiration
As Father’s Day approaches, I love to think about all the fathers in the world who have had a positive influence on the children in their lives. In particular, I’m cognizant of several authors/illustrators with adult offspring who are now…

In this post, I offer a selection of online book-based activities that can be shared at home to further encourage family participation with literature and reading. Web sites offer a wealth of material that can stimulate discussions about books. Video and audio interviews with authors, for example, provide fresh insights about their work. Novel units, now available online, can guide conversations about books, making it possible for busy family members to know more about what their children are reading and to ask questions about particular books. The Internet’s potential to bring people and information together adds dynamic new possibilities to extend family involvement in reading.
In this post I’ve highlighted four specific literature-based activities that a substitute teacher can use to engage students—merging books, technology, and fun.