A Wall Street Journal writer's conversation-changing look at how reading aloud makes adults and children smarter, happier, healthier, more successful and more closely attached, even as technology pulls in the other direction.

A miraculous alchemy occurs when one person reads to another, transforming the simple stuff of a book, a voice, and a bit of time into complex and powerful fuel for the heart, brain, and imagination. Grounded in the latest neuroscience and behavioral research, and drawing widely from literature, The Enchanted Hour explains the dazzling cognitive and social-emotional benefits that await children, whatever their class, nationality or family background. But it's not just about bedtime stories for little kids: Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age, deepening the intellectual lives and emotional well-being of teenagers and adults, too.

Meghan Cox Gurdon argues that this ancient practice is a fast-working antidote to the fractured attention spans, atomized families and unfulfilling ephemera of the tech era, helping to replenish what our devices are leaching away. For everyone, reading aloud engages the mind in complex narratives; for children, it's an irreplaceable gift that builds vocabulary, fosters imagination, and kindles a lifelong appreciation of language, stories and pictures.

Bringing together the latest scientific research, practical tips, and reading recommendations, The Enchanted Hour will both charm and galvanize, inspiring readers to share this invaluable, life-altering tradition with the people they love most.

• We started tracking this book on January 23, 2019.
• This book was $12.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 26 times in the past 2,141 days.
• The current price of this book is $1.99 last checked 2 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was $1.99 last reached on December 2, 2024.
• This book has been $1.99 3 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $14.99 last reached on August 4, 2024.
• This book has been $14.99 5 times since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Education & TeachingTeacher ResourcesEducation TheoryContemporary MethodsLanguage Experience Approach
• Parenting & RelationshipsFamily Activities
• Education & Teaching

• Publication Date: January 15, 2019
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 264 Pages
• File Size: 1,268 KB