Read Five 2 Thrive!
Reading to your child just five minutes a day truly adds up:
5 minutes each day x 7 days a week x 52 weeks a year equals 1,820 minutes!
That’s over 30 hours of reading!
Experts say…
“The single most important predictor of academic success is the amount of time children spend reading books.”
Through reading, kids expand their understanding of the world and how it works by broadening their vocabulary. They also live vicariously through characters, which develops compassion for a broad range of human experiences.
– Nancie Atwell
The Reading Zone
(Founder of the Center for Teaching and Learning)
Time spent reading together fosters healthy relationships with caring adults. Brain science research shows that this supports emotional regulation and development for the child, which is a key driver for positive outcomes, including academic performance, school attendance, reduction of risk-taking behaviors, school engagement, pro-social skills.
– Dr. Mariale M. Hardiman
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model
(Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University)
Reading combats the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which can lead to neurotoxicity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, affecting memory processing and executive function. Reading is one behavioral intervention that can enhance prefrontal activity and develop cognitive control through the effortful routine of sounding out words and paying attention to what is on the page.
Carrion and Wong
(Journal of Adolescent Health)
Here’s 5 Books We Love!
Guess How Much I Love You – Sam McBratney
Perfect for bedtimes!
Knuffle Bunny – Mo Willems
A hilarious story about a child’s first word!
Pig the Fibber– Aaron Blabey
Filled with rhymes to develop phonological awareness – see if your child can identify pairs of rhyming words on each page!
Ways to Make Sunshine – Renée Watson
Five-minute chapters you can read throughout the week!
One Smart Cookie – Mika Song
Graphic novels encourage cognitive development as readers make sense of what occurs between panels.
Want more book recommendations to continue reading together?
Visit our main Resources page by clicking the button below!
There you’ll be able to read more about the books that we love to read and share!
Stay In Touch! [Coming Soon!]
Watch this space!
We’re hard at work developing a reminder newsletter
to help you keep up with your Read Five 2 Thrive goals!
Visit this page again soon and be sure to sign up when the registration form is available!
Until then, keep reading together!
What’s Next?
References and Research
- Atwell, N., & Merkel, A. A. (2016). The reading zone: How to help kids become passionate, skilled, habitual, critical readers. Scholastic Inc.
- Carrion, V. G., & Wong, S. S. (2012). Can traumatic stress alter the brain? Understanding the implications of early trauma on brain development and learning. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(2), 23–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.04.010
- Hardiman, M. (2025). The brain targeted teaching model: A framework for joyful learning and leading. Corwin Press