I was thrilled to complete another book this week. The Reading Promise has been on my TBR for a while, but I just decided this week to purchase a digital copy and get to reading. The memoir wasn’t entirely what I expected, but I am very glad that I read it.
Alice’s father was an elementary school librarian. Together, they made a promise to spend 10 minutes each night for 100 consecutive days together – Dad would read aloud to Alice. When the young Alice and her dad reached their goal, Jim asked what the next goal should be. Alice quickly replied, “1000 days!”
Obviously, Jim was a little apprehensive about such a lofty goal. There had already been close calls when they weren’t certain that the reading would occur before midnight and The Streak would be broken. Still, Alice’s father knew better than to discourage a youngster. Together, they made the reading promise. The Streak would ultimately last for an amazing 3,218 nights, finally ending on the day that Alice moved into the residence hall at Yale University.
The Reading Promise is not about the books that the two read together. Instead, the memoir focuses on the relationship between father and daughter and how the act of reading together strengthened their bond. There are humorous moments such as reading by flashlight in the parking lot after an extremely late theater rehearsal. An unexpected illness makes the continuity of The Streak uncertain because Dad can barely speak above a whisper. There is the heartbreak of Alice at her mother’s departure from her home and the financial stress the single-income home faces. Above all, there is clearly love presented page after page.
If you are uncertain that reading aloud to children is important, read The Reading Promise. If you want to see what can happen when a parent connects with a child in a unique and personal way, read The Reading Promise. If you are passionate about the power of the written word, read The Reading Promise.
Reading for Me 
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