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Reflect on Your Child's Development

  •  A guide to literacy milestones, so you know what to expect and watch for at each age and stage of your child’s development
  • An introduction to my powerful GPS framework for investigating and responding to your child’s development and individual needs, plus a worksheet to support you step by step
  • A printable Reading For Our Lives Journal to track your notes and progress, complete the exercises from the book, and jot down your observations—all in one convenient spot

Nurture and Teach Reading

  • Resources for teaching your child the alphabet (not just the song, but the letter shapes and sounds, and crucial knowledge that kids need years to develop before kindergarten)
  • A tip sheet introducing what to look for in picture books for your baby or young child, plus a selection of vetted titles to get you started
  • A list of recommended spelling resources for parents who want to learn more about word origins and pronunciation
  • A video tutorial presenting how to pronounce English letter sounds, plus tips on introducing them to kids

Host a Reading for Our Lives Book Club

When I wrote Reading for Our Lives,  I hoped it would prompt deep individual reflection within readers and also catalyze discussion–and action–among them.

To help, I offer this guide to the book’s key ideas, themes, and arguments, along with open-ended questions to ponder. May this exploration of the chapters’ opening quotes, startling statistics, personal stories, historical insights, and practical recommendations park memorable conversation.

Email me at hello@mayasmart.com with the subject line “book discussion” to let me know which questions and chapters gave you the most to think and talk about.

Get Book Discussion Guide

Thank you so much for your support of Reading for Our Lives! Since you read the book and believe in the power of parents to influence kids’ literacy trajectories, please leave a review on Amazon or the bookseller of your choice to share your thoughts.

Reader reviews are critical for raising the book’s visibility on bookseller websites. Plus, once prospective readers find the book, reader reviews can assure them that the content is the right fit for them and worth buying. It takes just a minute to leave a one- or two-sentence review and it would make a huge difference for Reading for Our Lives.

With Appreciation,

Maya