As a parent, teacher, and homeschool mom, I have found that as it relates to the subject of reading, people tend to fall into one of two categories: the lovers or the haters. Speaking for my family, we are passionate book enthusiasts. Our home overflows with stories of all sorts. There is hardly a space open on any of our book shelves. A trip to the toy store might be fun, but my kids beg me to take them to the bookstore. We can spend hours leisurely walking the aisles, getting lost in the myriad of genres and titles. Then there is the library, another highly desirable destination. There is never a time where we don't leave that valued building without checking out dozens of books at a time. In short, I am fortunate that reading has never been a hurdle for us. I realize that this is not so for many however, and for those good folks, I have a book that can be a helpful resource in kickstarting an interest in the subject. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the book, Tackle Reading by Kathryn Starke, and I would like to share it with you.

I found this book for parents and educators to be a quick and easy read. It is divided into seven parts:

-Part One: Field Goals from Literacy Leaders

-Part Two: Reading Passes

-Part Three: Touchdowns On and Off the Field from NFL Players

-Part Four: Handoffs from Teachers to Parents and Teachers

-Part Five: Celebrity Reader Huddle

-Part Six: Reading and Writing Is My Life in the End Zone

-Part Seven: Especially for Students

Tackle Reading is a collection of tips, goals, encouraging and inspiring quotes, and stories from various celebrities, teachers, and NFL players. It is interesting, in part because there are plenty of testimonies from former students who struggled to get any traction in the subject. You will gain insights into how it feels to be a struggling reader, and the frustration and even shame that those students feel. Each section will provide ideas for engaging kids, from possible subject matter, how to select reading material, and how to make the subject come alive. There are plenty of book titles included, that can help parents and teachers in their planning. There are also some pages that may be copied for use in your reading program.

The way in which this book is put together, as a collection of strategies, makes it easy to pick up and read at any particular section, if you wanted to approach it that way. For this review, I initially read it in order, from beginning to end. Later, I picked it up at various sections, to take a closer look at some of the ideas and stories. I like the book, although it does get somewhat repetitive at times. That might be expected with various authors coming in to offer guidelines and resources that they use. Those that find their children and/or students struggling to want to read will likely get the most out of this book, although there are enough suggestions that any parent and teacher will benefit from. Personally, I am keeping a copy of this available for myself for days when our studies need a refreshing. This is a helpful book for parents and educators to have on hand.

-Product review by Laurie Gauger, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November 2018