Reading & Literacy Blog

The Book Whisperer

Donalyn Miller was a 6th grade language arts teacher in Texas who is said to have a “gift": She can turn even the most reluctant (or, in her words, “dormant”) readers into students who can’t put their books down. This blog is no longer being updated.

Education Opinion Share a Story, Shape a Future 2010
Join Donalyn Miller and kidlitosphere bloggers around the world for the annual Share a Story, Shape a Future blog event.
Donalyn Miller, March 7, 2010
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1 min read
Education Opinion The Long Haul
Donalyn Miller compares her weight loss program to reading intervention programs-- both doomed to fail without commitment to the long haul.
Donalyn Miller, February 28, 2010
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3 min read
Education Opinion Wild Readers Survey
Donalyn Miller invites readers to participate in her Wild Readers Survey.
Donalyn Miller, February 14, 2010
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1 min read
Education Opinion Effective Literacy Programs Lose Funding
Donalyn Miller urges educators to show support for five literacy programs which will lose direct funding under the FY2011 proposed federal budget.
Donalyn Miller, February 9, 2010
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1 min read
Education Opinion Best Book Awards for Teaching to the Test
Donalyn Miller writes a tongue-in-cheek letter to children's and young adult authors and invites them to apply for her Best Book Awards for Teaching to the Test.
Donalyn Miller, January 30, 2010
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3 min read
Education Opinion American Library Association Awards Announced
Donalyn Miller shares the ALA's Award List including the Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Printz, and Belpre winners.
Donalyn Miller, January 18, 2010
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4 min read
Education Opinion Dear Parents: At-Home Reading
Donalyn Miller stresses the importance of reading at home by sending a plaintive e-mail to her students' parents.
Donalyn Miller, January 10, 2010
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4 min read
Education Opinion Conflict Resolution
Donalyn Miller proposes that instead of making New Year's Resolutions, we recommit to our core teaching beliefs.
Donalyn Miller, December 30, 2009
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3 min read
Education Opinion No Apologies: Books Read This Fall
Donalyn Miller shares the 51 books she read this fall without apologizing for her choices.
Donalyn Miller, December 12, 2009
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Education Opinion NCTE: Reading Aloud
Donalyn Miller wraps up her visit to the recent NCTE Convention.
Donalyn Miller, November 24, 2009
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1 min read
Education Opinion Is a Ning Enough?
Last night a few of the folks from Jim Burke's English Companion Ning met. In person.
Elizabeth Rich, November 22, 2009
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1 min read
Education Opinion Standing Room Only
While Donalyn was signing books at the Wiley booth, she and I thought it would be good for me to attend Kelly Gallagher and Jeff Anderson's session: Rethinking Literacy Instruction in the Age of Readicide.
Elizabeth Rich, November 21, 2009
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Education Opinion NCTE: Student Identity and Beowulf
Donalyn Miller is on the go at NCTE: stalking authors and learning how to engage students with the classics.
Donalyn Miller, November 21, 2009
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1 min read
Education Opinion What's On Everyone's Mind: Reading
Attended an interesting session this morning on "Reviving Reading in the Post-NCLB World." The discussion included 10 roundtable leaders speaking about: teacher and student agency. Very interesting what's happening in the classroom that runs parallel and counter to tests, tests, and more tests. I can tell you this: Try and try as Arnie Duncan et al might, teachers are working the underground to teach what they want and how they want to teach it. Trust me, the 400 page NCTE program is not devoted to standardized testing and phonemic awareness. The resistance movement is vocal here.
Elizabeth Rich, November 21, 2009
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