Read a Story to Your Family

Reading a story aloud to an audience is one of the most generous things a reader can do — you are sharing the whole experience of a book with the people around you. Professional storytellers prepare carefully before they perform. Today you do the same.

Step 1 — Choose the right book for your audience

• Think about who your audience is. Is it younger children, family, or friends your age?
• Choose a story that is short enough to read in one sitting — 5 to 10 minutes is ideal for a first read-aloud.
• Choose something with interesting characters and varied dialogue — this gives you more to perform expressively.
• Make sure you love it. Your enthusiasm will be the most important thing the audience hears.

Step 2 — Prepare the text

• Read the story silently all the way through before performing it.
• Using a pencil, add expression marks directly on the page.
• Slow — draw a tortoise above sentences that need tension or sadness.
• Fast — draw a rabbit above action or exciting sentences.
• Loud — underline words to emphasize.
• Quiet — circle words for a whisper.
• Mark each character's name with a different colored dot so you remember their voice.

Step 3 — Practice once before the performance

• Read it aloud alone, using your expression marks, from beginning to end.
• Practice showing the pictures to an imaginary audience at the right moments.
• If you stumble on a word, practice saying it several times before the performance.

Step 4 — Perform for your audience

• Start by telling the audience the title and showing them the cover.
• Hold the book out so they can see the pictures as you read.
• Pause at exciting moments — let the tension build!
• At the end, close the book and look at your audience before saying anything.