GREAT READS

The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared

by Alice Ozma.

When Alice Ozma (named after "Alice" from Lewis Carroll and "Ozma" from Frank Baum) was in fourth grade, she and her school librarian dad, Jim Brozina, decided to see if he could read aloud to her for 100 nights. During the first year her sister left for college and her mother left for good. Their nightly reading sessions became an integral part of their relationship, and over a pancake breakfast to celebrate the 100th day, they decided to keep "The Streak" (as they called it) going. And they did! They read every night until the night before she left for college. This book show the importance of reading to your children and the impact that it will make in their lives. I loved this book and how the relationship with her father developed through years of reading.

At the end of the book, Alice challenges the reader to make a reading promise: "I promise to be there for books because I know they will always be there for me." This book is a heartwarming and inspiring tale, both about the love of reading and the wonderful relationship that grew between a father and daughter because of their shared love of books. This true tale is funny, touching, and an all-around great read.

Recommended by Sharon Smith