Beyond the Bedtime Story: Understanding and Promoting Reading Development During the Middle School Years was written for educators, parents, and all who care about promoting the reading development of middle school students. The book fills a much-needed void in scholarly literature by considering the unique developmental nature of early adolescence. Although the authors highlight many of the challenges with promoting reading achievement during the middle school transition years, their hope is that this user-friendly book will suggest ways that reading can remain a critical part of middle school students’ lives, both in and out of school, so that we can create a nation of life-long readers. This book also encourages practitioners and family members to accept the challenge of creatively engaging reluctant readers so that all middle school students will share in the literacy legacy begun in preschools and elementary schools and offers practical strategies to build this legacy.

"Written by a collection of educators, school administrators, and advocates, this slim volume walks through problems and solutions to a decline in reading during the middle school years. . . .[W]ith its emphasis on the inclusion of scholarly articles, it provides ideal research support for anyone interested in working with administration, grants, and policy changes for school libraries." - VOYA

"Intended for parents and teachers of middle school students, this book provides practical suggestions on how to foster a love of reading in early adolescents. The authors draw on research in the fields of literacy education and adolescent psychology." - Children's Literature Association Quarterly