The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared

By Alice Ozma                                       Genre: Memoir
Reviewed by Natalie                                   5/5 stars

The Reading Promise recounts Alice Ozma’s and her father’s initial commitment to read for 100 days, for at least ten minutes each time. They celebrate their accomplishment with pancakes and decide to continue The Streak, reading for 1,000 days and ultimately continuing until they reach 3,218 days. Their book journey ends the day Alice begins college. (NOTE: Be sure to read the foreword by Alice’s father about how it all began.)

The Reading Promise is about a commitment to read, yes, but it is even more so about a beautiful relationship between a father and daughter. Alice and her father read through every event, tumultuous and otherwise, in a pre-teen and then teenage girl’s life. The Streak was a chance to take a break from the stress and chaos of everyday life, to escape into wonderful worlds together.

I read this lovely book when my firstborn was six months old. Besides raising a kind, compassionate, and brave child, I wanted to raise a reader. Alice Ozma’s memoir forged an even deeper commitment to read to my children every day not solely for the mental or character development but also for the relationship I wanted to share with my son, and future children, through books.

If you’re looking for a book to begin your own reading streak, start here with The Reading Promise, a book offering humor, love, inspiration, and of course books.

Read my exclusive interview with Alice Ozma.
Purchase The Reading Promise here.
Visit The Reading Promise online.
Follow Alice Ozma on Facebook.

 

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