"Thank you for making reading fun."
— Alyssa V., First Grade

Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! "makes children want to be readers" —Olga Gize Carlile, Review

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" . . . a fun with words, read-aloud book which uses humor to deliver a vital message about the importance of reading and reinforces the message with vivid, memorable images. It's a perfect book for fun-loving parents and high-spirited teachers who laugh with their children and use humor to teach."

This light-hearted story with action-packed illustrations hits bull's eye on a glaring national need — motivating children to read. Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! produces laughs and gasps that make its "reading is vital" message a child-pleasing joy. Highly acclaimed and a national bestseller, it's a perfect book for fun-loving parents and high spirited teachers who laugh with their children and use humor to teach. Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! is used extensively in schools and even in adult literacy programs with its companion book What Is That Thing? Whose Stuff Is This? to foster reading development. —Publishing Profile

Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! is a book focused on the need to motivate children to read... We want you to be aware of a resource so specific to family literacy.
—Secretary of State Literacy Office, Illinois State Library

"An ability to use words is one of the greatest gifts
that a parent can give a child." — Julie Snively, Review

Author's Note:

It's easier to sit passively watching TV or to play computer games than it is to read. That's why I use humor and entertaining stories in both Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! and What Is That Thing? Whose Stuff Is This? — to encourage children to read and fall in love with words.

200,000 authors

I sometimes say Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! is a book with 200,000 authors. That's how many children I had worked with in my author visit programs when I felt the need to create a book parents and teachers could use — and children would enjoy — to motivate children to read. I focused on creating a story that combines humor with vivid images that will stay with children even into adulthood. — John Gile

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A teacher's assessment:

"I would rate this as an excellent easy reader for older children to read independently and for younger children to be read to. Children enjoy the illustrations and they also enjoy reading the signs in the illustrations. The theme of reading as a 'friend' is very influential and a much needed incentive.

"The book can be used to encourage students having difficulty with reading. It also can be read to classes of younger children to encourage the reading of environmental print. Children can be made more aware of rhyming words if the teacher leaves off the second rhyming word and allows the children to supply it."