Award-winning children's author and acclaimed educator Lester L. Laminack provides guidelines, lessons, and resources for making every read-aloud experience intentional and instructional to engage students in deep thinking about fiction and nonfiction books. Central to Laminack's message is his breakthrough thinking about the value and importance of "Best Friend Books"--a small, carefully curated collection that you repeatedly turn to for specific teaching purposes.

You'll also find:

• Step-by-step lessons for "first visits" and "return visits" to recommended Best Friend Books--clear guidelines for digging deeply and enriching students' understanding of content and craft
• Links to an online resource bank that contains "Spotlight on Lester" videos, graphic organizers for you, and downloadables for your students
• "What the Research Says" boxes that point to studies supporting Laminack's professional advice
• An annotated and alphabetized list of Laminack's favorite Best Friend Books
• "Home Visit" boxes that contain tips and tools for welcoming families into the work