The Benefits of Reading Out Loud - The New York Times

A few years ago, my youngest sister, Heather, had a monthlong stretch of migraines. She usually managed to get through her day as a teacher, but at night, she would retreat to a dark room so the light wouldn’t worsen her headache. To distract her from the anxiety and pain, I offered to read aloud to her on speakerphone while she closed her eyes. Every evening until her migraines finally receded, I’d pick something — a short story from Jane Gardam, an essay from Samantha Irby. Heather said my voice was soothing, and reminded her of our childhood, when I read her stories (and our five-year age difference seemed a lot wider). I found that I looked forward to adult story time as much as Heather did. When we think of reading aloud, we often associate it with kids, said Kate DiCamillo, the author of “Because of Winn-Dixie,” which won the Newbery Medal for children’s books, and the upcoming “Ferris.” But grown-ups need to hear stories spoken out loud, too, she said. At book events, DiCamillo

A few years ago, my youngest sister, Heather, had a monthlong stretch of migraines. She usually managed to get through her day as a teacher, but at night, she would retreat to a dark room so the light wouldn’t worsen her headache. To distract her from the anxiety and pain, I offered to read aloud to her on speakerphone while she closed her eyes. Every evening until her migraines finally receded, I’d pick something — a short story from Jane Gardam, an essay from Samantha Irby. Heather said my voice was soothing, and reminded her of our childhood, when I read her stories (and our five-year age d