READINGCHAIR
The Reading Chair
Highlights from 20 Years of Children’ s Books
Editors’ Note
The May 2005 issue of Young Children introduced a new column, The Reading Chair. Its purpose was to provide reviews of new books for children to help educators select and use books for their settings. The column began with Isabel Baker— a former librarian who loved great children’ s books and had been working with early childhood teachers for many years— approaching Young Children Editor Derry Koralek about a column connecting teachers to the best new books. In 2007, her daughter, Miriam Baker Schiffer, a children’ s book author, became co-editor of the column. They have faithfully shared their expertise and enthusiasm for high-quality children’ s books, featuring books they loved, with NAEYC readers.
Since the column began, they have reviewed thousands of books looking for texts that foster children’ s learning, development, and a sense of community and inspiration. Isabel and Miriam’ s thoughtful book suggestions have given educators new ideas to bring to their classrooms and have encouraged them to think of children’ s interests, questions, and backgrounds as they select books to read aloud and include in their collections.
This will be the last Reading Chair column in Young Children. We recognize and are grateful for the co-editors’ longstanding support of children and educators through quality books for all age groups and settings. To say farewell, we are sharing 10 of the 600 books that have been featured— a small sampling of a collection that captures different themes, genres, and communities for children birth through age 8.
We hope all educators will continue to refer to this collection and reflect on what the stories offer the children they serve. We look forward to highlighting children’ s books and curricular connections in the Now Read This feature in NAEYC’ s member-exclusive magazine, Educating Young Children( available to every member via their member portal).
— YC editorial team
90 Young Children
Summer 2026