The following books are "must" reading for parents and educators who want solid knowledge and practical methods that work for understanding and dealing with reading improvement. Each has a brief commentary to help you select what is of particular interest to you.

The list, for good reason, has a large emphasis on Priscilla Vail's writing. As an author she is lucid, insightful, practical, technical without obscurity, secure in her knowledge, user friendly, and full of compassion for readers of all ages. She has been a mentor to many who respect and love her for all that she has given to improve the reading skills of all who need help.

 Vail, Priscilla. Smart Kids With School Problems: Things to Know & Ways to Help. New York, NY. Plume/Penguin Group.
The title tells it all. Parents and teachers will gain precious insights and pragmatic suggestions for helping students.

Healy, Jane M. Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think- and What We can Do About It. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster.
The first half of the book is technical and meant for educational psychologists and teachers. It is well worth the time and effort when the second half of the book, easily readable by all, puts all of the research to use. Learning reading patterns and other things actually changes the brain on a cellular basis. This is proven beyond doubt. The advancement of reading skills creates, cell by cell, a better brain.

Vail, Priscilla. Clear & Lively Writing:Language Games & Activities for Writers of All Ages. New York, NY. Walker and Company.
This is the perfect gift for a busy teacher, parents who plays word games with their kids, new teachers, and home school people. The activities are focused, short enough to be completed before, between, or after teaching units or scheduled class activities. The activities are fun and educationally sound, a rare combination.

Sebranek, Julie, et al. Writers Inc.: A Student Handbook for Writing & Learning. Boston, MA. D.C. Heath and Company/Houghton Mifflin.
When a reference book is needed for creating bibliographies, sentence construction, essay types, etc., the clear definitions and examples for different ability levels are excellent.

Vail, Priscilla. Reading Comprehension: Students' Needs & Teachers' Tools. Rosemont, NJ. Modern Learning Press.
The directly stated text for teachers and parents is right on the mark. "Which reading comprehension skills do your students need to learn, and how can you teach them effectively?" Here are the answers.

Healy, Jane M. Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds- and What We Can Do About It. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster.
Computers, in and of themselves, are machines. The programs used by "educational" corporations, states, schools, teachers, and parents are often chosen because kids like them and adults think the programs are cute. What is or is not being taught and learned? Find out.

Vail, Priscilla. About Dyslexia: Unraveling the Myth. Rosemont, NJ. Modern Learning Press.
The booklet describes "the common patterns of strengths and weaknesses in dyslexic people from early childhood through adulthood." Core material to discern reading problems and solutions.

Hall, Susan and Moats, Louisa C. Straight Talk About Reading: How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years. Chicago, IL. Contemporary Press.
This is for parents with very young children. Nice gift book.

Vail, Priscilla. Common Ground: Whole Language and Phonics Working Together. Rosemont, NJ. Modern Learning Press.
Vail, who was instrumental in ending mandatory "whole language" dominance, also shows how mere phonics - without phoneme awareness and guided texts and more - cannot be sufficient for the teaching of reading. She tells what strengths are offered by each program and what needs to be done to make the two extremes part of a more balanced and effective methodology.

Sorenson, Sharon. Webster's New World Student Writing Handbook: Third Edition. New York, NY. Macmillan U.S.A.
Widely available, this handbook is useful for research writing in most subject areas across the curriculum. A reference book.