A joint effort from three thought leaders in educational research, linguistics, and literacy acquisition, this book explores the latest research that shows that compelling comprehensive input (CCI) is the baseline for all language and literacy development. Addresses and interprets current international research on literacy development; Documents the value of libraries in providing access for literacy development; Provides compelling research-based arguments for reading aloud, free voluntary reading, and reading to one's strengths; Identifies and explains the three stages in the development of the highest level of literacy: hearing stories, self-selected recreational reading, and specialized reading in an area of deep personal interest.

1. Compelling comprehensible input -- 2. The Three stages -- 3. What read-alouds do and what they don't do -- 4. Self-selected reading -- 5. Will they only read junk? -- 6. The complexity study: do they only ready only "easy" books? -- 7. What have we learned from PIRLS? -- Conclusions -- References -- Index.