A Family of Readers – providing the knowledge, tools and coaching you need to raise kids who are passionate, successful readers.

My name is Leslie Smith. In addition to being a wife and mom, I am a Reading Specialist, a Special Education teacher, and a tutor. Nothing brings me more joy and satisfaction than bringing people and books together and inspiring others to love reading.  That’s what this blog, A Family of Readers, is all about.

When my husband and I got married, we made it an explicit goal that we wanted to raise our kids to be readers.  We wanted them to have as much passion for reading as we did, and to integrate it into their lives. Our kids are young adults now, and we were flattered and shocked when both of them based their college application essays on our family’s culture of reading.  My husband and I looked at each other and marveled triumphantly “WE DID IT!”

I want to help you do the same thing – make your own precious family into A Family of Readers.

Leslie Smith, M.A.Ed., is a special education teacher, reading specialist, and tutor. For the past 25 years she has dedicated herself to teaching reading to children of all ages and abilities, and is committed to supporting parents in raising skilled readers who love books. She has been published in the International Reading Association’s professional journal, The Reading Teacher, and was chosen Educator of the Year by the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County. Leslie is a certified Reading Recovery teacher, and in addition to her special education and regular education teaching credentials, has earned the State of California’s supplemental authorizations in the areas of English, Autism and ESL.