Stop Everything! The Kids Can't Read

Nearly 70 percent of American children are not reading proficiently by fourth grade.

Teachers aren't the problem. Children aren't the problem. The way reading has been taught is.

In this urgent, clear-eyed examination, veteran educator Dr. Roberta Crawford exposes the instructional theories and educational practices that have displaced proven methods of teaching children to read, and reveals how well-intentioned reforms have fueled a literacy crisis affecting millions of students nationwide.

This book will help you understand:

• Why nearly 7 in 10 American children are not reading proficiently by fourth grade
• How decades of shifting instructional theory displaced methods known to work
• What's really at stake when children struggle to read: confidence, academic success, future opportunity, and full participation in society
• Why literacy isn't just an educational issue, but a national one
• Evidence-based solutions that help children become successful, confident readers

Drawing on decades of classroom experience and research, Dr. Crawford delivers more than a critique. She delivers a call to action. This book challenges educators, school leaders, policymakers, parents, and concerned citizens alike to confront the real causes of reading failure and commit to solutions that work.

A must-read for anyone who believes every child deserves the chance to read, succeed, and thrive.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: E.P. House
Published: 09/29/2026
ISBN: 9798182758598
Pages: 226
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d