"It's no small job for teachers to translate research on reading comprehension directly into classroom decisions. Stephen Chiger and Paul Bambrick-Santoyo have bridged that gap; their text-centered approach offers educators a thoughtful, practical framework for analyzing student comprehension and planning instruction."

— Daniel Willingham, author of Why Don't Students Like School and professor of psychology, University of Virginia

"Teaching reading comprehension is hard, and for too long we've chased test-prep skills and unreliable Lexile numbers when the answer was sitting right in front of us: the text itself. Chiger and Bambrick-Santoyo set the record straight—it's the text that reveals the gap, and it's the text that closes it. This is the precise, analytical approach to instructional design that teachers have been missing, and it's the next chapter the science of reading has been waiting for."

— Zach Groshell, PhD, former teacher, instructional coach, podcaster, and author of Just Tell Them

"Too often, literacy instruction loses sight of the text itself. Team Up with the Text argues for a better approach: keep rich texts as the main event, and recognize knowledge building not as another strategy or intervention, but as an organizing force for comprehension. Steve Chiger and Paul Bambrick-Santoyo provide a clear, practical roadmap that translates big ideas into instructional decisions teachers can use immediately."

— Kristen McQuillan, executive director, Knowledge Matters

"Struggling to create lessons that value both curricular content and your students’ own work? Stephen Chiger and Paul Bambrick-Santoyo have created an essential guide for helping young readers navigate complex texts with competence and confidence. Using powerful classroom examples, they point the way to effective and efficient comprehension instruction."

— Carol Jago, long-time English teacher and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English

"Finally we have a book that directly and clearly addresses the problem of standards-driven instruction while providing clear and focused alternatives. And it’s readable!"

— David Liben, literacy consultant and co-author of Know Better Do Better: Comprehension and Know Better Do Better: Foundational Skills

"Team Up With the Text provides teachers with accessible explanations for the many reasons students struggle to comprehend written language, along with clear, practical guidance on how to help them overcome those barriers. Firmly grounded in both scientific evidence and the complex realities of the classroom, this vital book will help educators cut through the noise about reading comprehension and focus on the approaches most likely to enable their students to succeed."

— Natalie Wexler, author of The Knowledge Gap and Beyond the Science of Reading and co-author of The Writing Revolution 2.0

"Chiger and Bambrick-Santoyo break vital new ground for reading instruction. After a generation of 'teaching the main idea' and supposedly transferable skills, Team Up with the Text makes a compelling, practical case that comprehension lives inside specific texts, and that boosting it starts with what children already know. Packed with strategies for unlocking tricky texts, this book helps every student succeed and flourish as a reader."

— Alex Quigley, education writer and consultant; author of Literacy Essentials for Every Teacher

“Team Up with the Text is a fabulous book, taking a highly original and exciting approach to teaching comprehension of complex texts. The framework of 'students first, teaching second, everything grounded in text' is brilliant, encouraging teachers to get right into each text to guide the teaching process. The trademark 'Core Ideas' and case studies bring such clarity to the conceptual model—it's immediately accessible for any teacher or teacher-coach and, for sure, will be a superb asset for any school. It makes me want to get back into class and teach comprehension!”

— Tom Sherrington, author and director, Teaching WalkThrus

"In an era in which educators have more resources than ever, from HQIM materials to AI, Stephen Chiger and Paul Bambrick-Santoyo recenter our practice to focus on what matters most: student thinking, the text they are reading, and our teaching techniques. Grounded in research and built for classroom teachers and school leaders, this book turns challenging texts into moments of real understanding, one classroom-tested move at a time. Team Up with the Text doesn't just inform your practice; it levels it up. Put the strategies in this book to work, and watch readers and writers rise."

— Dr. Shawn Manger, co-founder and principal, Baychester Middle School

"Reteaching based on kids performing poorly on a standard is widespread and ineffective. This practical guide breaks down why this approach doesn't work and gives teachers and leaders practical alternatives that can be implemented right away. A must-read for anyone in the middle and high school space who wants to improve reading outcomes and feels stuck about how to turn data into actionable next steps."

— Mary Broydrick, co-founder, Novel Education Partners

"At the center of our literacy crisis lies a stubborn paradox: students need sustained access to complex, knowledge-rich texts to grow as readers, yet many arrive in our classrooms unprepared to meet the demands of the very work on which their growth depends. Drawing on the latest in cognitive science and reading research while remaining rooted in the craft of close reading, Team Up with the Text offers teachers a practical, text-centered framework to identify why comprehension breaks down and use that insight to shape a precise instructional response. Rigorous, accessible, and rich with examples, this is a forward-looking book precisely because it returns us to an enduring truth: the best humanities classrooms not only immerse students in rich texts, but give them the knowledge, confidence, and command to wrestle with their complexity and revel in their depth."

— Luke Morin, creator of The Middle School Literacy Project and award-winning teacher

"In this gem of a book, Bambrick-Santoyo and Chiger take us by the hand and guide us through how data-driven instruction, cognitive science, and responsive teaching fit together in an English class. It is a paean to English teaching in all its messy richness, asking us to consider and reconsider the complexity of the texts we're teaching, offering us concrete ideas and ways through so each of us on our hero's journeys—in our schools, classrooms and in the stories we read—hold our students as the best and brightest protagonists."

— Claire Stoneman, principal, English teacher, and writer, Lift Schools, UK

"In an education world grasping for ways to 'reteach inference' again, Chiger and Bambrick have demystified and operationalized how our best English teachers respond to data in ways that are authentic to texts and result in real growth for students. Every page reveals what targeted reteach can look like in English classrooms. Teachers and coaches who are looking for a concrete structure to respond to students need this text."

— Seeta Menon Estrada, managing director of academics, secondary, YES Prep Public Schools

"Rather than focusing on isolated reading skills, Chiger and Bambrick-Santoyo savor the joyful complexity of rich and resonant texts. The result: a book with deep insight into teaching reading comprehension and a palpable love of stories."

— Andrew Watson, founder, Translate the Brain