I have always loved to read. In fact, when I was in the second grade, I had to get my first pair of glasses. The eye doctor told my mom that I should get outside more often. Apparently he thought I sat inside and read all day long, hence my poor eyesight so young. My mom looked at him and said, “Oh she spends lots of time outside – reading!!”
I have a long list of favorite childhood books, and I recently discovered a box full of them in storage at my in-laws. It was like re-living my childhood as I dusted off book after book after book. Stories from Grandma’s Attic, the Little House on the Prairie series, and my all-time favorite the Ann of Green Gables series. I brought the books home and can’t wait to start reading them to Little Miss Sunshine.
So naturally, I’m thrilled that one of my kids favorite activities is going to the library for storytime and to pick out new books each week. We have a gorgeous new library just a few miles from our house filled with a million dollars worth of brand new books. Row after row after row of never-opened books. It’s like a dream come true.
A trip to the library early this month sent me home with a 700 page (or more) volume of all of Jane Austen’s books. I thought I might read a couple of the novels, but after it took me over 2 weeks to read Sense and Sensibility (loved it!) I thought my brain needed a break. I’m an impatient reader and I just couldn’t read it fast enough!
This massive volume of Austen was sitting on the coffee table the other day when iIttle Miss picked it up and decided to “read” it with T-Rex. They took turns flipping the pages making up stories.
LMS: “Once upon a time far, far away, there was a little girl. Ok, your turn, T-Rex.”
T: “Once upon a time, der was a leetle boy. He went to da store to get medicine for da baby.”
LMS: “My turn again!”
They continued this little scenario for a few minutes while my mother-in-law, Housemate and I watched. Then Little Miss said, “Do you like this story, do you want to read more?” After T-Rex excitedly answered “YES!” They snuggled deeper into the couch and T-Rex clutched Little Miss’s arm and leaned in closer than I thought was possible. She took a deep breath and said,
LMS: “R”
T: “OOOOOOOHHHH!!” in the most awe-filled voice you can imagine.
LMS: “Q”
T: “OOOHHHH!!”
LMS: “T”
T: “OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
By this time we couldn’t hold it any longer, and my mother-in-law, Housemate and I giggled and laughed until we had tears rolling down our cheeks. She literally was naming letters and he was hanging on her every word, er um letter, as if it was the most brilliant awe-inspiring thing he had ever heard. Now, that’s powerful!
I hope their love of language and reading will last their whole life!
I cannot believe you wrote “Ann of Green Gables” without an E in Anne. I’m impressed your server is still running, it should have burst into flames. 😉
It’s a wonderful thing to have kids that read. My eldest has read the first four Harry Potters now, and has taken a break to read Inkheart. Her favorite thing in our new car was back seat reading lights.
As a book fiend, I think this is AWESOME! You know, you could start reading some of those books to her now. I read “Little House in the Big Woods” and “Farmer Boy” to Marlaina when she was 4. She LOVED them. The kids still love to have novels read aloud to them. 🙂 Right now we’re re-reading “Beezus and Ramona.” In the first chapter Ramona writes in a library book because she wants to keep it. Caleb was MORTIFIED! It was all he talked about for days. *laugh*
Keep up the good work, mommy!
Oh shame on me, Topher! I better fix that before my server notices!! What terrible lack of proof reading!!! 🙂 So will you be taking the girls to see Inkheart? I heard it stayed true to the book.
Jamie, that is just too funny about Caleb. He obviously has learned the rules of the library! Once The Narrator finishes reading the Chronicles of Narnia to Little Miss, I’ll start with the Little House series. She’s LOVING Narnia.
haha that was such a funny moment!!!! life will be a little duller when i’m no longer in the garage.
Love this post!!
Every time you talk about your library I have to tell myself, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s library.” But it doesn’t work. I’m still insanely jealous over your new library and the thought tons of new children’s books. Libraries in Michigan don’t have the money for those sorts of things. Sigh… But we still get lots of enjoyment out of them anyway, and for that I am thankful.
Housemate, we will miss you for sure!!
Page Turner – We are certainly blessed by our new library. The whole community is. As I’ve gotten to know our children’s librarian, I’ve learned that much of what we have is because the Friends of the Library are generous. Our small library in the lesser part of town has and does more than the bigger library because of the generous donations of the Friends. They’ve made a big difference in our community!