The Tiger’s Bookshelf: Children Reading to Children
Although my mother taught her children to love books with a fierce and covetous passion, it was a rare occasion when she read to us. She was a woman who had five children in nine years, who lived in Alaska with no electricity or running water, who baked everything we ate from scratch and was either cooking or washing our clothes or doing her best to keep us in a presentable state. She had time for little else.
My father read to us in the winter when the nights were long–Heidi, The Rose and the Ring, Treasure Island, –my earliest memories are of these books that enthralled me long before I went to school. Then he went blind.
By the time my father was no longer able to read aloud, I was hopelessly ensnared in the tradition. The minute I finished a book that I loved, I would promptly begin reading it aloud to my younger sisters and brother, my captive audience. They were, however, a strongminded group and would certainly have rebelled if necessary, but instead they would frequently ask me to read to them, even after they could read to themselves.
While certainly it is a wonderful thing for parents to read to children, it is also a special act when children read to each other. Marjorie mentions that in a recent comment when she talks about the”special harmony that is engendered” when her oldest son reads aloud to his little brother. Aline tells of a class that she visited and read to where “ a young boy, who normally has trouble focusing, asked me if he could read to the class, instead, and wow!… did he capture their attention! Then they were all lining up to see who would do it next!” And one of my happiest maternal moments was when my oldest son took over our annual Christmas Eve tradition of reading aloud A Child’s Christmas in Wales.
If parents don’t have time to read aloud, children do. All that’s needed is that they be infected with the joy of reading–then watch out! They will indeed pass that virus on, by reading aloud to everyone who will listen.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:09 am
I applaud your parents. And you are right of course, all it needs is one ignited spark.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 am
I don’t know if my previous comment was gobbled up by the net gremlins or wiped clean by some overzealous disinfectant, so here goes, again. Am full of praise and wonder at your parents’ spirit. And you are right; a little spark ignited goes a long way.
February 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Thank you Swati. Now let’s see how many sparks we can all ignite this year–parents reading to children, children reading to children, children reading to dogs…children reading!
February 24th, 2009 at 12:57 am
Loved this post and the previous one about reading to dogs. Sounds like you had a childhood worthy of writing a book about! Our library has a Read to the Dogs program and both my boys have had a great time with it as early readers.
February 24th, 2009 at 4:22 am
Every library should have that program–thanks, Ali!
February 24th, 2009 at 5:15 am
I agree with Ali – I love hearing about your childhood, Janet. You’ve certainly got me thinking – perhaps I should be taking a bit of a backseat at storytime and actively encouraging my two to read to eachother. Maybe the Book Challenge will be a good opprotunity for that…
February 24th, 2009 at 8:32 am
I will make a bet that your sons love that time when you read to them and won’t give it up without a fight–but at other times of the day, when you’re busy with things you don’t have to concentrate on, they would probably love to read to you. By the way, I love your story about telling stories to the cows. (I was always afraid of cows–but not dogs that looked like wolves–go figure…)
February 27th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Part of my children’s elementary and junior high school homework here in Japan was to read aloud every night. I read to them every night, too. And still do when there’s time.
March 1st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Amen to that. My older sister always got to do everything first. She’d go off to school and come back with all sorts of new things for me to learn.
She taught me to read before I hit kindergarten.
She gave me a gift.
March 7th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Annie and Cynthea–
Thank you for adding to the conversation! Annie, your children are adolescents now? What do you read to them?
Cynthea, what a gift indeed–did your sister read to you as well as teach you how to read?
March 7th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Cynthea, when is Paris Pan available?
March 10th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
I try to read to my kids every night to try set an example that reading is fun! Tonight we read a fun fun book titled, “The Moose with Loose Poops,” by Charlotte Cowan. I read this story to my kids last week, and they loved it and have asked for it every night. They get a huge bang out of the title and the fact that “loose poops” is part of the story. So funny!
March 11th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Becky. are you Alaskan? Moose are the state icon there! Your children are so lucky and I’m sure they will be readers for life.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
I’m not Alaskan, however I LOVE Moose!! I live in a little mountain town in Utah and we have moose that wander around from time to time- they are the most fascinating animals! I certainly hope that my kids will grow up to love books as I have.