I realized that I liked to read when I was in the fourth grade and we read Where the Red Fern Grows as a class. I was hooked with "chapter books," or novels as the big kids called them. From then on, I always had a book on my nightstand that I would read before turning off the light.
This post is one is a series of posts discussing what is on my nightstand tonight. Tonight's book is: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle. I know, not what you would expect a grown adult to have on her nightstand. However, it is my daughter's favorite book.
At first, I thought it was me insisting it was her favorite book, so tonight, I did a little reading experiment. I read two books to the Munchkin and she was more interested with the Brown Bear book than the other. She reached out to touch the pages, looked up at me if I stopped reading, and babbled to herself. So you see, even six-month old babies have a preference of books! (The other book, for those who are curious, was a book about counting....maybe the Munchkin doesn't like math?)
So, what's on your nightstand today?
Friday, August 13, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Invitation
"Invitation
If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!"
~ Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends
When I was in the third grade, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, my teacher (Ms. Shelley) began reading Shel Silverstein poems and I was hooked! I couldn't get enough Shel Silverstein. Ms. Shelley played the accompanying CD and I began memorizing the poems. One day at the book store with my parents and brother, I BEGGED (maybe through a tantrum) for my parents to buy me Where the Sidewalk Ends. It is one of my first memories of being excited to be a reader. The book cover is yellowing, but still there, and on the inside cover I wrote my name so proudly, and promptly added a smiley face afterward. I don't have the CD with Mr. Silverstein himself reading the poems, but I can still hear him in my head. What a wonderful poet he is!
So, I started thinking (and I do a lot of thinking): What is YOUR favorite and first memory of reading? Did someone lead you and inspire you, like my Ms. Shelley? Was there a favorite book that you just couldn't get enough of? Who gave you an "Invitation" to be a reader?
If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!"
~ Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends
When I was in the third grade, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, my teacher (Ms. Shelley) began reading Shel Silverstein poems and I was hooked! I couldn't get enough Shel Silverstein. Ms. Shelley played the accompanying CD and I began memorizing the poems. One day at the book store with my parents and brother, I BEGGED (maybe through a tantrum) for my parents to buy me Where the Sidewalk Ends. It is one of my first memories of being excited to be a reader. The book cover is yellowing, but still there, and on the inside cover I wrote my name so proudly, and promptly added a smiley face afterward. I don't have the CD with Mr. Silverstein himself reading the poems, but I can still hear him in my head. What a wonderful poet he is!
So, I started thinking (and I do a lot of thinking): What is YOUR favorite and first memory of reading? Did someone lead you and inspire you, like my Ms. Shelley? Was there a favorite book that you just couldn't get enough of? Who gave you an "Invitation" to be a reader?
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