“It is cold.
“See the snow.
“See the snow come down.”
Oh how well I remember these words! My parents were using Else Holmelund Minarik’s beloved book “Little Bear” to teach me how to read. It was so fun to snuggle on the couch with one of them, their arms wrapped around me holding the book between us, their pointer finger slowly tracing across the words as I sounded them out. The thrill of seeing the letters come to life! And having my parents smother me with kisses and praises of a job well done. It is one of the earliest memories I have. I was three.
Another year later I’m jealous because my sister gets a book, “Little Princess,” at her third birthday party. I secretly try to steal it away, afterall she can’t read it . . . . yet. She too would be tutored by my parents to love reading just as they would go on to teach every one of my four younger siblings. (Obviously I can’t remember this as well because now as I type this I’m thinking it might have been my sister’s fourth birthday but I’m pretty sure it was her third. Ness?)
On my fifth birthday I am overjoyed. I received exactly what I asked for – a dictionary! Honestly, doesn’t every normal five year old ask for one? Towards evening time my father finds me sitting at the bottom of the stairs crying as I hug the dictionary to my chest.
“What’s the matter, Montse?”
“How am I supposed to look up words when I don’t know how to spell them?”
Looking back I think he was trying hard to suppress a laugh. He gently took the dictionary from my hands.
“Well you just sound out the words. Here I’ll show you.” The first word he had me look up was elephant. There was a cute little cartoon drawing under the definition.
I am so thankful to my parents who love to read and passed that love of reading onto me. Now I get to teach my own children. It’s a wonderful moment when the light turns on and something clicks in their heads. I love seeing the joy on their faces when they realize they can READ!!
One of our favorite books to read together is “Wild About Books” by Judy Sierra. Its about a bookmobile librarian, Molly McGrew, who mistakenly takes the bookmobile to the zoo. It is written in a flowing, playful rhyme that appeals to adults and children. My girls love the references to other popular books and characters. “She even found waterproof books for the otter, Who never went swimming without Harry Potter.” The animals not only find it’s fun to read books but it’s also fun to write them! The illustrations are well done with bright happy colors which keeps even Special Dark entertained. We’ve read this book so many times everyone has it memorized.
Currently, we are working on a project trying to write a poem in a similar style for our own bookmobile librarian, Ginny, who has had to stop her bookmibile visits while she undergoes treatment and surgeries for breast cancer. The girls will illustrate the pages as we compile it into a book. Ginny’s bimonthly stops right at our front door for the last three years have helped my own children go “wild, simply wild, about wonderful books.”
Join us for Wordfull Wednesday! Write a post on this week’s topic “Learning to Read and Favorite Children’s Book,” come back and sign the Mr. Linky making sure to leave the url to your post not your main blog.
I love your dictionary story. 🙂
We love “Wild About Books” here also. It’s hilarious. I’d love to read your finished re-write. I’m sure your bookmobile angel will love it!
Thanks again for W.W.
I will have to check out “Wild about Books”. To be honest until this year there has a been a huge fiction void in our home. But I have found my girls are drawn more to fiction than the boys were.
Your parents were inspired in the way they taught and guided you.
Sounds like you are doing the same for your own children. And I wish your bookmobile angel all the health and healing she needs.
We will have to check that one out! Sounds like fun…
I have answered that question about the dictionary before!
And, that’s a great idea to share your book with us 🙂
We love Little Bear! It was one of the first books my children read as well. We’ll have to try “Wild About Books”, it sounds wonderful. And what a blessing to have the bookmobile come right to your door! I hope all goes well with Ginny.
That first reading moment is always amazing…oh the possibilities!
Funny the things we attach ourselves to as children, and just as funny to see what our children attach themselves to.
Little Bear was one of my first books too!
Thank you for a great Wordfull Wednesday!
What great stories about learning to read. I LOVE “Wild About Books” too, and so do my children. Your idea to make a version for your bookmobile librarian is beautiful. You really are an inspiring mother.
I would have done this but I can’t remember when I learned to read!
I just used your post from last September about changing fonts. I am so thrilled with the way it turned out. (www.richardandjo.blogspot.com) Thanks so much. I look forward to reading your clever and helpful blog in the future!
I totally forgot about this!! Darn it! (I didn’t even touch the computer at all yesterday!) Anyway… I can’t ever remember a time when I wasn’t being read to. My Dad read me Everything! The newspaper, books, magazines, cereal boxes, you name it! My favorite books were the “Lets talk about _____(being selfish, Teasing, Disobeying) etc.” Go Dog GO, Hop on Pop, and One Fish Two fish….
Great memories! Thanks!!
We loved Little Bear!!! We even watched the TV shows!!!
How funny that we were thinking along the same lines! I love A Little Princess.
I am so grateful the reading gene from my parents got passed down to me, too!