Essays & Articles
Fostering your children's
love of reading
By Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes
When it comes to reading, I was a late bloomer. Although reading wasn’t my
passion until I’d hit my teens, there were a few books from my early
childhood that I remember with fondness. They include To Kill a
Mockingbird, A Wrinkle in Time, The Pink Motel, and
the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew series.
My own children weren’t overly
fond of reading, in spite of the fact our home included a generous library.
Our son read well, yet preferred running outside to sitting quietly with a
book. It was our daughter, Elizabeth, who had a more difficult time
learning to read in school. When she was in the third grade we purchased the
Hooked on Phonics series, and I spent more time reading with her. I came
across Jim Trelease’s book Read Aloud Handbook (which I recommend
highly), detailing the art of reading to children.
Together Elizabeth and I began
reading our way through the children’s classics – books I missed in my
childhood (since reading didn’t capture my attention until my late
adolescences). I intentionally choose books that had been made into movies.
After Elizabeth and I completed a book (we would take turns reading passages
aloud), we would watch the movie. Together we’d critique the movie,
comparing it to the book. Without fail, Elizabeth enjoyed the book
over the movie.
Recently my husband and I went
to see Harry Potter. I hadn’t read the book, but was dazzled
by the movie. It reminded me of a visual Disneyland. I
substitute teach in a school district that has an aggressive reading
program, and have asked many students which they preferred, Harry Potter
the book or movie. In spite of this extraordinary movie, I’ve yet to
come across a student that didn’t rate the book over the movie.
Which goes to show…..in spite of our
advanced technical age, the razzle-dazzle of special effects, digital
movies, and video games…it is the magical intimacy of the written word that
far surpasses all other mediums in bringing stories into the hearts and
imaginations of the audience.