EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Early Years (2-6)
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Oprah has a book club. As does our family: Each evening after bath time and teeth brushing, we end the day snuggled under blankets, reading a story or chapter. Our kindergarten-going child now has homework – and, as his parents, so do we. Who knew there was so much administrative work in parenting? A weekly take-home packet requires our supervision, signature and active participation. The teacher demands a minimum 10 minutes of reading each day – an easy goal for our literary household. Still, the daily diary (the teacher requires titles, as well as a sign-off) inspired me to reflect on the different kinds of reading we do with our children. There are books that we read TO them, and then there are the books that we read WITH them. For example, I recently read Ludwig Bemelman’s “Madeleine” to my son, whereas E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” is a book I read with him. The difference is the text itself, the fact that it engages both readers – child and adult – and provides satisfaction for both. Our family fell into our own book club much like we fall into our bed at the end of the day – weary, and yet yearning for more time together. So, why not share a book? The kindergarten teacher’s goals are clear: She wants us to help build vocabulary, develop reading readiness and model active literacy, but the side effects are equally desirable: Our boy wakes up the next day asking a question about the book in a bright-eyed, question-and-answer, Oprah-style discussion over oatmeal. A growing trend Intentional family book clubs have grown across the nation. Libraries often advertise book clubs or reading groups designed for moms and daughters, and many communities of faith offer reading lists and guidelines for families. Most community programs are designed for older kids who are independent readers, in the 3rd and 4th grades, as children move toward adolescence. They suggest that careful book choices can reinforce values and explore the territory ahead. But pre-readers can benefit, too. Must-reads for the Family Book Club: Anything by funnyman Roald Dahl. Although Dahl is best known for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach,” we recommend these often-overlooked tales: “The BFG,” “The Twits” and “Esio Trot.” Later, the family may be ready to take on Dahl’s autobiography, “Boy.” Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time” series will give parents an opportunity to explore the relationship between science and faith and how it animates the magical worlds of the Murry and O’Keefe families. (Harry Potter fans will find much to admire in their American cousins.) “The Island of the Blue Dolphins,” the story of the lost Indian woman of San Nicolas Island, is still, thankfully, taught in California classrooms, but that young adult novel is only the beginning of Newbery award-winning author Scott O’Dell’s historical appreciation of the American West and the experience of native people. Consider these other short O’Dell novels, all focused on the native experience: “Zia,” a sequel to “The Island of the Blue Dolphins”; “The Black Pearl”; and “Sing Down the Moon.” Finally, E.B. White, the New Yorker magazine man of letters and wit, wrote other children’s books, which delight grown-ups: “Stuart Little” and “The Trumpet of the Swan.” Lisa Alvarez is a contributing writer. |
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