What a marvelous idea! Often parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles come to teachers and librarians asking for suggestions about "good" books to get for special kids in their lives for Christmas gifts. Rather than develop a list of what other people's kids have liked, or what teachers and parents THINK their children SHOULD read, why not let the little ones pick out a few of their own. Even if you ask them to make a list to send to Santa you at least will know what appeals to them. Children definitely have a better chance of reading a book they pick themselves than one foisted on them because someone in authority said they SHOULD read it.
If your budget this year doesn't stretch to buying books, don't forget the public library. Establishing a regular library visiting schedule with your children is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child. Pat Conroy, in his bestseller My Reading Life, credits his mother's habit of taking all her children to the library every week, and letting them choose their own books as one of the biggest factors in his adult literacy and success as a writer.
So, make a day of it tomorrow. Visit a local bookstore, stop and get a hot chocolate, and go home to read a good book. And just think.....the children may be so enthralled with their books, they'll disappear so you can get the grown-up holiday chores done.
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I try to give the grandkids each a book for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThe saying around here is that it's not a holiday if you don't get a new book. That even included the Easter basket most years, something their friends always thought was a little weird!
ReplyDeleteBooks are at the top of my list every year at Christmas. I try so hard to pick the perfect title to match the kid, getting a little harder with the nieces far away!
Thanks for letting us know about Saturday!
excellent idea!
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