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| So very true! |
Do you ever watch those Science Fiction movies where kids are all gathered around a flashing screen soaking up their knowledge from some computerised bank of information? Can you imagine how horrible that would actually be?
This week's #ReadItMD13 theme is a celebration of Teachers and Librarians and I'm hoping that some of you lovely folk will contribute to a list of your favourite children's books. Share and compare, tell us what really floats your book-boat!
I'm extremely thankful for the early work of two Teachers, who were really the catalysts for my own (and Charlotte's own) journeys into book bliss.
My first primary school teacher Miss Cox picked up very early on that Peter and Jane / Janet and John books weren't working for me in class and rapidly switched me over to chapter books. In the 1970s, there was a massive boom in children's publishing akin to the one we're experiencing now. Children's Book Clubs were familiar in schools, and for children from ordinary or even impoverished backgrounds there was the chance to order subsidised books with a monthly newsletter. Having the chance to take home your own actual books was magical - and still is as any child on the receiving end of a Bookstart / Booktrust pack will attest.
I'm meandering off the point. Miss Cox got me reading The Hobbit - which for a 5 year old was a hell of a hefty challenge but one that put me firmly on the path of discovering not only the rest of Tolkien's works, but the works of C.S Lewis, Ian Serrailer, John Wyndham, John Gordon and John Christopher (three Johns who you definitely want to familiarise yourself with!)
Miss Cox developed classroom activities based around the books we covered so even children who weren't interested in reading the books could join in and find out what a Hobbit liked for second breakfast, or why ancient tribes carved giant chalk figures into the downs, etching their marks indelibly on our landscape and into our legends.
For Charlotte, the same class-based activities and book weeks have ensured that in school she finds new and interesting books just like we do at home, and it's been brilliant to hear her coming home and talking about books they've read in school that aren't just for decoding and phonics.
As promised we said we'd also be celebrating librarians who are also a vital cog in a child's early reading experiences. Be brave, and talk to the librarians at your local library - tell them the books your child likes and they'll come back with dozens more that would also rock their world. Their knowledge and experiences trounces any Amazon or Goodreads review you could ever read so don't be shy, go and say hi!
Now it's over to you. If you're a teacher, or a librarian we really would love to hear about your favourite children's books. Please please PLEASE share with us, and drop a comment in the box below.