Every year our library system puts on a wonderful event called Storybook Land. A set of eight different characters visit the library and children can meet their favorites, take photos, and attend story times with the characters. This year we got to meet Moana, Spiderman, Little Critter, Wild Thing, Olivia, Thea Stilton, Biscuit, and Curious George. There are also plenty of coloring pages also. One thing about this event that I really love is that they put out numerous titles for check-out for all the characters. This is my four year old daughter's haul from the library yesterday. They say the apple doesn't fall from the tree...
I'm *so* envious of kids these days. They have GREAT books to get them interesting in literature. If these had been around in my day I'd have started reading a lot earlier than I did.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask what age range you fall within? If not, no worries, just curious. I always think it is really interesting to look at how children's lit has changed over the years.
DeleteI was 58 on April 7th just gone.
DeleteAlthough I could read from about 3 years old (according to my Mum) and read quite easily in school (off the charts for my age range apparently) I didn't really get the book bug *bad* until my early teens. Three things happening in quick succession:
My English teacher lent me her school prize copy of 1984, my brothers friend lent me his copy of Triplanetary by E E Doc Smith and my Maths teacher started lending me his older copies of SF novels. After that I was TOTALLY hooked!
I was totally off in my estimate!
DeleteI started reading around age 3 also. I grew up surrounded by books because my mom also loved to read and I was very competitive about how much I read. I distinctly remember everyone always commenting about how much I read and then in 5th grade a new student joined our class midway through the year. I will never forget her name, Jenny Mickelson, and SHE thought she read a lot - so it was a constant competition to see who could read the most.
I only read fiction through high school, though in middle school as I learned more family history I developed a huge interest in the Holocaust and WWII. I find now as a mother thought I can no longer read much about that subject. It's too hard.
I'm glad you had teachers who put you on the path to being a reader by choice, hooray for teachers! And books! And everything book-related!
So... What was your estimate? [grin]
DeleteMy dad was the big reader in our family, so I started out looking through his books. Like me he was interested in just about everything.
My big topics to begin with were SF & WW2. Gradually over the years my interests expanded... and expanded....
I think the teachers in particular saw someone out of the ordinary and did their best to encourage me. The Maths teacher in particular spent a lot of time and effort (looking back) on getting me to read quality SF.
I would have guessed around my age (I'm 35). Then you mentioned the trip with an ex "several years ago" and then the comment about kid lit and I had to rethink my estimate!
DeleteI was very lucky to have great English, Reading, and Lit teachers who fed my appetite for quality reads. I loved The Other by Thomas Tryon so much that when I could not find a copy for sale anywhere, I offered to buy one from my teacher. He was so glad that I loved it so much, he gave it to me for free and told me to keep it. I still have it with me.
At least it's a good habit she's picking up on! I know some kids who like to try their parents' sweetened coffee. Better wait until high school for that!
ReplyDeleteHaha, right?? I won't even let Eleanor sip my flavored water, let alone coffee or pop! I can't even fathom how parents can be so unconcerned with the amount of sugar and caffeine their children consume, it is insane.
Delete