Blogger: Rachel Kent
I’m going to keep today’s blog pretty light because we’re still tired and emotional here at Books & Such. Janet’s husband was a friend to us all and I miss him. I hope you’ll all weigh in with comments today and I’ll pop in too, but I probably won’t be as chatty as usual.
With school starting back up, the world of books and reading is going to be explored by a brand-new group of students. They are all so cute when they start kindergarten with their over-sized backpacks and shy smiles (and maybe even a few tears). We all know what a gift reading is and it’s fun to think about a new group of children opening up that gift.
I honestly don’t remember when I learned to read. Books were always an important part of my life though. My mom and dad loved reading to us and I have a lot of special memories of reading with my parents even after I already knew how to read on my own. I do remember sounding out letters in kindergarten and reading those little “Jack and Jill”Β books in first grade, but I don”t remember a specific time that I could say it all clicked for me. It’s funny to me that something so integral in my life wouldn’t stand out in my memories. My mom told me the first book I ever read on my own was P.D. Eastman’s Go, Dog. Go. This is no surprise to me because dogs were always my favorite. I do remember devouring books all through childhood.
I have a nephew who started reading when he was 3 years old. He taught himself, though we all read to him a lot so he had a lot of exposure. I still can’t figure out how he did it because if we asked him to sound out a word he was reading it was hard for him even though he could read just about any word we put in front of him. The little guy could read YA chapter books at 3! I’m not sure how much he was comprehending of those chapter books, but the big words weren’t a problem for him.
Another of my nephews is almost 5 now and he’s just starting to show an interest in sounding out words and reading sentences. He is every bit as smart as my other nephew, but his interest just hasn’t been as focused on reading yet.
I love how unique theΒ journey to loving books can be. Some readers don’t love reading until much later in life when a certain book touches them. I’d love to hear about your experience or you could share about your children too, if you’d like. Here are some prompts to follow if they’ll help.
When did you learn to read? Is there a story to go with your discovery?
How old were you when you started to love reading?
Was there a specific book that triggered your love of reading?
Thanks for participating in today’s blog! π
Bill Giovannetti
Condolences and prayer for you, Janet, and the whole Books & Such family. Thank God for the gospel and the promise of life with no more sorrows and no more tears.
My mom held contests between my brother and me to see who read more books during summer vacations. She taped a poster-board to the wall and drew a line down the middle. I wrote my book titles on the left, my bro wrote his on the right.
I lived in the library to win that contest. In the process, I fell in love with first, mysteries and then, science fiction. My mom’s contest shoved me in the right direction, and then the stories pulled me in. They’re still pulling me in.
Michelle Ule
Great idea! Why didn’t I think of that!
Of course my boys had a fight over a Hardy Boys book with the six year old explaining the reason he stole it was his eight year old brother was taking too long– we had checked it out that afternoon!
Jennifer Major @Jjumping
Your boys fight? Mine *never* fight. Why just this morning, one made breakfast while the others recited all of Revelation. In Greek.
Okay, what really happened was the 6’2 hockey player gave the 9 year old a wedgie for stealing his pillow. After he’d body checked him into the couch.
Leah Good
My brother and I still do that!
Leah Good
Fight over books because the other person is taking too long (hours after a stop at the library), that is. Not body checking each other into the couch. π
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
God bless your mom, Bill. What a wise woman!
Jeanne T
Janet, I am praying for you and your family, as well as for all of you at Books and Such. I am so sorry.
Reading…..I fell in love with the written word long before I could read. When we were very young, my mother used to tune out the world and get lost in a story. I had trouble with my eyes in kindergarten, so reading didn’t come easily to me. She would bring us to the library to select books for check out. When I was older, I would walk the mile in search of new books. I used to read under my covers when it was supposed to be lights out as a girl.
My boys love reading. We’ve read to them since they were three months old. Now in middle elementary, they both read well above grade level and will usually pick reading over most activities when they have free time. Yes, I do kick them outside to run off their boy energy, but I love that they’ve fallen in love with books. π
Michelle Ule
Mine would sometimes take the book outside with them!
Jeanne T
Mine always grab a book to take in the car. This morning we were listening to the Newsboys, they were reading (right) and singing along in the car. I love that they love books. π Mine read outside sometimes too. π
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
Your sons are blessed to have parents like you and your husband, Jeanne.
Jeanne T
Thank you, Christine. We are truly blessed to have our not-so-little guys. π
Sarah Thomas
My heart is broken for Janet. I’m confident she’ll be with her husband again, but until then . . . it’s got to seem nearly impossible.
My dad tells me I learned to read because he had a habit of falling asleep while reading to me. I eventually learned to pick up where he left off. My favorite childhood book was “Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp.” Politically correct, it was not, but I was enchanted.
Michelle Ule
Dads are so important– I’d snuggle up to mine while he read The Wall Street Journal. He’d pick out multi-syllable words for me to pronounce and I’d stay on the job until he in finally sent me to bed so he could finish reading!
Lindsay Harrel
Still praying for Janet and all of you there at Books & Such.
Ah, reading…like you, I don’t really remember when it happened, only that I devoured everything I could get my hands on! I liked a challenge too–I remember reading Gone with the Wind in fifth grade. Not normal reading for a 10-year-old, but I loved it. Books have been such a major part of my world. Quite simply put, I would not be the same without them.
Jennifer Major @Jjumping
My prayers to the whole Book and Such family, especially to the Grant family.
I remember being bored in first grade waiting for the other kids to sound out words. I had no idea that none of them could read! I mean who couldn’t read full stories when they were 5? Yes, my arrogance began young.
In elementary school, I remember trips to the library and maxing out on the amount of books we could borrow. I could read 2 or 3 a week during school, and 5 or 6 a week during summer vacation. One book that got me going was a WW2 autobiography, I can’t remember what it was about, but I was riveted.
My best friend’s eldest son could read magazine covers, in the grocery store line up, when he was 2 1/2. He sounded out a rather raunchy Cosmo cover and mortified the old lady behind my friend, but my friend was about to cry with pride! He read, and understood, the LOTR trilogy when he was 5. That was right before kindergarten.
Jeanne T
One of mine taught himself to read at 4 1/2. He read a “birds and the bees” book, but had no idea what it was talking about. π Yes, it was geared toward children, just ones who are older than he was.
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
Like you, Jennifer, I always maxed out the library book limit, and truth be told, I often had to pay fines for bring books back late. It wasn’t that I hadn’t finished them; I just didn’t want to give them back.
A five year old understanding the LOTR trilogy? He is a prodigy indeed!
Paula
Jennifer, your story about your friend’s son is just like the story my mom has about me when I was that age. After I sounded out “gooood sssseex” from a magazine cover while she was on the phone one day, she promptly put the magazines on top of the refrigerator. π
My son was reading simple sentences by three, now he’s six and we’re reading the Chronicles of Narnia together. My 2 year old girl has suddenly picked up a lot about which letters say what – so far she has a, b, i, m, o, r, s, and z down. Letter magnets are everywhere, as are board books. She points at letters on signs, too. One of my son’s favorite words on the go was “open” because he would see OPEN signs on stores. I expect her to catch on soon.
I remember making friends with letters and assigning them personalities as well as sounds, so reading really caught my imagination. It was also great practice for figuring out connotations of synonyms later. I do not understand how some teachers disapprove of children being taught to read before school…. How am I supposed to keep them from figuring it out, that would be a bigger problem!
I also loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys, and even the Bobbsey Twins (hokey but plentiful). Later I discovered science fiction and fantasy. And I’ve always devoured everything interesting in nonfiction π I now know all sorts of weird useless stuff, which is great for changing the subject when my son plays the Why Game for too long.
Cynthia Herron
Continuing to lift Janet and her family up in prayer, as well as the entire Books and Such team. Psalm 121
——–
As a child, I always remember having a book nearby. I fell in love with Dick and Jane, and later, with Trixie Belden and her madcap capers.
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
Oh, Go Dog GO! I LOVED that book, Rachel.
I started reading maybe at the age of five. (I didn’t go to kindergarten, so at the time, I was a little ahead of my peers). My mom sat down with pictures of houses and horses and such things with the word written under them and helped me to begin to associate written words with things.
My elementary school was great. They had a Random House book program, which as an adult I can see was about selling books but regardless, it benefited me tremendously. The program really encouraged me to read and be excited about books.
The biggest influence of all, though, in regards to becoming an avid reader, was the example of my parents. They both loved to read and that communicated (even without their saying anything) the value of reading. Our BIG OUTING each week was on Saturday. We went first to play in a little park next to the library, then over to the library where I could roam free for a while, having a joyous time reading through books and choosing which to bring home. I always ended up bringing home a stack of books, both fiction and non-fiction. Next, we went across the street to get hamburgers and root beers, then it was home. A good portion of the rest of Saturday was spent reading. (Note: we did get exercise first at the park; we weren’t sedentary by any means). This set me up as a life-longer reader and a lover of books.
One last important influence was another school program which started in the second grade. It was called “The Look It Up Club.” I can still remember the proud motto: “We don’t guess; we look it up.” This again, I think, was a sales-motivated thing designed to sell encyclopedia, but nevertheless, it had a positive impact on me. My parents already had bought a set of encyclopedias and I took to this “look it up” idea with gusto. One of my favorite pastimes to this day is doing research–on any topic.
God bless my parents and all who helped give me the gift of reading.
To you Rachel, to Janet and all at Books and Such, please be assured of my prayers as you go through the pain of losing Janet’s husband.
Jessica R. Patch
Janet and her family are in my prayers.
I’ve always loved stories whether through someone telling or through actual reading. My mom says I read at 4, but I don’t remember!
Ira Sleeps Over was a book I read often and then when I got a little older, I devoured the Sweet Valley High series and Nancy Drew!
Michelle Ule
Thanks for all your prayers for the staff as well as the Grant family. Loch was a brilliant retired Anthropology professor and keenly interested in Books & Such. We interacted with him all the time and have a large hole in our lives and in our hearts.
Hold your loved ones close!
sally apokedak
I’m also praying and will be in the weeks that come, as your blog posts pop into my inbox and bring you all to mind.
Lee Abbott
May God wrap the entire Books & Such family in comforting memories.
I just finished a thousand-mile train trip with my 6 year old grandson. He wrote and illustrated his first book on the trip (Sam Salamander Defeats the Evil Tree Frog). His spelling is even more imaginative than his plot line.
I was reading by age 6, but it was 50+ years before I tried to write my own book.
sally apokedak
When I was little we had a collection of Reader’s Digest Best Loved Books for Young Readers. Forty-eight books in twelve volumes. The summer I was eight my mother offered fifty dollars to any of us who would read all forty-eight books over the summer.
I didn’t get the fifty dollars, but I did read most of the books and I fell in love with reading that year. Treasure Island was the first book. I gobbled it up and moved on and never looked back.
Cheryl Malandrinos
Prayers continue for all of you. May God comfort you during this difficult time.
I honestly don’t remember when I learned to read, but it was before I started school. We always had books around and my parents read every night. I read many of the Little Golden books when I was little.
As I grew older, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys shaped my love of mysteries, which continues to this day. What I find funny is that I didn’t enjoy Anne of Green Gables, Little Women or the Little House books as a child, but fell in love with them when I was in my late teens and early twenties.
Rachel Kent
The Little House books were some that my dad read to me. I’ll always remember that. π
Julia Reffner
Praying for Janet and the rest of her family.
I learned to read at 3 and my parents said they didn’t know I could read until my Grandma asked me to read a book and I told her I would read it to her instead.
Rachel Kent
Aww, cute! I bet you surprised them all!
Thanks for the prayers.
Brian Taylor
My mom and dad did a lot to foster my reading very early on in life. I can’t pinpoint exactly when I began to read on my own, but I know that I’ve always loved reading. As a kid, I don’t remember there being many books for boys that interested me, so I often read books by the late Paula Danziger. This led to me later getting into comics and many science fiction books.
As an adult, sci-fi is still an area of interest, but I mostly read Christian non-fiction and religious fiction.
I now have the pleasure of sharing many of the books that my own mother gave me as a child to my two toddlers who love to be like their mommy and daddy. I’m so proud of that. Building generationally is fostered through literacy. So glad you shared your heart on this topic.
Caroline @ UnderGod'sMightyHand
Praying for comfort and abounding love for Janet and you all.
My parents surrounded us with books, and we’re endeavoring to do the same with our kids. Some of my favorite memories with my parents (and now with my kids) are reading books together. My mom said I was reading Hardy Boys chapter books when I was 4… I’m not sure about when I first began to read. LIke you, Rachel, it’s just a part of my conscious memory. I need to ask her how she helped teach me.
Now, we put books in every room (only the dining room and laundry room are with out books), and we read 2-3 separate times each day… picture books, read aloud chapter books… I’ll even read a bit of whatever I’m reading to my kids sometimes.
I’ve enjoyed reading the comments today!
Leah Good
I’ve been told that I started learning to sound out words when I was three. I can’t really remember when I started reading for real, though. Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Stephanie Grace Whitson
My mother’s mother died when Mother was only 7 years old. The rest of that story is tragic … except for the way Mother rose above impossible odds. Books became her friends, and one of my earliest memory is of Mother reading aloud to me when I was sick with scarletina. She gave me a love of reading and books that changed my life … and in many ways, even those of us who could not call Loch Grant “Friend” have been blessed by him, because his love for Janet made her part of the person we all do know and love. So that’s my tribute to my own Mother, Nora Irvin, 1913-1996 … and to Loch Grant. I look forward to knowing him better one day at a book club meeting in heaven.
Rachel Kent
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. Very sweet!
Keli Gwyn
My heart and prayers go out to Janet, her family, and all those who knew and loved Loch.
* * *
I read at an early age, but the year I was in fourth grade is when my love of reading blossomed. My mom took us to the library each week, and what a treat those trips were. I’d check out as many books as we were allowed and devour them.
Evangeline Denmark
I’m so sorry for Janet’s loss. Keeping her and all of you at Books & Such in my prayers.
I had a brother who read at 3. He is now finishing his doctorate in medieval literature and theater at Purdue. And he is the best plot doctor I’ve ever met. Mom and I both call him when we get stuck with our writing.
I did NOT read early. I had too much to say to stop and read what someone else had written. Although my mom read to us as we grew up, I didn’t fall in love with books until age ten when I read Jane Eyre. Ah, Rochester! He still makes my heart flutter! I’m nothing if not a romantic.
It’s interesting how we come to writing in different ways. People think all authors were bookworms growing up, but our backgrounds are as varied as the stories we write.
Rachel Kent
I didn’t read Jane Eyre until college and I adore that book. Sad to have missed out on it for so many years. π
Meghan Carver
I really don’t remember learning to read. I just always knew how. Books quickly became my constant companion, and I realize now that it was probably to escape a difficult family life. I never had to fight over books. I only had one brother and he didn’t like to read! My mother never understood my love of reading or writing, and I always felt guilty wanting to spend so much time at it. Perhaps my drive for publication is to assuage my guilt? If I’m published, then all those hours won’t have been in vain. Calling Dr. Freud…. π
Laura Hollitt
Praying for Janet and all of you.
I have loved books for as long as I can remember. Before I could read, I loved for someone to read to me. I seemed to love having them read to me over and over again.
When I was in the 6th grade, my teacher would read to us every day after lunch. She told me one day that our class was a class of readers. You could have heard a pin drop — really — when she read to us. She made those books come alive for us.
I never expect to tire of reading….
Dale Rogers
My thoughts and prayers are with you all during
this difficult time.
I remember my first reading group, and hearing
someone say “Thee” when I thought it was “The.”
I guess I learned the difference. My mother
says she learned to read automatically. So much so that she skipped the second grade! Now about her math . . .
Martha Ramirez
I’m so very sorry for you loss. Deepest condolences to you and Janet. Sending you prayer and hugs. I hadn’t heard. Breaks my heart. So sorry.
**
Regarding reading. I also have fond memories of my mother and I reading. I wish I had more library memories. My son is now learning how to read and hope he will be blessed with great memories as well. Unbelievable a 3 yr old can read. That truly is amazing.
Lisa
Many prayers for the peace of Christ to surround the Grant family and the greater family of Books and Such. Lean hard, He is strong.
I remember reading in bed on a summer evening with a little breeze. I must have been going into fourth grade and fully immersed in Little House on the Prairie. I love books so much I smell them before I read them. (Weird, I know, but I love to soak books in:)
One of my favorite activities with my kids is piling up on the couch to read aloud to them.
Rachel Kent
Thanks so much for all of the comments and prayers for Janet, her family, and the rest of us. We are so thankful for you–our amazing blog family!
Kathleen Wright
I learned to read with Life on Cherry Street. I wanted the pony very badly. We moved to a small town when I was heading into second grade. There was a great granite library, privately endowed in the town. Summer reading programs, scraping books for the annual book sale. I read from one side of the library to the other. Great times.
Tari Faris
Praying for Janet and the whole Books and such family. I am so sorry for your loss.
I had to chime in on this since my discovery this weekend. But before we get to that let me answer the question.
When did I fall in love with reading? About eight years ago. I was nearly thirty and on bed rest with my first child and before wifi I had limited options. So, I decided to read.
Before this time, I hated reading. It was hard. I could never remember what I read and it made me so tired. Occasionally the letters would move around and I consistency struggled to stay on the right line. Just after college I picked up a novel everyone said I had to read. Just 300 or so pages. Took me a month a reading a little every night. As much as my eyes could handle.
But on bed rest I pushed though and read novel after novel. I think it took me days to finish one book but I did it. I soon discovered that I loved the story and that I’d push though the frustrations just to be able to read another good romance story. (practice makes perfect)
Now – I love to read. Eight years later I can fly through books. I read all four books in the Twilight series in a week (not so good for the house cleaning though.) I recently reread the novel that had taken me a month and finished it in a night.
So what was my discovery this weekend? By my description you may be able to tell if you know much about reading problems. I am dyslexic. I am severely dyslexic. Out of the 33 possible characteristics I had over twenty.
I must say my husband and I had a good laugh about the description since it make so much sense to many of my “quirks”.
I also love the irony that God has called me to write. I mean I did well in Math and science and managed to graduate high school with a 3.6 with never completing one required reading book.
But God isn’t concerned with what I can’t do as much as what He can do. I choose to be open to people he has placed in my path to teach me. After all if He can take me from reading a novel over a month to reading it in a night He can do anything.
Peter DeHaan
My love for reading actually started before I could read. Each week mom would take me to the public library to pick out picture books. At night my parents would read them to me — even if it was for the hundredth time. As soon as I learned to read, I became an insatiable reader.
Books were always a part of my home and life, so there was no shortage of interesting things to read. It’s no wonder I developed a love for the written word and why writing as been an important part of my life.
Thanks for helping me to remember all that.
Becky Danielson
I have always loved books most likely because my parents loved books. We read a lot when I was a child. The was no shortage of books in our house and the variety of genre gave us a wide picture of the world. I have to say my very favorites were Nancy Drew and the Little House series. Funny side note…I thought my boys would like Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. One night when we sat down to read, my then five-year-old said,” Farmer Boy, Farmer Boy, Farmer Boy. Are we ever going to be finished with Farmer Boy.” Guess my love for the the series didn’t rub off on him!
Amanda
My heartfelt condolences for Janet. Praying for peace and comfort during this heartbreaking time for Janet, her family, and the whole Books & Such family.
I don’t remember when I started to read. I just know I’ve always loved it. My brother didn’t really want to spend a whole lot of time with his little sister, so I resorted to my imaginary worlds with mysteries that could be solved, groups of friends that grew together through various issues, and of course, those talking animals that made you love them and never want to return to the drudgery of reality.
*I think I’m going to pull out some of those books and escape for a while…
Michelle Lim
The first stories I remember are:
“Popcorn”
“Socks for Supper”
“Gift Bear For The King”
“How Sam The Bear and Tiny The Mouse Got Together”
“Boxcar children”
Once I left the age of early reading material, through our Missionettes program at church I read stories like “Joni” and Hiding Place.
The one book from childhood that really made me LOVE BOOKS AND STORIES is “Bruchko” the tale of a 19 year old boy from Minnesota who went as a missionary to tribe of South American Indians that were known for their violence. This story turned my heart on end. I began to devour books. Love them and the characters that journeyed through the pages. (This story is different than “The End Of The Spear” but has some commonalities. You can find “Bruchko” at Christian Book.com.
outlet
Good blog. I got a lot of good data. Ive been keeping an eye on this technology for awhile. Its interesting how it keeps varying, yet some of the core factors remain the same. Have you seen much change since Google made their most recent acquisition in the arena?