Books and Children; Labels and Links

I'm increasingly convinced, through experience, of the ultimate effectiveness of learning through literature--which is quite a different thing than learning by reading. Literature is literature; reading is too often done with a choppy, boring, tedious textbook.

My very favorite memory of 6th grade was of hunkering down with my classmates--girls sitting "Indian style," (which I guess these days is called "criss-cross applesauce,") 3 or 4 deep, armed with hairbrushes and barrettes to groom and style one another's sweaty, matted hair--to listen to a read-aloud chapter book in the 30 minutes after recess.

"What's on the other side of yesterday's cliffhanger? What's going to happen today?"

We played hard, and usually with our teacher, Mr. Timm, who too often ended up hurting Mark--the biggest kid in the class-- during kickball because Mr. Timm was really just a big competitive kid himself. Oh--and the best teacher I ever had...ever. By the time we were done with all that running and hootin' and hollerin' at our big bully of a teacher (who we loved very much), we were exhausted! Sadly, I hear that some schools today have done away with recess, which makes it all the harder to get children to sit still for a story. So they don't try. And it's simply criminal that too many children under 12 are not being read to, and inspired through well-crafted, meaningful literature.

And Disney books based on Disney Channel programs DO NOT COUNT. Eeeek! Don't make me say it!

So...the list is building over at Grafted Branch's Children's Book Review blog. If you wonder, I find my books on Sonlight Curriculum lists, Charlotte Mason lists, and sometimes on Ambleside Online lists. Oh, how I wish I'd started keeping this list 8 years ago when we first began delving into excellent literature.

Truth be told, I'm reading and enjoying all of these books for the first time, myself. See, someone once told me that I didn't like to read. And I believed them.

Be careful how you label children. They might just live down to it.

Anyway, there is a new review posted over there for your young listener. I'm reading to children from 6-13, and try to pick well crafted books geared for the middle.

Better read than me, though, is Fifi. I kid you not. And she is excited to have started her own book report blog called All About Books that will be...ahem...well...a little bit more high brow than I have time to afford. She's a little lonely over there so far, so please--will you take a second and read one of her reports and drop her a little welcome? Oh yes, and she goes by "Lucie," not Fifi. Imagine that.

The smile and giggle your participation will garner is second only to that which the family cat's strange antics draws out of my sweet 13 year old.