Week 12 Un-Textbook Essay: The Importance of Reading to Children

When I was a child, my parents taught me to read. More than that, they inspired within me a desire to read. They read to me, and by doing so, they awoke my imagination. Living in a small town in Oklahoma, we had about an acre of trees out back that we lovingly referred to as “the forest.” In the forest, we had a fire pit, a table, and an area that we could hang out in. But most of all, there was a hammock. When I was young, my father hung Christmas lights around this area. Late at night, we would walk down to the forest together. He’d carry a flashlight, but sometimes the moon was all of the light that we needed. In autumn, we’d climb up into the hammock and wrap ourselves in a big blanket. He would read to me.

He read to me some of my favorite stories – some that I still love today. He’d read to me out of the Bible sometimes. Sometimes, he’d read the Chronicles of Narnia. But sometimes he’d read my favorites: The Hardy Boys. The Hardy Boys reminded me of myself. They were always looking for adventure. One of them had blonde hair and one of them had brown hair, just like my little brother and me. I truly believe that by reading to me, my dad awoke the passion and curiosity that I still have today.

Sometimes, when we’d finish a book, my dad would make up stories. I loved to be the protagonist, and he’d make my friends the supporting characters. Though we weren’t technically writing, these efforts helped shape and mold my creative and imaginative qualities. I’m most definitely going to do these things with my children because I believe that it is imperative to a child’s development by nurturing his or her imagination. 

Image Information:  Leslie McFarlane, Author of "The Hardy Boys"

Source: Keeline

Week 12 Storytelling: The Two Kindergarteners

There were two young boys who became quick friends in Kindergarten. They were not normal boys; they were quirky. They played weird games. They liked cards and classic movies. They both wore glasses, and their classmates constantly called them “nerds”. They were surprisingly athletic, but no one really knew that because they spent all of their time studying, reading, or playing games with each other.

One boy was a few months older, and his name was John. The other boy was a few months younger, but had about fifty pounds on John (which is a lot in kindergarten). His name was Buzz.

They went to each other’s houses almost every day after school. Their mothers would take turn picking them up from school, and they would play games like Risk or Settlers of Catan.

Buzz looked up to John, even though he was only a few months older. John kind of took Buzz under his wing and taught him a lot about life and how to not get picked on so much. Buzz was kind of the new kid. His parents had just moved them into town because of his dad’s new job at the factory down the street.

John’s dad was in the military, and you know what that means. Soon, it was time to pack up and move to another town with another military base in it. It wasn’t a sudden departure, but it sure felt like it to the boys.

The day finally came for John’s family to move. The boys cried, hugged, and told each other goodbye. They gave each other a letter. They each had to clean their glasses because the tears had smudged the backside of the lenses.

The days moved on, but the boys didn’t. Buzz sat at home, depressed, and he lost a lot of weight. He wouldn’t eat. Months passed, and he began to eat a little more, but his mother was still worried. The boys wrote letters to each other every day, but they were still sad.

The town that John moved to was 3 hours away, so the parents called each other. They decided that every other weekend they would drive halfway and let the boys spend the weekend together.

The boys’ attitudes began to cheer up, and life was better again.

Image Informaiton:

The Game of Risk

Source: On Violence

Author’s Note: This story is derived from the Jataka story called The Elephant and the Dog. The Elephant eats his food and gives his leftovers to the dog. Because they share food, they eat every meal together and become great friends. Soon, the dog is sold and the elephant becomes depressed. The elephant won't eat, bathe, or do anything productive. Then, the dog is bought back and the two live happily as friends.

Story: The Elephant and the Dog

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Jataka Tales, The Elephant and the Dog

Basically, the Elephant eats his food and gives his leftovers to the dog. Because they share food, they eat every meal together and become great friends. Soon, the dog is sold and the elephant becomes depressed. The elephant won't eat, bathe, or do anything productive. Then, the dog is bought back and the two live happily as friends. It's a simple and happy story!

I love the story because it hinges so much on friendship and the impact that a sense of community can have on a being, even a dog or elephant, and especially people!

Source: The Elephant and the Dog