Rekindling reading relationships

Happy Book Lovers Day!

Happy Book Lovers Day!

This worthy holiday is celebrated on August 9th of each year. While most days reading can feel like a guilty pleasure, today you have permission to read to your heart’s content without any culpability whatsoever. Here are some ways to consider observing this special day (or week, if you want the joy to last longer).

  • Set aside an hour (or several!) to read in your favorite spot.
  • Make or buy a sinful treat to devour along with your book.
  • Write a list of the titles you’ve been wanting to read.
  • Try reading a different genre than you typically do.
  • Dust off your shelves and books.
  • Read to someone: a child, a senior, or an animal.
  • Visit a library or bookstore.
  • Read a book simultaneously with your best friend. Discuss your reactions after each chapter.
  • Write a kind book review.
  • Read your favorite scriptural story.
  • Donate or regift the books you are done reading.
  • Write down your child’s reading wish list, then request the books at the library.
  • See how many different formats you can read in one day: paper or hardback, audiobook, eBook, a foreign film with subtitles, etc.

These are just a few of my ideas. I’m positive there are many more you can think of on your own or find in a quick search. The point is that reading can be a fun and flexible activity; it does not have to be done in a certain place or in a particular way each time. But one thing is for sure: on Book Lover’s Day, we should all be grateful for the many ways reading can enhance our lives, especially when it strengthens our relationship with our children.

Author Perspective: Brian

Author Perspective: Brian

By way of introduction, I am a father, husband, and physician. I carry a lot of titles, but one of the most interesting to date is being an author. I can’t write about my perfect grammar or extensive training in literature because, frankly, I don’t have it. So, how did I become an author? It was a process, and by sharing with you this short narrative, I hope you understand there was a big change for me turning into a book lover. I am willing to bet the same thing that changed the tide for me will apply to your children. 

Let me be clear, if you have a child who doesn’t like reading, I am talking to you. As a generalization, I was that child. I can count up the number of times my childhood included cuddling next to a parent or sitting next to a campfire with a good book without using any fingers, because the total is zero. It wasn’t part of my life. Reading for enjoyment at an early age was a struggle. Honestly, I would pick books from the elementary school library based on the cover or imaginative drawings hidden in the blur of words. My reading time was spent sketching those drawings. It made me an art lover more than a book lover. When the last drawing was copied, the book would sit in the bottom of my backpack until I made the trip to the library to find my next canvas. If the book was lucky, I would flip through the first chapter or two, but it was an uphill battle. I wasn’t the little engine that could, and I didn’t have enough steam to chug over that hill. The last page, the caboose, never had a chance. 

There was a turning point for me on this railroad, but it didn’t come until junior high. I had proudly started this vast new world, leaving behind elementary school childishness, as a blue ribbon accomplished cartoonist. It was no wonder I didn’t understand why we needed words at all. My art could say it. Until one day, a teacher pushed me up the hill. 

I had a great English teacher. I’m not talking about the one that miserably gave me an “F” in ninth grade English because I couldn’t diagram sentences. This one was different. With a smile, he made us read as a class. He patiently allowed us to make errors, giving us the boost we needed, as we each took turns reading a paragraph at a time. Sometimes we got derailed, with my teacher offering mundane prizes for our reading accomplishments. He once offered to show us his James Bond license plate. It was nothing but a plate that read “007,” but I was sure proud to see it. However, the real prize was the book itself. This book kept me tied to the rails. It wasn’t like before. Despite the cover being an uneventful picture of the desert and not having a single image to sketch, I loved it. I never would have considered it a candidate to pick off the library shelf, but because of my English teacher, it was in my hands.

Remember that absent memory of me reading as a child? An image of me sitting in English class replaced it. Initially there was resistance. I wanted to put down the book and draw, but my English teacher wouldn’t let me. He kept shoveling coal into my furnace. Eventually the fire lit, and black smoke, pouring out of my smokestack, sent me racing up the hill. Reading soon allowed the images that I used to draw to come to life in my mind’s eye. I could see what I was reading! The story was gripping. The end of each class period was met with a sigh and seemed like an uneventful interval until the next class period, where we could start reading again. Class after class came until the caboose finally went over the hill. 

In the end, I can’t say I developed a love for reading. It became something much different. My drawings used to take me somewhere. It was a place I could only reach through paper and pencil until I found reading. The words were a railroad crossing that blocked me for so long. I needed someone to read with me to lift the crossing guard and allow me to pass. It was unimaginably powerful. 

I am no English teacher, but I believe reading with your children will have the same effect. I wish I was better at it. If there is one key to being successful, I would keep in mind you can’t just read anything. A book your child doesn’t find interesting can be as boring as reading the microwave instruction manual. Images they conjure of food being radiated at one gigahertz is not going to move the caboose anywhere. For me, reading to my daughter may involve a book about unicorns and all their magical powers or the inner workings of the Minecraft video game. Bless my daughter’s soul. It is what she wants, not what I would choose. She may not know it until a few chapters deep, but that burden of pushing up the hill is on my shoulders now.

Finally, let me answer the question of how I became an author. In short, a lot of reading is required as a training physician. The years passed as I went to school, and the number of medical journals I studied became mind numbing. Academic reading robbed me. It became an educational process, not a means of enjoyment. My special place was lost, and I missed what I once had. Toward the end of my medical training, a sliver of free time was all I needed to start. I wasn’t just writing; I was lifting the railroad crossing, catching a glimpse of the James Bond license plate, chugging up the hill, and drawing the world only I could see. I was going home. 

Check out Brian’s best selling book, William McFadden and the Puzzle Organ.

“William’s life was completely normal, if you consider living in a mansion with 526 rooms as normal. Everything changed after his father went missing. His aunt had lists of rules for him that could wrap around the house. All he wanted was to find his father, but looking for him wasn’t allowed. His chance finally came when he was invited to stay with his uncle for a week. There was only one problem. He didn’t know he had an uncle, but that didn’t seem to matter. There are lots of things he didn’t know about until he saw a giant, a ball that freezes things, and a watch that never lets you get lost. For all the things he finds, there is one he wishes he could forget: a deadly puzzle organ. It would have been easy enough to ignore. Only, this puzzle holds something special. If he solves it, he could find his father. At least, that’s what he thinks…”

Thanks, Brian

We were lucky enough to meet Brian and his wife during our college years. We lived in the same neighborhood and I appreciated how kind they were. Brian seemed to always wear a smile, and it’s no wonder. I didn’t realize just how talented, hard-working, and multifaceted he is. In addition to being a father, physician, author, and illustrator, he likes to do stand-up comedy in his spare time! I am reading his book and thoroughly enjoying the tale of mystery and adventure. After I finish, I know my 13-year-old son will eat it up.

tawnyember

Let Them Read Comics

Let Them Read Comics

Have you ever wondered what it is about comics that seem to attract our kids like candy? Or why so many parents dislike them? I’m happy to offer my own thoughts on the issue. (And when I say comics, that includes comic books, graphic novels, comic strip collections, etc.)

Why Children Love Comics

They are fun to read! Our kids always seek them out at the library, then argue over who gets to read which one first. They even try to sneak them away from each other! While that can get annoying, I remind myself that they are fighting over reading material. And that I will allow.

  • Compared to other lengthier books, comics tend to be fast-paced. Because there are pictures provided, the need for description decreases and the story can take off.
  • Comics are more engaging to read. Children today are used to seeing multiple digital screens at once. Comics capture their attention in a similar manner.
  • The text in comics is reduced, so it takes readers less time to finish reading them. Sometimes, they can even be read in one sitting.
  • The stories tend to be adventurous, heroic, entertaining, and amusing.
  • Why Parents Should, Too

I believe some parents are of the mindset that comics do not qualify as literature. While I agree they lack some of the beautiful hallmarks of other genres, there is overwhelming evidence that reading comics is beneficial to our children. According to Christopher Murray, professor of Comics Studies, “To read a comic is to engage in an act of play and problem solving. The relationship between word and image, the sequence of panels on a page, and the non-linear nature of the reading experience all engage the reader in unique and challenging ways.” ¹

  • Comics can improve comprehension through visualization and contextual clues. In other words, the artwork makes it much easier for youth to follow what is occurring in the story, especially with regards to the sequencing.
  • The ease with which struggling readers can get through a comic builds their confidence and sense of success.
  • Reading comics can increase our children’s vocabulary. Although you might find many, not every word in a comic book is an onomatopoeia.
  • Comics stick to the essential story elements: plot and characters. This simplification ensures that reluctant readers don’t get lost in—or bored by—details. They typically stick with the stories to the end. 

So let them read their comics! In fact, you have a fantastic opportunity to get your child a free comic book in just a couple of weeks. This year, Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, August 14th, at comic shops around the world. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary of providing free comic books to children. Click on the image to read more about this amazing event, find out which comic book titles will be available, and locate the nearest participating store. Lastly, be diligent in checking for appropriate content. Plenty of adults enjoy comics, too, for slightly different reasons.

¹ Murray, C. (2021, July 21). What comics can teach us about ourselves. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/what-comics-can-teach-us-about-ourselves-102728.

Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/8SeJUmfahu0

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