Read, Grandma, Read

Guess what I did at 7:30 this morning?  I read the first two chapters of "Captain Cold's Arctic Eruption"  to my four and a half-year old grandson.  The night before we had read a Superman novel and I promised to start the Flash novel today.  I didn't know it would be at 7:30, but he couldn't wait.  What a way to start the day! But it was wonderful.  He was all snuggled up and hanging on every word.  He is totally obsessed with superheroes and he learns about them through reading.  That is the power of reading.  I will read all the superhero novels he wants because I know that the subject matter isn't what is important.  It is the act of listening and reading.  It is amazing how long his attention span is and how rich his imagination is when I watch him play.  That is because he has been read to since birth. 

I know this is cliche, but reading is fundamental.  Children learn so many skills from being read to.  They learn how to hold a book, they learn how to turn pages, they build visusal literacy by following items on the page while listening to a story, they learn letter sounds and words, they learn how a story goes.  All those skills from sharing a book!  Those skills will be used later when they learn numbers and sequences.  How can you do a math story problem if you can't read?

My soap box is clearly labeled.  Read to any child you know.  Encourage your children to read to their children.  Buy books as gifts.  The latest plastic toy will break, but books last.  Support your schools and libraries because they are places that children read. 

Bring the child in your life to library story times.  Jill and Elisha do a wonderful job of bringing reading to life in those 45-minute sessions.  They share songs, activities, crafts, and they read stories.  Who doesn't like to hear a story?  Story times help teach early readers how to to be in a group with other children, they learn to listen and respond to the actions in the story.  Jill and Elisha build on the story with related songs, poems, and action rhymes.  Check our website and join a library story time group next week.

The library program I want to bring to your attention this week is at Epworth on Monday, October 29th at 5:15 p.m.  Join us at the Highview Cemetery for an informative talk from a local expert. Please wear sturdy walking shoes and bring a flashlight. The cemetery is located off of 1st Ave. NE past the Epworth Ball Park.  Lifelong Epworth resident Bill Mausser and co-author of "History of Epworth, Iowa" (1976) will guide a walk through Epworth history and the individuals buried at Highview.

Last week a group toured the Farley cemetery with Mayor Jeff Simon and his dad who is a local historian.  A great time was had by all as even long-time residents learned new things about their town. 

I want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween.  Stop by your local library when you go out trick or treating.  We have a small treat for you.  The big treat is that visiting the library will help your child succeed in school and in life.  No doubt about it.  Kids who read succeed!