My reading adventures began at my grandma’s house. We spent cozy days together as she patiently read, and reread, my favorite stories. We often walked to Taylor Memorial Library, now known at the , and combed the shelves for undiscovered treasures. Our favorite character was Peggy Parish’s Amelia Bedelia. We were entertained by her silly literal interpretations and endless mishaps.
I rediscovered my love for children’s book when my son was born. I started his library with the timeless story, Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch and board books by Sandra Boynton.
My son engaged in story time as a toddler. He hurried to find the tiny mouse on each page of Margaret Wise Brown’s classic bedtime tale, Goodnight Moon. He proudly pointed out the yellow bug, hidden by Richard Scarry, on every page of Cars and Trucks and Things That Go.
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We giggled at the tricky plot twist of The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone. We collected the stories of the astutely-named Mr. Men and Little Miss characters by Roger Hargreaves. We visited the imaginative land of Harold by Crockett Johnson, and traveled the path drawn by his magic purple crayon.
Dr. Seuss was my son’s first favorite author. The adventures of his characters provided endless opportunities to laugh and learn. We checked out Yertle the Turtle, The King’s Stilts and The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins from the library countless times.
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If You Give a Mouse a Cookie was the first book my son read aloud cover to cover. Together we followed the conditional adventures of the clever mouse and Laura Numeroff’s other characters, including the moose and pig.
When my son contracted chicken pox, we entered the world of Hogwarts and embarked on our most exciting adventure. He listened, ears pricked, to every word of J.K. Rowling’s tome about the epic Harry Potter. We stood in line at midnight, dressed in costume, to hold the final book in our eager hands. Another unforgettable moment spent together, united by books.
Cuyahoga Falls Library offers a free story times, activities and books. A library card is like a free vacation, a family passport through time and space.
Reading First Ohio is another free resource for parents. Their website includes reading tips and literacy games.
Reading to a child will teach them language, self-esteem, individuality and patience. It is a gift that will last a lifetime.