Tuesday, October 07, 2008

My baby's got prime numbers...


I honestly don't know whether to applaud this or bemoan it. Bemoan it, I guess.

There's a site called StoryOnline.com, where you can go to hear celebrities reading children's stories, with images from the books and some sound effects.

I listened a bit to Elijah Wood reading "Me And My Cat," and I have to say that Elijah needs to put a little more feeling into it. I know, from reading to Mr F and Mr Bunches, that kids demand drama. So, for example, when I read The Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog, I give the characters their own voices and all but act it out. I even put action into So Big starring Elmo -- when Baby Elmo sings La La La, I never sing it the same way twice.

That's why I bemoan the site. How are you going to teach your kids that reading is awesome and books are great if you can't be bothered to read them to the kids yourself? Before our twins were even born they had the whole Harry Potter series waiting on their bookshelf, with the Narnia books and a bunch of others including How Fletcher Was Hatched. I can't wait to read those books to the boys and show them how great reading is.

Being enthusiastic about a book shows how much you love it, and encourages others to love it, too. My 9th grade English teacher, Mr. Schaeffer, convinced me that Dickens was great when he became Aged P while reading Great Expectations... to this day one of my favorite books.

You don't have to do the voices and act it out, Elijah and parents. But for Pete's sake, read to your kids. Don't sit them in front of a computer and expect Queen Latifah to do your work for you.

Pull a book off the shelf, sit them on your lap, let them turn the pages, and show them that you love reading... and they will, too.

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