International Children's Book Day

Children's books is what lead me to pursue a career in Children's Librarianship.  I have a passion for children's literature.  I loved to sit on my mother's lap while she read book after book to my sisters and me.  However, when the time came for me to read on my own I turned up a nose to books.  I had a very difficult time learning how to read and books and reading were no longer associated with happy moments.  I sat in class fearing my turn to read aloud in the "round robin".  I did very little reading on my own, so my reading skills did not improve.

Then my fifth grade teacher read aloud to our class every day...and that changed my life!  I still treasure the three books I remember her reading to us...The Westing Game, Gloomy Gus, and The Zero People.

I re-read all those books several times.  I wasn't scared of not "getting it" because I knew what was going on, so if there were words I didn't know that was alright.  Then I branched off to read several other Walt Morey books and even got to meet him when he visited our local library.  I still have his two books he signed for me.

Now that I had 'practiced' reading I was getting more confident and I began exploring other books and found out I really could read and the joy of books came back into my life...and has stayed with me since.

So, on International Children's Book Day I would like to encourage you to read aloud to a child.  They are never too old to enjoy a story and it might just be the spark they need to make reading a part of their lives!

For more information about this day visit the ALSC (Association for Library Service for Children) blog.  .