My love for children's books, mainly what are called picture books, fill my bookshelves. During my short reign as a first-grade teacher, I had the desire to ignite that same passion in my precious little first-graders. Each week, I picked out one author/ illustrator to share with the children by learning about the author's life, along with read-out-loud time from the author's works. The kids became hooked. We would place the author's birth on our timeline, locate the place of their birth and note the personality style of each author, while enjoying their talent.
What I didn't realize, until the last author was studied, was the theme that passed through each author's life. Each had huge obstacles to conquer in order to achieve their dreams. Some came from broken homes, one was diagnosed with dyslexia, and each were told they wouldn't amount to anything. I didn't plan the theme...God did. Each time I read through an author's life, I realized that obstacles didn't stop their gifts from being shared with the world. Many of them didn't live lives that fit in a box. Yet, by not being in a box, they became very creative.
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| We visited a garden after our Book Club on Beatrix Potter...can't you just see this in Mr. McGregor's garden? |
Each book we read was packed with life's truths. Now why do we make life's truths so complicated as we age? The kids heard the story one way, I heard it another....all of us heard the truth.
This summer we continued learning. We started a weekly Book Club. We kicked it off with Beatrix Potter and just finished Virginia Lee Burton. Who knows all the authors we will discover before the end of summer? Each mom is taking one author and expanding with the kids.
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| Our first Book Club meeting ended with them feeding catfish. Now truly, that is the way to ignite imagination! |
18 Joining in with more words:
I love this, Janette. There is hope and power in the knowledge that our obstacles don't have to stop us from sharing our gifts with the world.
You're right - we can learn a lot from the pages of children's books. Thank you for sharing what you learned. Great post!
I don't have to tell you that I love picture books.:) I love that you've got a book club going for the littles...FUN! And Beatrix Potter is my absolute FAVORITE!
Beatrix Potter is my all time favorite. I bet I could still recite some of them by heart! What a wonderful idea the book club is! I know you'll enjoy it!
This is wonderful, Janette. Lots of wisdom in children's books, we should remember and learn these truths.
I love books for kids more than any other kind! I have saved so many of the ones Seth and I enjoyed during home school. We make everything in life way too complicated...even the gospel.
You are amazing!
A true teacher, through and through.
Even I learned something today.
You are talking right down my alley.
I am a children's book junkie--absolutely love them and have used them to teach adults also.
Love this! And how true! I love the not letting life's obstacles make life too complicated. Good lesson. And I love Beatrix Potter.
I love this! Our hearts are so similar. My shelves are lines with children books, too. I use them in counseling with kids because they convey simple truths. Oh, I wish we lived closer!
I love this! You are such a natural teacher - and wonderful student. Funny... Mr. McGregor made it into my last post, too.
My favorite is the Velveteen Rabbit. =) blessings ~ tanna
Great idea with the summer book club. I hope your summer is not too hot and all is well with you. We got a bit of rain, finally, on the tail end of all the madness in OK. Spending my summer reading and sewing:)
Dear Janette, I read through your posts and tried to catch up with everything. First, I want to congratulate for the beautiful blessings of the expected grandchildren. Second, for the energy and the strength and the blessing the Lord has given you to go forward with faith and that is exactly what you are doing. Please remember that I am too going through a path that I did not expect to walk it is scary, but I know that He would not send us on this path to fail. Blessings dear friend. You have been in my thoughts and in my prayers. Catherine xo
I learned this from my own mother. She has a child-like side that passed on the beauty and simplicity of lessons learned from children and from those addressing children. I love the book club idea. You're never too young to appreciate a great author!
Blessings, Debbie
I remember how much I loved to sit and listen to my mother read to me. Since I was sick much of my early childhood, this time was so precious to me. Now when I read books to the preschoolers in our class, I think of the books I want to write. Ha!
But yes, we do learn best as little children, don't we?
Love,
Debbie
I became an avid reader as a child! I love this Book Club idea and the kids being involved. You are right, there is usually always a good lesson learned in the end of a child's book. Too bad all of the books for adults don't always do the same! Great post! :)
I love this idea of the book club, and I honestly and truly envy you that you hang with families and moms who would want to do this. It just seems like too many around here could care less about whether their kids love books. Way to go, Moms!!
Also, I love what you point out about the authors and also what we learn from the pages of children's books.
Not a picture book series, but my favorite books of all time are the Little House books. You can't imagine the number of times that we STILL allude to them in reference to a life lesson.
I love this! It is so true, we need to be children again, and live life on a simpler level. My former boss always blew me kisses. Not for any romantic intention. Remember the old adage: Keep it Simple Stupid? I had quite the knack of taking something simple and making it difficult. Still do if I don't keep watch. Thank you for the encouragement to keep working toward our goals and watch the obstacles melt away.
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