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Take A Look, It's In A Book!

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by
Melanie Pehrson
• Published on
PBS KIDS Utah

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
Take a look, it's in a book, a Reading Rainbow!
I can go anywhere.

Friends to know,
and ways to grow.
A Reading Rainbow!

I can be anything.
Take a look,

it's in a book.
A Reading Rainbow.
A Reading Rainbow.

A Reading Rainbow!

Reading Rainbow ran for over 25 years on PBS, with unassuming, inviting La Var Burton as host. Many of us can't help but sing the theme song in our heads as we read the words above. He made reading accessible, exciting, and inviting. The pressures of academic success for young children can potentially stifle engaging, intrinsically motivated experiences with literacy. This can lead to resentment. PBS aims to continue La Var's legacy, recognizing the reading can and should be enjoyed by everyone.

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https://www.wework.com/ -Judith OhikuareFebruary 27, 2019

PBS for Parents Learn & Grow collection talks about the simple ways to help children discover adventures and learn to love reading. "The most powerful ways to develop children’s literacy skills are also the simplest: talk to them, listen to them, read to them and write with them. When caring adults talk to kids about the world — from how recipes work to the rules of baseball — they are planting seeds of knowledge that will help kids grow into curious thinkers, readers and writers."

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Salt Lake City Library - Chapman Branch
Jacob Barlow

My family and I are in the process of creating a tradition we are calling "Library Mondays". On Mondays, we bike, walk, or drive to our local library--in my opinion one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Salt Lake City. With our library book bag full of already poured over books swung over our shoulder, we prepare for our visit with questions and topics that we'd like to learn more about. While at the library, we search out books specifically regarding that subject. 

Lately, we've been finding out more about Mars Rovers (hank you, Clark Planetarium for bringing Perseverance to Utah!) and painting (many creative projects inspired by Clever Octopus creative reuse center). 

Having a plan has given us something to look forward to. It gets us out of the house, helps us interact with our neighborhood, and encourages us to get to know the librarians personally. It also builds the confidence that we can search out answers to questions we have for ourselves, intrinsically motivating all of us to be life long learners. It's been a few months and we actually make to the library about half the Mondays we plan to and plan to continue the tradition.

 

A few ideas other ideas:

  • Find your local library and sign up for library cards if you have not already.
  • Regularly schedule a time to go to the library.
  • Pick up that book sitting on the bookshelf (literal or virtual) and read just a few pages.
  • Think and talk about the special memories you have of reading.
  • Peruse your neighborhood for a free little library and consider contributing to it.
  • Consider what books changed your perspective and why.

 

What are things you do--or would like to do--to make reading a more prominent part in your family's life? Share it with us!

In the words of Dr. Seuss - "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

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