RE_5539

I enjoyed reading this chapter and found myself really connecting with Mrs. Hicks and the other women's memoirs. All of the stories had a common theme: The girls learned to read and learned to love to read because of people in their families (mothers mostly). All of them, even little Laurie, whom i recognize in many of my students, read because they loved to feel transformed into another fantasy world. They liked to escape their realities and just imagine what it would be like to be someone or somewhere else. Who hasn't done this?? And isn't it interesting that these working-class girls aspired to be classy. I was a tom-boy growing up, but remember my sister trying to constantly impress her friends with clothes and material things...which we just didn't have. I'm interested to learn how this impacts literacy learning however.

I remember reading The Secret Garden and imagining my Grandfather's real garden would turn into this secret place. I would run to the shed beside the garden and play for hours, talking to the wind, imagining beyond my dreams. Books shaped who i was when i was a little girl, and i believe they shaped who i am today. Every night before bedtime, my mom would read to me out of a child's devotional book. I remember curling up against her, hearing her heart beat, and drifting off to sleep. I still have that book.

I couldn't talk about my history without mentioning the Sunday lunches after church at my Grandma's house. The kids ate down in the basement (gosh that sounds horrible now, i promise we weren't beaten). After scarfing down tons of homeade sourdough bread and strawberry jelly, we'd act out scenes from various books or shows that we had read or watched. In particular, i remember acting out the Swiss Family Robinson. We had such adventures down in that basement, it was another world. Aren't books amazing??!! By the way....just a side note.....a great read-aloud that my kids love every year is The Tale of Desperaux, by Kate DiCamillo...they beg me to read it again!

I'm anxious to find out how Mrs. Hicks connects this chapter to Jake, since all her memoirs and the next chapter focuses on girls. Is it different for little boys? I thought it was wonderful how Mrs. Hicks really connected with Laurie. As she was talking about her times with her, i realized what a great job we have. To be able to connect with someone so little, and mold them, and imact their lives, it's just amazing. I can't wait to read and find out what happens with Laurie.