While reading my 9 yr old cries - joy of reading
While reading my 9 yr old cries
My 9 yr old reading a fifth grade level book starts to cry.
Ever read a good book? Have you ever gotten so involved in the story, so attached to its characters that you were touched, moved – even cried when something tragic happened to the characters? In fact, I shouldn’t say characters; by this time these are people, friends, and loved ones that you feel truly connected too. I know people cry at movies – but have you ever cried reading a book.
My 9 yr old did and it surprised me.
When he was younger he would cry during movies: I remember the Irion Giant. The robot was destroyed thought to be dead and my son broke out in tears – scared the wits out of my wife. But I’ve never seen him do it with a book.
The book: Dewey the library Cat.
By Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Published by Scholastic
I was a bit taken back because he is not a fan of reading, he reads because he sees me do it, his older sister do it and I guess so that he doesn’t feel left out (jealousy) he will sit and read with us. Other times I have to coax him to read – that’s right, bribery, threats you name it I am not ashamed to use it. Reading is important and I believe children should be “encouraged” to learn to love reading.
But when he came up to me and told me with sorrow in his eyes that Dewey had died, I didn’t realized he was talking about the cat in the book – his raw emotion caused me to think we were talking about a real person. When he explained to me that it was Dewey the library cat (from the book) I was relieved.
In part I was glad that the death of the cat was important to him. It meant that he was reading not to please me but out of interest, self interest. This meant that he understood what he was reading and he was making it a part of him – books should ignite the imagination, they should become real in your mind and heart.
Luckily I didn’t have to explain the “Death is a part of life” thing with him – he plays so many video games death is not a topic we had to discuss.
But I was glad to see that the story touched him, he was so excited for the librarian when two years later she was introduced to a cat that reminded her so much of Dewey. Books have a way of molding you, shaping your thoughts – your heart. I still remember a book I was forced to read in high school by my English teacher: Lisa Dark and Bright. Now that was a book that still lingers in my mind, I received a failing grade on the book report – but I have never forgotten the book, or Lisa.
Ever read a good book? Have you ever gotten so involved in the story, so attached to its characters that you were touched, moved – even cried when something tragic happened to the characters? In fact, I shouldn’t say characters; by this time these are people, friends, and loved ones that you feel truly connected too. I know people cry at movies – but have you ever cried reading a book.
My 9 yr old did and it surprised me.
The book: Dewey the library Cat.
By Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Published by Scholastic
I was a bit taken back because he is not a fan of reading, he reads because he sees me do it, his older sister do it and I guess so that he doesn’t feel left out (jealousy) he will sit and read with us. Other times I have to coax him to read – that’s right, bribery, threats you name it I am not ashamed to use it. Reading is important and I believe children should be “encouraged” to learn to love reading.
But when he came up to me and told me with sorrow in his eyes that Dewey had died, I didn’t realized he was talking about the cat in the book – his raw emotion caused me to think we were talking about a real person. When he explained to me that it was Dewey the library cat (from the book) I was relieved.
In part I was glad that the death of the cat was important to him. It meant that he was reading not to please me but out of interest, self interest. This meant that he understood what he was reading and he was making it a part of him – books should ignite the imagination, they should become real in your mind and heart.
Luckily I didn’t have to explain the “Death is a part of life” thing with him – he plays so many video games death is not a topic we had to discuss.
But I was glad to see that the story touched him, he was so excited for the librarian when two years later she was introduced to a cat that reminded her so much of Dewey. Books have a way of molding you, shaping your thoughts – your heart. I still remember a book I was forced to read in high school by my English teacher: Lisa Dark and Bright. Now that was a book that still lingers in my mind, I received a failing grade on the book report – but I have never forgotten the book, or Lisa.
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