Reading Models Matter

 

Reading Models Matter

My father was a reader. If he sat down he had a book in his hand. He loved Agatha Christie, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, PD James, and Sherlock Holmes. He wielded his library card like a sword — opening the gates to wonder and knowledge. Because he read, his six children did too. My stack of library cards and a house full of books testify to Dad’s influence. I, too, love Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. After Dad passed into the great library in the sky, I added many of his books to my shelves.

My students in second grade knew that I loved reading and books. Our bookshelves bulged. I told them, “If you can read, you can do anything. You don’t have to depend on others for information; you can look it up yourself. You can travel to other times and places. Readers can do anything.” We shared thousands of books, having adventures, gaining knowledge, and loving reading.

When I retired, I volunteered for a reading club for an after-school program. A group of volunteers read donated books with the children who then choose books to take home for their personal libraries. We polled the children to find out their interests — Star Wars, princesses, animals, Captain Underpants, video games, and subjects from popular culture. By shopping library and book store sales, we provide these and a few of our own childhood favorites and let the kids choose. Their joy in getting new books reflected the joy we shared in reading them.

Reader models matter. Alvin Irby, author and comedian, noticed that many young black boys lack male reader models. He founded Barbershop Books, a non-profit organization, to provide child-friendly spaces in a male-centered environment. The books provided are recommended by other children, not adults, to attract young readers. Kids like books that make them laugh so funny books top the list. Irby believes that reading experiences should be geared to children’s experiences: “Kids need to identify with the books they read. They must want to read them.” The barbershop becomes a place for both haircuts and reading. Joining men reading in a friendly place encourages the boys to  see reading as a positive male experience. 

A few years ago, my granddaughter called to tell me that she had found a great new author — Agatha Christie. Had I ever read her books? Dad inspired me and my five siblings. We inspired our children. They inspired theirs. Dad’s legacy as a reader lives on.  

Reading models matter. Be a model for your children. Find out what books they like and share them. Every kid needs a library card. Make the librarian a friend and the library a special place for you and your children. Donate books to reading programs. Volunteer to read. Pass your love of reading along. In a world full of reading adults, every kid will be a reader. 

Check out Alvin Irby’s TedTalk: “How to Inspire Every Kid to Be a Lifelong Reader.”