Give the Boy a Book

We love books at this house. We have bookshelves upon bookshelves filled with them, every topic, every size, every level. We have college text books right along with basics shapes and numbers. I think you get my point that we heavily support the fundamentals of reading in this house. Not only do we support it, we actually practice it, a lot. We both have stacks of books on our bedside tables, at times so high they threaten to topple over. Our children seem to have taken on the same love of books.

Little P is in second grade. They have a certain level that the school system determines that they should be reading at by the end of the second grade year, she is well past that level already and is constantly asking to go the library. At that request I promptly take them both. I want them to love reading like we do. I want them to be able to get lost in a really good book. I want them to read and love reading forever. There is something about the poetry of words that can bring out emotions like nothing else. I love that our children love that. Boots is just now finding his way with books. He has always been read to, from the time that he was born. And he has always loved it. Most recently his favorite story teller is his sister. He will sit quietly listening to her make up a story, running around the room finding props and changing her voice for different characters. I think that a love for reading also nurtures a creativity that can sometimes get lost. The hours of pretend play that used to be, are now some times replaced with hours of video games and television for this nations children.

I am not saying that my children don't watch tv or that they don't play video games. They do, they enjoy them. But more often than not they are playing some kind of make believe reenactment of a story or a book that they read recently. Oh sure, I still get the "I'm bored, there is nothing to do...." whine every once in a while. But not as much as some parents hear it. They seem to be able to make their own fun.

So when our children express a love for a certain kind of book we try to find one or two, or six that fills that need. Boots loves pop up books. But here is the criteria, they have to have a story. And they have to do something other than just pop up when you turn the page. He likes when there are pull tabs to pull and wheels to turn and paper flaps to flip up, so when I saw this book I knew it was for him.
It also fit him perfectly because the kid likes scary stuff.
He doesn't find it scary, he finds it interesting and cool. Am I a little concerned that he draws zombies over bunnies and one of his favorite movies is the first Jurassic Park? Do I think we are nurturing a little Rob Zombie? Not really, and if we are, at least he will be creative....