What am I reading now? The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
In my last post, I discussed the call-to-action for global literacy by Dick Robinson, CEO of Scholastic Inc. One of his beliefs about literacy and reading resonated deeply with me. He said,
We believe every child has a right to his own “textual lineage” — a reading and writing autobiography which shows the progress of who he is by connecting to the stories and information he has experienced. This textual lineage will enable all young people to have a reading and writing identity which helps them understand who they are and how they can make their lives better.
Can you picture it? Every child will have a legacy that’s all their own. A map of sorts that charts their growth from infancy to adolescence. As adults, they’ll be able to look back and literally see how they’ve matured over a lifetime.
This textual lineage is a piece of history that they’ll one day be able to share with their children. What was the first book they read? Who was their favourite author? Did they enjoy reading fantasies? The answers to all these questions will be at their fingertips. Imagine generations of a single family linked by literature.