On this week's Share A Story Shape A Future blogging event sponsored by The Reading Tub, they pose the question:
Who is the person who influenced you most as a reader?
Here she is with her first grandson (someone she also influenced as a reader):
My mom
She's gone now from this earth but she sits on my shoulder every day. I see her putting a bowl on her head and prancing around the kitchen, reciting Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, The Land of Counterpane. I expect it was a meaningful poem since my brother and I both had times of extended illness in which we were confined to bed. It made us giggle and we loved the rhythm and rhyme of the poetry.
I see her pouring over a book, occasionally with those silly black framed glasses from the 1950's on her nose - do you know the ones with the wings? Her two most favorite authors were Phyllis Whitney and Eugenia Price (Momma loved historical fiction). As soon as I was in 5th or 6th grade and was a strong enough reader to attack these novels, she began sharing them with me and we'd have play fights over who would get the newest title first.
Although I cannot remember the first time I heard this phrase, I can still see that dreamy look in her eyes when she would tell me "you can go anywhere in a book" I believed her and I still do.
All her children believed her and their children (Nana's grandchildren) do too. What an incredible legacy this little feisty woman from the coal-mining country of Virginia has passed along, simply because she loved reading and books.
Today, she remains an influence not only in my personal reading (I have a good book or three or four on my bedside stand all the time) but also in my work as The Literacy Ambassador. Her passion for reading and stories and talking and sharing inspire me to this day. They are the reason I am an enthusiastic and passionate speaker, writer and advocate for the fact that "there is a book for every child". I know that without the indelible impression she left, I would not be doing what I am today. She, in fact, is the core of the revolution I am starting with my two new books, Anytime Reading Readiness and Before They Read. To learn more about that revolution, visit Reading is For Everyone
You can also stay in touch on Twitter and Facebook where you'll find me as litambassador and on Linkedin
Why, what is that over at Scrub-A-Dub-Tub, the blog for The Reading Tub website?
An interview with me!
While there is some bits about blogging, it is mostly about Braille literacy and my "day job." (Which has nothing to do with this blog, my opinions are my own and not my employers, you all know the drill.)
Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Come to the Author Showcase at the Reading Tub
Those of you who are regular visitors to my blogs have heard of the Reading Tub. I'm pleased to let you know that I appear in their author showcase this month. You'll not only find the interview with me but archived interviews with other authors. At the Reading Tub, you'll also find a blog (I'm also featured there), book lists and reviews and quality articles of interest to both educators and parents.
In the interview, you'll learn a bit more about the Literacy Ambassador but, as usual, I'm also sharing resources (wonderful picture books for older readers, advice for parents, references to quality book lists, and an announcement about a special kit Maupin has created from my latest books called The Home/School Literacy Partnership Kit). You can also watch my new Youtube video through a link on the blog (playing the game Rhymin' Simon).
Practical, Use in the Classroom Tomorrow Ideas
Even as school district budgets tighten, we all know the importance of continued quality in-service training/staff development. Here's a unique spin for preschool and kindergarten teachers: Check out the
free facilitator's guide for a book discussion of
Before They Read, my new title at Maupin House Publishers. Invite your preschool colleagues to join you in discussions that will build bridges and help young children be ready for school. You'll also find a sample activity, the table of contents and other excerpts from the book on the
book page for that title.
If you'd like to plan a day with the Literacy Ambassador which could include staff development, a parent meeting, opportunities for students to group write with the Literacy Ambassador, contact me through this blog or
TLA's website for more details.
Next post we are back on the teacher channel, providing even more inspiration and resources for honored educators.
The final panel.
The final panel after a chock-full day.
Who were these lucky bloggers?
The Reading Tub; Ernestine from Reading is Fundamental; Gina from PBS Booklights; and Jen from Jen Robinson's Book Page.
The topic: coming together, giving back. Individual bloggers, acting as individuals, can only do so much. So "coming together" can be as simple as a multi-blogger targeted blog, such as Guys Lit Wire. It can be about a book blast tour, like those organized by Chasing Ray, which is driven by bloggers.
Then there are the various literacy initiatives that different bloggers have either started or joined or promoted. Share A Story, Shape a Future is a literacy blog tour; "to encourage each other to reach beyond ourselves and do it in a way that we are neither judging nor instructing others." Mark your calendars; March 8 to 14, 2010, is the next Literacy Blog Tour. And, by the way -- this event is in Chase's.
Gina spoke of the history of Booklights and PBS; how it was started and pulled together. Just another great example of how blogging can be more about "me." (says the blogger who is all about me.)
I loved hearing Ernestine talk about RIF and Carol Rasco's entry into blogging (Rasco from RIF) and tweeting. RIF is as old as I am (um, actually, I'm a few months older, lol); and it's a great reminder to all of us that blogging and social media is not about the new kids on the block. They have provided "4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year." Yep, that's millions.
Finally, Year of Reading reminded us of the National Day of Writing. Which was two days ago; and because I knew my timing would be off, I blogged about that a few days ago.
Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
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Wow, Cathy. What a great post. It is amazing how those memories stay with us ... and transform who we are every day!