Book Nerd

I am, as the title suggests, a proud book nerd; yet so far I have not said a word about books or reading. Why? Well as a new mother I am rather, understandably, obsessed with my little Bumper. I also have not had time to read anything, as I have been too busy catching up on sleep! This is shame because I am addicted to books. I love, love, love them!  I love the way they look, the way they smell, but most of all the way they can transport you to far away lands or teach you things you never knew. If anyone has ever seen the anime "Read or Die" I am that girl.

When I was first pregnant, I was placed on bed rest and had plenty of time to read. Unfortunately because I was so nauseous I had a very short attention span, so The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan had to be put on the back burner. Instead I found myself revisiting old childhood favorites. I  once again explored the American frontier with Laura Ingalls Wilder, I peeked into familiar haunts on Prince Edward Island with L.M. Montgomery and I journeyed past a lamppost in a forgotten wardrobe with C.S. Lewis.

I discovered something in those beloved, worn pages that surprised me: There was a time when society expected more out of children than we seem to do now. For example Ma Ingalls expected her girls to make their beds, and wash their cups and plates, and help with simple household chores at an early age, Marilla expected Anne to have some basic knowledge of housekeeping, and Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy were expected to be able to entertain themselves. The authors also had expectations of their young readers. In each of these works I found references to Tennyson, Emerson, Greek Mythology and the Bible. Children and adults were supposed to be able to understand these references, many of which I did not understand until after I went to university.

I want my little Bumper to grow up literate I want her to come to know God (and what better way than through his Word?).  I want her to have curiosity, a thirst for knowledge and a practical knowledge of homemaking, crafting, and gardening. The best way I know how to give that to her is to introduce those long cherished volumes to her and watch  her take off in her own direction with them.

The joy of reading. It is truly priceless.

God Bless.
Kim