From: Anne Oelke <acoelke>
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 16:51:26

I'm so pleased to hear so many comments about sharing picture books and reading aloud to older students. I've felt strongly that no one is too old to be read to (just think about books on tape and Chapter-a?y on public radio!!) and so now I feel affirmed when I read similar comments by others.

My personal story: Last year the high school speech class was assigned to read a story to an elementary class. The teacher (who perhaps knows very well just how much I love to read to anyone) asked me to talk with the students about selecting a book, how to "perform" etc etc. and to model a reading session. As a result, I ended up in a corner of the highschool library, my back to the rest of the library and about 20 highschool students sitting on the floor in front of me. I read The Toll Bridge Troll to the class. As I read, I gradually began to realized that the rest of the library was getting quieter and quieter, and then they began to laugh at the funny spots and to chime in with the repetitive spots. When I had finished, the rest of the students who were not part of the class wanted to know why I never read to them!

I wonder of these reading sessions give these adolescents the permission to enjoy a childhood passion once again. They are going through the struggle of becoming an adult, and sometimes they need a reminder that it's "o-k" to enjoy some of those supposedly childish things. Picture books and reading aloud are one of those things we really never need to outgrow, just like hugs and warm blankets and kittens purring.

O-K, off my soapbox now. You've all just figured out why I'm a librarian--it's all those wonderful books and getting to read out loud!

Anne Anne C. Oelke Cambria-Friesland School District P.O. Box 1000, Cambria, WI. 53923 mailto:acoelke at centuryinter.net
"Somedays are like that, even in Australia." Judith Viorst in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No-Good Very Bad Day.
Received on Sun 09 Nov 1997 04:51:26 PM CST