From: Carol Elbert <celbert_at_isunet.net>
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:29:38 -0500

I have enjoyed this discussion of the pleasures of reading aloud and want to add my voice in favor of reading to older kids and adults. As a retired children's librarian, I am still telling parents to keep reading to their children as long as they are willing. I got acquainted with an elderly couple when they visited the library often to check out books for their grandchildren, and that man told me that he still read aloud to his wife every night. I have comforting memories of reading poetry to my mother in the last month of her life, choosing poems that she had read to us when we were young. My daughter and I often read aloud to each other, and when she had a long hospitalization at the age of 29, I read to her every day. We found the humor of Dave Barry to be a valuable pain management strategy, and we thoroughly enjoyed "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," novels by Terry Pratchett, "Because of Winn-Dixie," and anything that would make us laugh. When my daughter's cancer came back six years later, again readin g together helped us get through hard times. Those are comforting memories too.

Carol Elbert Ames, Iowa
Received on Sun 17 Apr 2011 09:29:38 PM CDT