Sunday, February 05, 2006

Bookish 6th graders, all grown up

If you're a reader--or were, back in the day when you had the time/energy/inclination--there have been a few great discussions over at Phantom Scribbler about books. For adults, for kids, for cooks, for first dates (worth reading the post & comments, trust me).

Some amazing memories over there. It's odd to imagine that if all of her pixies had been hanging out in the library together in 6th grade that our lives might have been changed; so much of my identity for so many years was wrapped up in the fact that I always had my nose in a book, always solitary but never really "alone"....but if I had been surrounded by a group of people who were like me, I really have to wonder how--or if--I would have been reshaped. I honestly can't say one way or another because it would have been such a different kind of life.

(Actually, a lot of books that we were talking about over there I'm sure people read before 6th grade; I just happened to choose 6th grade as the year I desperately wanted to do over in my life. Socially, it was terrible. I know it doesn't work this way for most people, but junior high school was such a relief because switching classes every hour, to a different teacher and different set of students, was a revelation. I found my geeky grind friends, and we were all dorks together; I'm still in touch with one of them--hope she's reading!)

I hope one day my kids have such fond memories and strong feelings about books. I'm really desperate to instill that, but feel kind of stymied by the fact that Miss M is inclined to rip paper when it is presented to her. (Thank goodness for board books!) I am very excited for the day when she can handle a little plot; it is coming, but awfully slowly.

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