BiblioQueria 13

That has got to be one of my most treasured cartoons. Scanned from my most treasured cartoon book, A Century of Punch, published in 1956 by William Heinemann Ltd. I just might have to have that book buried with me when I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Ahhh.... parents reading to their children. Cherished moments in life. That is, if you can remember those moments! I caused a moment on the weekend, when I mentioned to my mother that I did not recall her ever reading to me when I was a kid. She was not amused. She bloody well did read to me when I was young, thank you very much. Well why can't I remember? I asked. Her only explanation? She started when I was very young, and well, I took to reading like a duck to water, and seemed perfectly happy managing on my own, at an early age. Why should she cramp my style? Fine. I just wish I could remember. You know why?

My mother has a wonderful reading voice. She reads clearly, with perfect pace, intonation and expression. And her soft, lilting Jamaican accent is just the icing on the literary cake. I only really took notice of her delightful reading voice a few years ago. It was close to Christmas, and my mom decided to read my brother's young twins a story. She picked one of my favourties, Freddy The Pig by Walter R. Brooks. We were all relaxing in the rec room of my brother's home, the fireplace was warm and toasty, my mom sat in the big armchair with the twins snuggled around her, and I lay on the rug, closed my eyes and felt like I was a carefree child again, as my mother's voice gently wrapped around me like a soft warm blanket. I simply did not want it to end. Is that odd behaviour for a 40-ish woman?

Yes, it's important to be able to read on one's own. But look at the price I paid for my independence! All those stories that she read to me, that I can't remember!

And so my questions (yes, plural) to you are ....

Do you remember being read to as a child? and Would you like to be read to now, as an adult?

Comments

[Ana]

I was read a lot as a child. My grandmother read us poetry, funny and fantastic. García Lorca and Ruben Darío. My dad made up stories that kept us awake with amazement. I just love all the memories I have of going to bed.

Now I'm in a creative writing workshop. We read a lot amazing short stories. Salinger, Chejov, Aldeco. I't wonderful to hear it in a different voice. I absolutly love it. And then people read there own stories. I just love it. I have a soft spot.

Love your blog,
regards from Madrid.

[Loretta]

I don't recall ever being read to as a child. Not once. But we read to our kids every single night, with the two of them on either side of us and both getting to pick two books each. And we read to our youngest, esp my husband, every single night. The older two don't remember it at all. Sigh. I can practically recite the books verbatim!

[Isabella]

I don't remember ever being read to, though my mother claims I was. I do remember reading myself to sleep, certainly by age 5, so I exepct, rather like you, I was on my own from an early age.

I love being read to as an adult, but it happens so rarely. I usually end up being the reader.

[iliana]

I love that cartoon. I know my parents read to me when I was a child but I only have a vague recollection of that. I remember more the times they took me book shopping.

[Al]

I loved being read to when I was younger, but now when people read to me, I generally find myself frustrated at how slow it is, and wanting to say "Give me that! You're too pokey!"

[R J Keefe]

I don't remember being read to. I remember struggling with words that I didn't understand, such as DETer-MINE and the contents of book printed in French script (au sujet de Père Noël. It's too late to ask anyone, sadly.

These days, I'm the reader, something I love to be. (But then, I was a radio announcer once.)

[Pete]

I don't remember any specific moments from my childhood, but fortunately I have a cherished photo of my dad reading to me when I was about three. And wonderful another photo of him reading to my daughter Maddie, in virtually the exact same location in my parents' family room. Priceless.

[erin]

I don't remember being read to as a small child (though I'm sure I was), but when I was in third grade one of my classmates' mothers came in twice a week to read a chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We were all utterly entranced, and a lot of us went on to read the entire series when she was done.

[Cleo]

How wonderful to be able to hear your mother read aloud! And certainly not at all odd...I too suffered the "curse" of being an extremely early reader. I do have a single memory of my father attempting to read to me when I was about 5 though, but it was The Call of the Wild and I was figeting. He got angry and said he'd never read to me again-and didn't. I've read to my children since before they were born and still do sometimes even though they're teenagers-they still enjoy it. My grandson lives halfway across the country (and will turn 1 on Thanksgiving) so I buy a book, read it on tape and send it to him every month. I like an occasional book on tape in the car, but unless the person is a great, expressive reader, I'm too impatient and particular to enjoy being read to now. I always thought it would be wonderful to share coffee in the morning with my husband and share bits of the paper aloud or books in the evening but we've never done that...

[Cipriano]

Loved your blog, including the cartoon. Whether you are odd or not, about how much you liked an adult re-listening to of Freddy The Pig... hmm... the world needs more people that are "odd" this way, if "odd" it is!
My mother read to us, as kids (family of five). She read to us from this wonderfully illustrated huge-normous Bible, the pages and pictures of which I vividly remember to this day.
Would I like to be read to now? It is strange... but, I don't think I would. I have some kind of disconnect that happens when I am read to. I very much need to see the type, to comprehend it. I have bought so many of these books-on-tape, and really it is a waste, because I veer into the void with each sentence read. Cannot concentrate with my ears.
My friend Tim is reading the Narnia books to his three little girls now, and I love when he tells me how they get so enthralled with it...

[Mónica]

Yes! Definetely. I remember laying on my mom's bed at night and her reading before I fell asleep. I don't remember her voice (that would be fun), but I remember her doing it. She too, got me started early (both my parents are avid readers) and like, you, Patricia, I took to it soon and they eventually just left me to my own means. But it is true, I treasure the memory of being read to.
As for the other question, sure! That is nice, but in another way. No longer as a whole-book let's read to you, Moni, but as "let me read you a piece of this book/poem/story"... Any man who does that to me has a mighty good chance with me...

[George]

Reading wasn't a family strong suit. Though I did read to myself from a very early age. Before I could read, my father told me stories of Lancelot, Galahad, Arthur and that gang of thugs, as well as Robin Hood and other medieval stuff (then my parents flipped out when I started playing D&D...go figure). I prefer to think of it as part of an oral tradition...

Today, I read Frog and Toad (and basically anything else by Arnold Lobel), Winnie-the-Pooh, and select Dr. Seuss to my boy (two-and-a-half). There are some other favourites including, sadly, Thomas the Tank Engine, but his staples right now are Lobel and Milne.

[Dory]

My mom always wanted to be on the stage, so she acted out every story she read to me. My ultimate fave. was the Three Little Pigs. My mom was wonderful with voices and facial expressions, and it was more fun watching her read than looking at the illustrations. I loved having her read to me so much that I apparently hid my own ability to read until I was in grade one. My parents and teacher were incredibly confused by how a child who had previously shown no sign of being able to read was suddenly devouring books written for much higher grades. When my mom asked me why I hadn't read the year before, even though I obviously knew how, I responded "but Mummy, everybody knows that in kindergarten you don't read, and in grade one you do."

My fears were confirmed however, when she stopped reading to me regularly after that little statement came out of my mouth.

Ah well, I get to relive it all when she reads to my nephews, and I can only hope that I inherited her talent, so that my own kids (to come) will have the same experience I did.

[Kiki Borges]

I recently became addicted to books on tape, even though I've always preferred to read print. But because I sew for a living, audio books are the perfect antidote to the drudgery of the work. I tend to prefer British narrators, just because I love listening to the accent. (Maybe it's because as a child I was surrounded by British accents.) My favourite audio book experiences so far have been listening to Eric Idle read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Jeremy Irons read James and the Giant Peach. If I don't like the narrator's voice, though, it's hopeless.

[Julie]

I don't remember ever being read to, though I know my parents read to me a lot. I was an early reader (age 4, I'm told) and once I could read it myself I had no interest in listening to anyone else. I still hate being read to, and I cannot listen to books on tape either. However, I love to read aloud to my children.

[Rolf - Audio Books Fan]

Oh yes! I do remember being read to. My mother used to read to all of us around Christmas time, even when we were 40 plus. She loved books written in Swiss German. Stories that had always a touching end and sometimes my two sisters and myself, my father and whoever was around tried to brush the single tear away, that simply flowed. When she read it was like cinema in the head!
Nowadays I'm listening to audio books a lot, I find that easier to incorporate into my busy schedule.