When Librarians Love (2 of 2)

I have said before in many workshops and seminars how my mother, herself a librarian, instilled in me a love for books and reading. She modeled the reading habit and built an environment that was print rich. I am doing the same for my two kids aged 14 and 11 years old.

Nico, the eldest, moved towards music but has nonetheless maintained a reading culture about him. Laid back and creative, he has shown strategies in understanding the world around him and efforts at comprehending difficult tasks in school. I still bring home books I think would interest him. It has been a hit and miss situation. His favorites are graphic novels - Budjette Tan's Trese, Arnold Arre's Mythology Class, The Amulet Series and The Best of Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush: Top Ten.

One time when in the bookstore, he wandered to the graphic novels section. Turned off by the price, he went to the music section and picked song books of his choice. I let him be. Then again, I worry (the typical mom) when he needs to do tedious and longer reading tasks for academic work, he might not have the stamina to stay on track and follow through when necessary.

Zoe, on the other hand, has started reading chapter books by Beverly Cleary and Roald Dahl. She attempted to read Gaiman and, viola! She finished Coraline in three weeks time. She's the one who writes a lot too. And draws pictures if words are hard to come by. Above is her floor plan for a school library.

Below is the annex of the school library she designed. There was this one time when she told me she wants to be a librarian when she grows up. I would like to think that I am too strong an influence on her choice. I want her to grow up as her own person.

For the meantime, I will continue to bridge them to books that they think and feel confident in reading. Like the typical school librarian, I will guide them in their reading choices and habits.