The Enchanting World of Books
April 23, is the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare. This day is also observed as World Book Day (organised by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright). The Day was first celebrated in 1995. Main aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to explore the
pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity
to have a book of their own. World Book Day in the UK and Ireland takes place on 1st March every year. Most other countries hold World Book Day on 23rd April every year.
Many thoughts come to my mind, especially with respect to
reading of books. Why read and what to read. Virginia Woolf in 'The Second Common Reader', discusses how one should
read a book—“One person should take no advice about reading from
another. You should follow your own instincts, to use your own reason,
to come to your own conclusion". If there is anything that stands out from Virginia Woolf's pages more
than another, it is that the author experienced enjoyment with every
line she wrote. The book provides an evidence of her affection for words and
sentences; paragraphs are put together and pages builded with a warmth
of interest in the process which is rarely found.
Annie S Swan, novelist of the 1900s, says “Books have occupied so important and conspicuous a place in my life that it is almost impertinent, even superfluous to talk about them—like dissecting one’s best friends….. In my youth, our hunger for books was never satisfied. Given no alternative, most of us would rather have books than furniture in our houses.”
I feel that it is important to introduce young minds to the world of books. It is also essential for every home to have some books which help children understand using them ( an atlas, a dictionary, and an encyclopedia are essential). Success in school starts with reading. Becoming a reader involves the development of important skills, including learning to:
- use language in conversation
- listen and respond to stories read aloud
- recognize and name the letters of the alphabet
- listen to the sounds of spoken language
- connect sounds to letters to figure out the "code" of reading
- read often so that recognizing words becomes easy and automatic
- learn and use new words
- understand what is read
Tips on how to give your child a good start in reading.
- Talk to your infant and toddler to help your child learn to speak and understand the meaning of words. Point to objects that are near and describe them as you play and do daily activities together. Having a large vocabulary gives a child a great start when he enters school.
- Read to your baby every day starting at six months of age. Reading and playing with books is a wonderful way to spend special time with your baby. Hearing words over and over helps them become familiar with them. Reading to your baby is one of the best ways to help them learn.
- Use sounds, songs, gestures and words that rhyme to help your baby learn about language and its many uses. Babies need to hear language from a human being. Television is just noise to a baby.
- Point out the printed words in your home and other places you take your child such as the grocery store. Spend as much time listening to your child as you do talking to your child.
- Take children's books and writing materials with you whenever you leave home. This gives your child fun activities to entertain and occupy while traveling and going to the doctor's office or other appointments.
- Create a quiet, special place in your home for your child to read, write and draw. Keep books and other reading materials where your child can easily reach them.
- Help your child see that reading is important. Set a good example for your child by reading books, newspapers and magazines.
- Limit the amount and type of television you and your child watch. Better yet, turn off the television and spend more time cuddling and reading books with your child. The time and attention you give your child has many benefits beyond helping them be ready for success in school.
- Share conversations with your child over meal times and other times you are together. Children learn words more easily when they hear them spoken often. Introduce new and interesting words at every opportunity.
- Read together every day. Spend time talking about stories, pictures, and words.
- Read from a variety of children's books, including fairy tales, song books, poems, and information books.
I strongly feel that one should form an early habit of reading;
just like a normal diet for nourishment of body, there should be an
everlasting interest in reading worthy of printed page.
Trivia: World Book Day survey results of top ten books we can't live without
The Mirror has reported that Pride and Prejudice has been voted the book the nation cannot live without. A survey to mark World Book Day 2007 showed 20% of those surveyed would put Jane Austen's classic at number 1. Classic works also dominated the rest of the chart.
- Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
- The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
- Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
- Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
- To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee
- The Bible
- Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
- 1984 - George Orwell
- His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
- Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
