Teaching children to love books

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July 15, 2010

Anonymous Pharos-Tribune Sat Jul 17, 2010, 08:08 PM EDT

Thanks to the hard work of some volunteers, Spencer Park was

transformed Sunday afternoon into a place you might read about in a

children’s book.

The roughly 300 youngsters who turned out for the event got the

chance to design their own crowns at one area or to make a magic

wand in another. One popular spot was “Glass Slippers and

Seeds,” where every child had a chance to choose a shoe and, with

a little help from volunteers, to fill it with dirt and plant a flower. And

then there was “Noodle Jousting,” where participants used pool

noodles to knock off the crowns of other participants.

The event also featured a marionette performance of “Sleeping

Beauty,” and the Bloomington Storyteller’s Guild offered their

versions of fairytales while local literacy volunteers read books to the

children, and singer-songwriter Jarrett Binney gave those attending

the chance to play along with him on the drums.

All in all, the festival was an opportunity to illustrate for children the

gift that books can bring them.

A book can transport a child to a magical kingdom or to a jungle, to

the bottom of the sea, to the top of a mountain or maybe even to

another planet. It can help a child to see the world through the eyes

of a princess or a pauper or maybe even a frog.

The love of reading is a gift every young child should have, and

Reading Railroad is working hard to provide it.

Congratulations to Reading Railroad and its supporters and

volunteers on a successful event. The message they are delivering

is a crucial one for the future of our community.

Today’s kindergartners will be part of the work force in as little as 10

years, and encouraging a love of books is the most important thing

this community can do to make sure these youngsters obtain the

level of education they need to succeed in a 21st century economy.

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Teaching children to love books

Indiana was among 10 states granted a waiver last week from requirements of the No Child Left Behind law. Do you believe that was a good move?

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