Thursday 4 March 2010

World Book Day

I spent this afternoon at school helping with a second-hand book sale, held to celebrate World Book Day. It was lovely to be able to observe the children choosing their books, right from the tinies at Kindergarten, up to the unfeasibly tall Year 6's and beyond. They were all very enthusiastic, and I had some great conversations with them about why they liked or disliked certain books. It was interesting to see what drew them to books (great covers and TV/film spin-offs!) and what put them off (old-fashioned or boring design, or 'too many words...'!!).

The little ones were funny, if predictable - the girls wanted books about fairies, princesses and horses, and the boys about diggers, cars and knights! One of the older boys bought a copy of Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'. Great classic but I wonder what he will make of it?! I did have to smile at the choices of one the teachers - she bought a whole armful of self-improvement books with titles such as 'Change your Life for the Better' and 'How to Get Rich'!! Perhaps she's decided teaching isn't for her!

All in all, it was just good to see that books still do hold excitement for children. In this technological age we're living in, we're led to believe that kids are not interested in books any more. But my experience today shows that it is simply not true. It brought back childhood memories of rummaging through the second hand book stall at any fete or fair in search of a new story to get lost in. What new worlds have been opened up today.... and all for the princely sum of 20p!

6 comments:

Stella said...

Books for me were always predictable friends, much more predictable than teenage girls when I was young. I just happened upon your blog and am charmed. I, too, love to write and I LOVE A good book sale. I didn't know it was World Book Day! Now I shall celebrate by reading the book on my bedside table (well, one of many)
The Portable Dorothy Parker. What are you reading right now??

Anonymous said...

I just donated a whole bunch of romances to the local libary...

Ladybird World Mother said...

I so loved going to book shops when I was a child... still do!! Take my kids along and we spend a blissful half hour browsing... glad you could see first hand the effect books have on kids. Good to see. xx

Purple Cow said...

My 10 year old daughter just finished "Treasure Island" and was so thoroughly intrigued by it that I'm sick of her jumping round the house saying "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"... I think kids will love books when their parents love them and when TV and electronic games are restricted to a degree. Book fairs really help, too.

claires inner world said...

Stella - Thank you for your kind comments! What am I reading right now? I'm reading Patrick Gale 'The Whole Day Through' and Eckhart Tolle 'A New Earth', which was given to me by a friend. I like the sound of 'The Portable Dorothy Parker'!

TaDa - I admire your generosity. I find it really hard to even lend books to people, let alone give them away! I'm really possessive over them!

LWM - Book shops are great, aren't they? I was talking to a friend the other day, though, and she was saying how the Waterstones 3 for 2 always stresses her out, as she can never decide what to get for the third book!

Purple Cow - Wow, I'm really impressed and pleased that your daughter enjoyed Treasure Island so much. I actually read it last summer for the first time, and I was worried that children might struggle with its rich language and formal construction. But I see not!! I totally agree about restricting TV and parents loving books. It's like all other behaviours - what the parent models, the child will imitate. So let them see you reading and loving reading!

John Asher said...

Yo, check out my blog, I'm writing a book, you might like it http://itsallinfrontofyoureyes.blogspot.com/2010/04/chapter-1-paradise.html