There is no ONE book that everyone should read. (Well, there's the Book of Mormon, but I'm sure Jen chose this topic with non-religious themes in mind!) There are as many different books as there are different people, and what touches one may not register with another. But here's my selection: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I picked it mainly because of the experience I had reading it to my elementary school kids last November. Our theme was gratitude, and we read this story, discussing at length how it appeared that the boy did not have much of that quality. Yet, when life got hard, he kept coming back. He returned to the one place where he knew he was loved, and eventually, he figured it out. The first class I read it to that week was a group of 5th graders, who sat wide-eyed and silent, not knowing how to react when their librarian started to cry at the end. Every grade level got something out of this book. Our discussions were uplifting and deep. And at the end of the month, when we moved on and were preparing for December activities, I got the best reward of all. (Back-story) In the library in December, the school (translation: I) sets up a Christmas tree and the children bring canned and packaged food to donate toward gift baskets for some of our struggling families. Each child who donates gets to hang an ornament on the tree, and by the time Winter Vacation rolls around, both the tree and every inch of space underneath it are overflowing! As we talked about this activity, a 3rd grade boy raised his hand and asked me, "Mrs. Mahan, can we call it our Giving Tree?" (I'll wait while you grab a tissue.....I'll join you)--- and the book has been regularly checked out ever since. In today's world of egocentric and 'entitled' youth, it meant so much to me to see evidence that these children really do have kind and generous natures. We need to give them more opportunities to develop this quality. No, we don't want to raise a generation of doormats, but we do want to nurture their innate desire to give of themselves to others without expecting rewards. It's called charity, and its spiritual definition is "The Pure Love of Christ". The Golden Rule. So read this book together, and enjoy discussing it with your family.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Oct Blog Challenge Week 4: The One Book I Think Everyone Should Read
There is no ONE book that everyone should read. (Well, there's the Book of Mormon, but I'm sure Jen chose this topic with non-religious themes in mind!) There are as many different books as there are different people, and what touches one may not register with another. But here's my selection: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I picked it mainly because of the experience I had reading it to my elementary school kids last November. Our theme was gratitude, and we read this story, discussing at length how it appeared that the boy did not have much of that quality. Yet, when life got hard, he kept coming back. He returned to the one place where he knew he was loved, and eventually, he figured it out. The first class I read it to that week was a group of 5th graders, who sat wide-eyed and silent, not knowing how to react when their librarian started to cry at the end. Every grade level got something out of this book. Our discussions were uplifting and deep. And at the end of the month, when we moved on and were preparing for December activities, I got the best reward of all. (Back-story) In the library in December, the school (translation: I) sets up a Christmas tree and the children bring canned and packaged food to donate toward gift baskets for some of our struggling families. Each child who donates gets to hang an ornament on the tree, and by the time Winter Vacation rolls around, both the tree and every inch of space underneath it are overflowing! As we talked about this activity, a 3rd grade boy raised his hand and asked me, "Mrs. Mahan, can we call it our Giving Tree?" (I'll wait while you grab a tissue.....I'll join you)--- and the book has been regularly checked out ever since. In today's world of egocentric and 'entitled' youth, it meant so much to me to see evidence that these children really do have kind and generous natures. We need to give them more opportunities to develop this quality. No, we don't want to raise a generation of doormats, but we do want to nurture their innate desire to give of themselves to others without expecting rewards. It's called charity, and its spiritual definition is "The Pure Love of Christ". The Golden Rule. So read this book together, and enjoy discussing it with your family.
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