The following guest article comes from Michigan Senator Thomas Albert.
March — the month when we traditionally focus on motivating young people to read — has snuck up on us again. This year, I thought I would take a fresh look at the significance of childhood reading beyond just that of basic comprehension. Yes, comprehension is important — but as I look at my own childhood, and now toward my own children, I see a dimension well beyond humdrum reading mechanics.
Before I could read, I remember quite well prolonging the loathsome nightly order from my parents that it was time to “go to bed.” I did have in my arsenal one tried-and-true method of delaying the inevitable. I would ask: “Mom, can you read me a story?” And without fail, she would always acquiesce. Now that I am a parent myself, seeing what comes with those daily responsibilities, I understand the true significance of her charity.
There was one book in particular, called Strangers’ Bread by Nancy Willard, that my mom would read with unparalleled enthusiasm. It was a story about a young boy, Anatole, who would wait outside a store until called upon to deliver goods to customers. Anatole finds himself walking all the way to Mrs. Chiba’s house to deliver a loaf of pumpernickel bread.
Along the way a fox, rabbit, sheep and bear all appeal to Anatole’s good nature and convince him to share the bread with them and bum a ride in his wagon. In truly humorous fashion, before long, poor Anatole is unable to pull his wagon with such an oversized load. In a twist of fate, the animals declare “one good turn deserves another.” They then pull the tired boy to Mrs. Chiba’s house — only for him to stand on the front porch empty-handed.
Anatole decides “the truth is best, even when it sounds like a lie.” He confesses to the assortment of wild animals eating the bread. After an awkward silence, Mrs. Chiba finds a way to forgive the poor child — remarking she should have ordered two loaves. She recalls her own mother’s words that “If you have two loaves, give one to your friends.” To which Anatole innocently and nobly remarks, “and if you have one loaf, give it to your strangers.”
I do not summarize this story simply to reminisce, but also to illustrate how good literature can help mold a child’s imagination toward what is virtuous or rightly ordered. It is much easier for a child to see the goodness of a virtuous act — in this case honesty, compassion and understanding — through the imagination. Good stories like Strangers’ Bread highlight universal and timeless truths, which, God-willing, will have profound and positive impacts later in life.
I have discovered recently the massive trove of good children’s literature that has been written in the past. Many people may be initially put off, or even intimidated, at the sound of classic literature — but the hesitation is indeed unwarranted. The advantage these works have over the contemporary is time. Over many years, you could say the wheat is separated from the chaff.
I can attest from experience in reading to my own kids, there is a timeless enthusiasm reading works such as Pinocchio, Andersen’s Fairy Tales, The Princess and the Goblin, and Little House in the Big Woods. And if one really desires to explore stories which have stood the test of time, the greatest teacher of all time reached the imagination through use of parables, which can be found in countless children’s versions of the Bible.
As we go through this March is Reading Month season, I hope to encourage people to see the value of reading beyond an essential skill needed later in life — but also as an invaluable means to instilling virtuous principles within our young. I, for one, am eternally grateful my mom saw through my ulterior motive of simply wanting to avoid bedtime and decided to read good books to me anyway.
There are plenty of lists of good books available, but I would recommend John Senior’s ‘The Thousand Good Books’ as a starting point.
State Sen. Thomas Albert represents the 18th District, which includes Barry County and portions of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent, and Ionia counties.
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