Thursday, July 27, 2006

Books.........


My first book, "Five Go off in a caravan" by Enid Blyton was introduced to me at the age of 8 by my english tutor. The best way to learn english, she believed, was by reading. Twice a week she would patiently read with me. That was the beginning of my love affair with books. Action packed Alistair McClean romantic Danielle Steel, mysterious Evelyn Atothony, lovable vet James Herriot, thriller spinner Jeffrey Archer, Imaginative Jean M. Auel of course marvellous Roal Dahl are among the many, that accompanied me through my teen age years and into my adulthood. Yes, in keeping with times, Dan brown has joined my stable of authors.
I have this little telly in my head. Every time I read, my imagination begins...
When, Shan was 3, she just could not understand what my older children and I see in books. One day, she too decided to join in the fun. She picked up a book by shirley hughes and started to read!!!
Of course, she was looking at the colourful pictures and making her own stories. That was fine with me.
It was also the beginning of her interest in books. Learning grammar is just too tedious. Shan does not always know why or when to use the right grammar but she knows when a sentence is not grammatically correct. "It does not sound right" she would complain.

11 comments:

c a r c a r said...

i was about to blog about book too :P

guess lotsa people like this author leh.

iml said...

carcar:
Recently MOE has decided that school children should read more.
I agree totally that through reading we learn so much more:- unconciously.
Who is your favourite author?

13th Panda said...

hi there!

I read Enid Blyton's books too when i was a kid

*wink* cya

iml said...

13th (@.@)
Welcome to the club!!
I love the panda eyes!! So cute

Chris Sim said...

How did u get your kids to read? Any tips?

iml said...

Chris:
I read. I spent most of my evenings enjoying a good book before turning in. Reading in bed, and they do too.

Lam Chun See said...

I too read Enid Blyton when I was a kid. My favourites were the 'The xxxx of Adventure' series. But I am surprised. There must be at 2 decades difference in our ages right?

iml said...

LCS
Thank you for the compliment ;)
Enid Blyton may be long gone but her books are still very popular among children of ages 7 and 8. The fairies, the gnomes and who can forget Mr Pink whistle or Mr Muddle.
Roald Dahl capture the interest of the 9 or 10 with his dark sinister characters.
Do you still read?

Chris Sim said...

I used to read, and had hoped I could influence my kids. But they'd rather play with their toys.

Way back when I was in primary school, I never liked reading much either. But I remember I loved collecting books, especially the new ones. I particularly like their smell. Don't ask me why. Hee.

Lam Chun See said...

I read bible stories to my children when they were young. Now they love reading. We still recall with fondness how my youngest try to enact a scene from the Prodigal Son where the father 'threw his arms around the son' - I mean literally pull down the arms and hurl them.

iml said...

Chris
I know what you mean. I like the smell of new books too..Could it be the glue??

LCS
Reading together is a good way of bonding with the children. Great dad you are!!!