My son emerged from the pages of his book stricken. How could one of the main characters have died? I remember the first time I experienced this kind of loss. I was also 8-years old, and Matthew from Anne of Green Gables died. I remember little else of that story, but I sobbed and sobbed when he was gone. I kept asking my mom, why? How was that possible? How could the author get me so attached only to rip this character from me, to make me feel like I had been abandoned? It felt deeply personal. It also felt like a rite of passage, an important step I had to take in life.
Through the places we travel in books, the people we meet, the love we encounter, we learn to explore how we feel about life and our relationships. We learn to cope with loss, to embrace joy and to cheer for our new friends when they are going through a tough time or attempting the impossible. We wrestle with ideas that are hard to comprehend in our physical world and wrap ourselves in new emotions under the safety of a book’s cover. We feel the rush of excitement when characters fall in love or the deep sadness of a relationship ending.
But finding the right books for our little ones can feel a bit like the Duke looking for the owner of Cinderella’s lost glass slipper. Not every book is the right fit. Books my older son devoured aren’t so interesting to his younger brother, and books that seem a little too heavy are ones he’s drawn to. I need to let him pick what feels most interesting and not push too hard for books I want him to read (that usually backfires).
As my husband sits on the bed and talks Elliot through Ray’s death, I see my little guy growing up. I am simultaneously watching him and reliving my own emotions through my memories. In this moment, I feel that the innocence of childhood is both intensely present and fleeting. How can this happen? If it happens in books, it can happen in my life. What would I do then?
We grow up as we read,
We get stronger as we read.
We realize the hardships and joys of life as we read.
The stories authors share carry incredible depth. They entertain, enthrall and educate us. They allow us to retreat, reflect and relate to the world around us.
And after we’ve read them, we are never the same again.
Our world is deeper and richer, and we are wiser for the places we’ve traveled, the people we’ve met and the ideas we’ve encountered. We are braver, more curious and better connected to the world because of the adventures we’ve taken through books.
Now a parent, I get to watch the intimate journey my kids take as they dive into the world of their own books. I’m learning not to push too hard and to let them find the authors, genres and types of stories that speak to them most. I get to be on the other side, helping them understand how characters can die, suffer and love, the one who watches them grapple with these new emotions and grow up along the way.
A huge thank you to all of the people behind the books that have shaped and continue to shape my life and now my children’s lives. I appreciate the gifts you offer to the world.
I am enjoying reading more in my retirement. It seemed like such an indulgence when I was working. I had the same reaction to Matthew's death in Anne of Green Gables. That series was my absolute favorite. Thank you for sharing the importance of the adventures we take in books, the lessons learned along the reading journey and your wise words about our individual choice on what books lean into our curiosity and growth. Well done!