Timeless Teachers

(Discussion Post #1) Childhood books and what they taught me.

When I was really young I read a lot of Dr. Seuss and Robert Munsch. I really enjoyed books that made me laugh and had a wild perspective on life, something that could encourage me to get out of my comfort zone if it meant I could have adventures like the characters in the books. It was around the time I became interested in illustrations as well, so the drawings became inspiration for my own artwork. Then I moved on to longer books, mostly about fantasy; Narnia, fairies, Peter Pan, animals that can talk. I remember that in my head, the pictures could move and tell the story while I was reading. I really liked picture books, but I started to appreciate when I could make the picture in my head from their words and come up with my own interpretation of what the scenery and characters looked like. And later on, I began to learn that books could have meanings beyond the literal story.

I remember having to learn the concept of sharing through The Bernstein Bears books, because I hadn’t yet grasped that taking turns and helping others was important. Since the bears were siblings, it was a way to understand what it means to have a sibling and include them even when I didn’t want to. Or in some cases, learning that my sister didn’t always want to play with or tolerate me. This was a hard lesson to learn, but important to developing teamwork and independence.

Then, it was through an arguably darker tone of story that taught me a different set of lessons. The book Tumtum and Nutmeg is about two mice trying to survive in a ‘human house’ with the help of a little girl despite the girl’s stepmother trying to kill them. Much like The Borrowers, which I also read, this book taught me empathy and integrity for creatures that cannot defend themselves or may require more help than others. There is, of course, the allegory of minority groups being oppressed as the Borrowers and mice were, but as a child I saw it as it was; if someone could not defend themselves alone, they needed my help. It didn’t matter who they were.

I think these books helped shape who I am and develop the morals that I still believe in. Exposing children to positive, thoughtful content helps get them thinking about who they are and how they make others feel. The biggest lesson I learned reading was considering the feelings of others when I spoke or took action; they got me to think about what I was doing and the consequences of my actions. These types of books are integral to children's thought process and development, and it doesn't hurt to have a pretty picture or two in there either.