When I was in 3rd grade, three significant events occurred that have had a significant influence on my development as a lifelong “reader”.
First, I discovered Nancy Drew.
My mom bought me my first Nancy Drew book at a school book fair because she had read them as a little girl and loved them. And it only took me a couple of chapters before I fell head-over-heels in love with Nancy and her intrepid adventures in her baby blue roaster car with her best friends George and Bessie. I devoured Nancy Drew books…they travelled everywhere with me. Vacations, bedtime, school, Sunday dinners…there wasn’t any place in the world that couldn’t be made just that much better with a Nancy Drew book under my arm. Matter of fact, Nancy Drew was the catalyst to the 2nd significant event that happened that year.
I became a published author.
My 3rd grade teacher was my hero. Her name was Betsy Wheeler and she epitomized classroom teacher perfection for me. She always wore long, beautiful skirts with high heels and had manicured toes painted in a different color every week. She had thick, long hair that was always perfectly coiffed and a smile that would make you feel like a million bucks! Mrs. Wheeler was also a master teacher. It wasn’t long before she noticed the Nancy Drew books hidden inside my textbooks during class and the imaginative stories I was writing when I supposed to be practicing my cursive. Rather than becoming frustrated at my lack of attentiveness, she recognized a little girl with a passion for reading and a desire to be a writer. In a culture driven now by standardized tests and state mandated curriculums, I had a brilliant teacher who took the time to nurture me as an individual and to help me learn through the mediums I already loved and cared about. She provided me with literature that she thought would challenge my abilities and help expand my repertoire of reading interests. She allowed me to go to the library during a portion of the language arts period to work on writing my stories. At a time in life when I felt ugly, clumsy, and incapable, she made me feel beautiful, confident, and smart. At the end of 3rd grade, one of my picture books, “Lovisa Goes Shopping”, was placed in the school library’s permanent collection for other students to check out and enjoy. Many years later, when I was a high school junior, I was volunteering at this elementary school and went to the library one day to see what had become of my book. It was checked out! I stood alone in the library preening like a peacock for a few minutes. I was so proud!
The final significant event in 3rd grade was a school librarian who introduced me to the book “A Wrinkle In Time”. I wish I could remember the name of this wonderful woman who took the time to notice how much time I spent in her library and how quickly I devoured the books I checked out. She would discuss the books I borrowed with me and frequently ask about my feelings regarding what I read. The time she spent with me, even though it was just a few minutes each week, made me feel important. I learned how to think and talk about books because of her. I learned to develop and articulate my ideas and how to boldly share my feelings. And one day she placed “A Wrinkle In Time” in my hands because she thought I would enjoy it. This book has remained my favorite book since that time. Even now, I read the story at least once a year and always wish I could go back and have a discussion about this amazing book with my 3rd grade self. I know why I love it so much now…but what elements were so powerful to me then? What was it about me then that made this librarian recognize the potential for a powerful literary connection between me and this piece of literature? I wish I knew.
At a critical time in my academic and emotional development, I had a parent, a teacher, and a school librarian who left lasting impressions on me because of their abilities as “literary” mentors.
My mother took the time to share her passion and interests with me and kindled a love of reading through Nancy Drew.
My 3rd grade teacher took the time to really see and sought to understand the individual students in her classroom and nurtured my desires to read and become an author.
And a school librarian helped me find the joy in sharing literature and my love of reading with others…not to mention introducing me to a book that has had a very significant influence on my life over the years.
This is what the CLAU organization is all about…supporting and encouraging people who share a love and interest in children’s literature AND who want to help nurture the children of Utah in recognizing their own potential as readers and writers. CLAU is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to help promote the best of current children’s literature to parents, teachers, librarians and other individuals who work with and nurture children. The vehicle we use to promote these books is the Beehive Book Award, a unique award because the winners are voted on and chosen by children! The books found on these nominee lists are excellent resources to introduce and expand a child’s interest in reading across a variety of genres and to help introduce them to new titles and reading experiences. I want to help in that journey. As a former public school teacher and administrator, my goal through this blog is to help these books come alive in the hands of all those who desire to be “literary” mentors and lifelong readers. I want to help you make personal connections with these titles through activities, games, teaching resources, Utah based “field trips”, and other adventures. And I hope YOU will be willing to share all the wonders you have discovered with these titles as well.
So…grab a book off one of these nominee lists and let’s get started. It will be a life changing adventure…I promise.
First, I discovered Nancy Drew.
My mom bought me my first Nancy Drew book at a school book fair because she had read them as a little girl and loved them. And it only took me a couple of chapters before I fell head-over-heels in love with Nancy and her intrepid adventures in her baby blue roaster car with her best friends George and Bessie. I devoured Nancy Drew books…they travelled everywhere with me. Vacations, bedtime, school, Sunday dinners…there wasn’t any place in the world that couldn’t be made just that much better with a Nancy Drew book under my arm. Matter of fact, Nancy Drew was the catalyst to the 2nd significant event that happened that year.
I became a published author.
My 3rd grade teacher was my hero. Her name was Betsy Wheeler and she epitomized classroom teacher perfection for me. She always wore long, beautiful skirts with high heels and had manicured toes painted in a different color every week. She had thick, long hair that was always perfectly coiffed and a smile that would make you feel like a million bucks! Mrs. Wheeler was also a master teacher. It wasn’t long before she noticed the Nancy Drew books hidden inside my textbooks during class and the imaginative stories I was writing when I supposed to be practicing my cursive. Rather than becoming frustrated at my lack of attentiveness, she recognized a little girl with a passion for reading and a desire to be a writer. In a culture driven now by standardized tests and state mandated curriculums, I had a brilliant teacher who took the time to nurture me as an individual and to help me learn through the mediums I already loved and cared about. She provided me with literature that she thought would challenge my abilities and help expand my repertoire of reading interests. She allowed me to go to the library during a portion of the language arts period to work on writing my stories. At a time in life when I felt ugly, clumsy, and incapable, she made me feel beautiful, confident, and smart. At the end of 3rd grade, one of my picture books, “Lovisa Goes Shopping”, was placed in the school library’s permanent collection for other students to check out and enjoy. Many years later, when I was a high school junior, I was volunteering at this elementary school and went to the library one day to see what had become of my book. It was checked out! I stood alone in the library preening like a peacock for a few minutes. I was so proud!
The final significant event in 3rd grade was a school librarian who introduced me to the book “A Wrinkle In Time”. I wish I could remember the name of this wonderful woman who took the time to notice how much time I spent in her library and how quickly I devoured the books I checked out. She would discuss the books I borrowed with me and frequently ask about my feelings regarding what I read. The time she spent with me, even though it was just a few minutes each week, made me feel important. I learned how to think and talk about books because of her. I learned to develop and articulate my ideas and how to boldly share my feelings. And one day she placed “A Wrinkle In Time” in my hands because she thought I would enjoy it. This book has remained my favorite book since that time. Even now, I read the story at least once a year and always wish I could go back and have a discussion about this amazing book with my 3rd grade self. I know why I love it so much now…but what elements were so powerful to me then? What was it about me then that made this librarian recognize the potential for a powerful literary connection between me and this piece of literature? I wish I knew.
At a critical time in my academic and emotional development, I had a parent, a teacher, and a school librarian who left lasting impressions on me because of their abilities as “literary” mentors.
My mother took the time to share her passion and interests with me and kindled a love of reading through Nancy Drew.
My 3rd grade teacher took the time to really see and sought to understand the individual students in her classroom and nurtured my desires to read and become an author.
And a school librarian helped me find the joy in sharing literature and my love of reading with others…not to mention introducing me to a book that has had a very significant influence on my life over the years.
This is what the CLAU organization is all about…supporting and encouraging people who share a love and interest in children’s literature AND who want to help nurture the children of Utah in recognizing their own potential as readers and writers. CLAU is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to help promote the best of current children’s literature to parents, teachers, librarians and other individuals who work with and nurture children. The vehicle we use to promote these books is the Beehive Book Award, a unique award because the winners are voted on and chosen by children! The books found on these nominee lists are excellent resources to introduce and expand a child’s interest in reading across a variety of genres and to help introduce them to new titles and reading experiences. I want to help in that journey. As a former public school teacher and administrator, my goal through this blog is to help these books come alive in the hands of all those who desire to be “literary” mentors and lifelong readers. I want to help you make personal connections with these titles through activities, games, teaching resources, Utah based “field trips”, and other adventures. And I hope YOU will be willing to share all the wonders you have discovered with these titles as well.
So…grab a book off one of these nominee lists and let’s get started. It will be a life changing adventure…I promise.
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