Slumber Party Readathon
I invited my grandchildren, those who were old enough, to have a “slumber party readathon” Friday evening; my Father’s Day present or NOT!
The festivities began with the grandkids playing in the downstairs playroom. Next, we had a “pizza party” and then a mini-readathon. After the readathon, I watched The Princess Bride with my granddaughters while my grandsons played in the backyard with Jill. Finally, at about 1:30 a.m., everyone was finally asleep except yours truly… and of course, wake-up came early.
The following morning, Jill prepared a hearty breakfast for all of us. We had “butcher-block” bacon, scrambled eggs with toast, orange juice, and pancakes. For dessert, she served us Eggo waffles covered with applesauce, strawberries, and whipped cream.
After breakfast, I got the grandkids together and read to them “Thank You, Mr. Falker” by Patricia Polacco. Afterward, we had a conversation about the importance of reading which gave me an idea.
My Bright Idea
How can I motivate my grandkids to read? I could motivate them by offering them money for each book they read; money always works! I will call this endeavor the Motivational Book Club. The rules are as follows:
- Any book read with less than 50 pages, I will pay $1.00.
- For every book read that has between 51 and 99 pages, I will pay $3.00.
- Finally, for every book read that has 100 pages or more, I will pay $5.00.
- The book read must be brought to me so that a few passages, of my choosing, can be read to me. I will also ask questions about the book to ensure it was “really read.” We don’t read to “sound words”, but to learn something.
Other rules may follow, but these will suffice for now. So grandkids… get reading and earn some cash!
07/14/2016 – Note: Brooklyn was the first grandchild to take me up on my offer to read for cash and so the official rules page, with linked reading logs for my grandkids, may be accessed HERE.
In conclusion, I have listed below some of the reasons why reading is important. Also, I have included some of my favorite quotes about reading for those reasons.
Eight Important Reasons for Reading:
1. Reading exercises our brains and improves our memories.
In the highest civilizations, the book is still the highest delight. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
From The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
2. Reading is a great form of entertainment.
A book, too, can be a star, explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe. ~ Madeleine L’Engle
From her Newbury Award Acceptance Speech, 1963.
3. Children who read a lot do far better in school than those who don’t.
I owe everything I am and everything I will ever be to books. ~ Gary Paulsen
From his book Shelf Life.
4. Reading teaches us about the world around us.
A fondness for reading, properly directed, must be an education in itself. ~ Jane Austen
From her book Mansfield Park.
5. Reading helps to develop empathy.
Don’t let me ever hear you say, ‘I can’t read fiction. I only have time for the truth.’ Fiction is the truth, fool! ~ John Waters
From his book Role Models.
6. Reading improves a person’s vocabulary and leads to more highly-developed language skills.
If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one’s chances of survival increase with each book one reads. ~ Sherman Alexie
From an interview with the National Book Foundation.
7. Reading expands the imagination of the mind.
My alma mater was books, a good library… I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity. ~ Malcolm X
From The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
8. Reading relaxes the body, calms the mind, and improves concentration.
Yes, READING IS EVERYTHING. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Also, reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Consistant reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is an escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. READING IS GRIST and READING IS BLISS. ~ Nora Ephron
From I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman.
