Get your kids hooked on reading, and have some fun at Miami Book Fair International

I will never, ever forget the first time I read to my own child. That simple act was accompanied by a profound sense of crossing an important threshold into parenthood. It was our first night together, literally just a few hours after pushing her out into the world. I was in my postnatal bed with newborn Goldi on my chest and a copy of the Rosemary Wells version of Mother Goose.

A lifetime of imagining what it would mean to be a mommy flashed through my mind as my voice transmitted the same words spoken by generations of parents into my own baby’s consciousness -- at whatever level a four-hour-old experiences.

We all know how important it is to read to our kids from the moment they’re born. I assume I’m preaching to the choir when I underscore that this early connection to literature feeds all kinds of intelligence, from verbal skills to critical thinking. Recent studies have quantified the tremendous intellectual advantages bestowed on infants whose parents speak and read to them frequently. By the time they enter school, the effects are obvious and substantial -- these children are far better prepared for learning than kids whose early years were bereft of such verbal activities.

Reading is important because it exercises our imaginations. Flexing that muscle leads to sharpening skills across all aspects of life, and bolsters our children’s success throughout their lives. It expands problem-solving skills -- from the basics of decoding and comprehending to fostering the creativity it takes to innovate in any field. And it is essential in learning how to get along with people in relationships that span the spectrum from personal to professional. Reading keeps us busy, informed -- and it keeps us company. Thus it’s important to build a lifelong connection to reading.

While we supposedly live in a culture that values all these things, somehow we still seem to encounter a lot of blithering illiteracy and woeful lack of ability to articulate. Either I’m becoming less tolerant or this distressing situation is actually on the rise. Worse, it appears to be more and more acceptable.

But recently my heart was wrenched as I witnessed a grown man who was unable to read. He very cleverly, yet so sadly, attempted to cover his illiteracy. All I could think about was how every day must be so painful for that man. And how blessed my six-year-older reader is -- even given the fact that she still has some issues with reading confidence. We really must keep our kids growing as confident readers, and do our part to support an overall culture of literacy.

So how do I keep my kids engaged in reading amid a world of distractions, many of them digital? For me it’s all about tearing the words off the page. I do it through the dynamic use of my voice, my body, and sometimes song. In addition, there is always dialogue with the kid, which can mean Goldi’s or Izzi’s running commentary about the book as I read from it, interspersed with questions from me.

As I read a Noah story recently, I asked Izzi how he imagined it might feel to be responsible for as many animals as Noah was in the Ark -- compared to how Izzi has three cats to feed.

If we’d been reading Caps for Sale, Izzi would be asked what it must feel like to have that huge stack of caps on his head, and he’d be chiming in “Ca-aaaps, caps for sale ‘ifty’ cents a caaap!” in all the right places, as well as “tss, tss, tss,” just as the monkeys respond to the peddler. Books that rhyme or use repetition are great as they make it really easy for kids to join in the “reading” on their own level.

Another way to promote literacy and a deep relationship with books for our kids is to provide them with opportunities to see books come to life. Children’s theater, like the Playground Theatre in Miami Shores, which imaginatively produces children’s plays, is a good example. Another is the terrific programming at Miami Book Fair International’s Children’s Alley.

Anyone who has been reading this column for a while knows that I’m a major fan of the Miami Book Fair. Every year I’m completely awed by how extraordinary it is. That our entire diverse community comes together in downtown Miami thirsting for literary experience just sends me soaring to all kinds of heights.

In addition to simply exposing our kids to a bounty of books and active reading as we wander through crowds of book enthusiasts at the fair, Children’s Alley each year includes stages where storytellers and local performing artists bring stories to life. It also doesn’t hurt that kids get to cuddle up and be photographed with some of their favorite literary characters -- talk about tearing stories off the page!

See you there!

For more information about Miami Book Fair International, including schedules for children’s programming, visit www.miamibookfair.com.

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