We've been member of justbooks.com, the local lending library for the last couple of years. Our deal with them entitles us to take 3 books at a time, and ever since Sonny boy started reading, we've been encouraging him to take one as well. All of last year, he used to browse through the Chotta Bheem comics there, while the Acha and I squabbled over who got to take the third book. But this year, things have taken a turn for the better.
I had introduced him to Roald Dahl last year, and he really liked them. He liked the writing, he liked the fact that he could share what he'd read with us, and I think one additional factor that also swayed him is that his best friend's sister is an avid reader who was suitably impressed when he said that he too had Roald Dahl. Helped him earn brownie points with his friend. Anyway, Roald Dahl is his current hero and that is that.
But then one day he came back from school all indignant. In English class, they'd been asked to share their favourite author. And on his naming his naming Roald Dahl, his teacher refused to believe him, saying that Roald Dahl books were for adults. I empathised with her- she had most probably read Uncle Oswald, or those chilling short stories that the man also wrote.
I tell you , his skill for straddling the child's world and the adult's in unparalleled. I know Uncle Oswald was how the Acha and I got introduced to Roald Dahl. The wicked writing certainly wouldn't have made us believe that he also wrote for kids! I got to know of Matilda much later...Anyway, we pacified Sonny boy saying that Roald Dahl also wrote adult books , which kids wouldn't understand, with lots of big words and all that.
Was reminded of it when, at the library, he saw Dahl's short stories ( certainly not for kids!) and grabbed onto them. Having dissuaded him from taking that, we showed him other books we'd loved as kids.
Wishing Chair? No.
Famous five? No.
Adventurous Four? No. Amma, I don't want any adventure books.
Malory Towers? Amma, I DON'T want Enid Blyton!
It seemed the skies had fallen down on my head. Not like Enid Blyton? Sacrilege! How could he not like Enid Blyton? Who was going to read all those books in our library at home, which we'd bought thinking they could be enjoyed by us and later our kid as well? I still love reading them...Sigh!
Sonny boy's favourite book is a Science Encyclopedia! My Dad would be thrilled and I'm happy too, but I don't get it. Isn't science something you study? What can you pore about for hours in an encyclopedia, for heaven's sake? The other day he was even showing something in it to Trinity, who politely tried to indulge this family member of hers who was giving her a book, instead of food ( very weird, but that's life around humans for you) There was a snippet in it on barnacles, Sonny Boy was delighted at having found out Captain Haddock's (Billions of) Blistering Barnacles and was trying to share this prized information with the dog who wandered off with a desultory wag of her tail after ensuring that there was no food involved in the exchange!
Thankfully he loves Tintin and Asterix and Amar Chitra Katha too, so all is not lost.
I had introduced him to Roald Dahl last year, and he really liked them. He liked the writing, he liked the fact that he could share what he'd read with us, and I think one additional factor that also swayed him is that his best friend's sister is an avid reader who was suitably impressed when he said that he too had Roald Dahl. Helped him earn brownie points with his friend. Anyway, Roald Dahl is his current hero and that is that.
But then one day he came back from school all indignant. In English class, they'd been asked to share their favourite author. And on his naming his naming Roald Dahl, his teacher refused to believe him, saying that Roald Dahl books were for adults. I empathised with her- she had most probably read Uncle Oswald, or those chilling short stories that the man also wrote.
I tell you , his skill for straddling the child's world and the adult's in unparalleled. I know Uncle Oswald was how the Acha and I got introduced to Roald Dahl. The wicked writing certainly wouldn't have made us believe that he also wrote for kids! I got to know of Matilda much later...Anyway, we pacified Sonny boy saying that Roald Dahl also wrote adult books , which kids wouldn't understand, with lots of big words and all that.
Was reminded of it when, at the library, he saw Dahl's short stories ( certainly not for kids!) and grabbed onto them. Having dissuaded him from taking that, we showed him other books we'd loved as kids.
Wishing Chair? No.
Famous five? No.
Adventurous Four? No. Amma, I don't want any adventure books.
Malory Towers? Amma, I DON'T want Enid Blyton!
It seemed the skies had fallen down on my head. Not like Enid Blyton? Sacrilege! How could he not like Enid Blyton? Who was going to read all those books in our library at home, which we'd bought thinking they could be enjoyed by us and later our kid as well? I still love reading them...Sigh!
Sonny boy's favourite book is a Science Encyclopedia! My Dad would be thrilled and I'm happy too, but I don't get it. Isn't science something you study? What can you pore about for hours in an encyclopedia, for heaven's sake? The other day he was even showing something in it to Trinity, who politely tried to indulge this family member of hers who was giving her a book, instead of food ( very weird, but that's life around humans for you) There was a snippet in it on barnacles, Sonny Boy was delighted at having found out Captain Haddock's (Billions of) Blistering Barnacles and was trying to share this prized information with the dog who wandered off with a desultory wag of her tail after ensuring that there was no food involved in the exchange!
Thankfully he loves Tintin and Asterix and Amar Chitra Katha too, so all is not lost.
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