Reading with Maddie and Me
One of Maddie Johnson’s fondest memories growing up was when her mom would take her and her three younger siblings to the library in the summer. “I loved reading all kinds of books, but there was a Nancy Drew series geared toward younger kids that was easily my favorite,” Maddie recalls. With her love for books already kindled, Maddie took great joy in reading to her younger brother and two younger sisters. Maddie will be sharing her expertise and experience with you by reviewing Intrigue’s growing selection of children’s books, read her review of the beautifully written,“ Papa, Do You Love Me?”, By Barbara M. Joose, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee.
“The first thing I think of when selecting a book to read to kids are fun and interesting illustrations. Perhaps that’s because I am an artist’s daughter,” Maddie says with a laugh. While the illustrations capture a child’s attention, the next most important aspect is a clear intent or message behind the story. “Kids are a lot smarter than people think, you would be surprised what they pick up on,” she cautions, which makes it all the more important to choose stories that have a little more meaning behind them.
The stories we share with our children are opportunities to spark their imagination, broaden their horizons, and provide experiences far beyond their everyday life. “Growing up in Idaho,” Maddie muses, “I didn’t have a very diverse view of the world. Even now, through literature, I can experience things I would never be able to.” On top of widening a child’s perspective and providing glimpses of how the world works, Maddie also believes reading helps kids be hopeful for the future. “Children’s books aren’t grim or dark, they show kids how good and magical the world can be.”
Making reading to your kids a part of their routine is not only great for their mental and emotional development, it can also be a whole lot of fun for all involved. “The best part is seeing kids’ imaginations come to life. You can see them connect with something, see themselves in a character, or recognize something that they love,” Maddie says. It does require effort on the part of the reader, however. As noted above, children can pick up on a lot. If you seem bored reading to them, chances are the child will follow suit. “Being excited about reading a book helps keep their attention. Enjoying the book along with them and getting excited about what they get excited about keeps them engaged and everyone having fun.” With this sentiment in mind, we encourage you to think about it as reading with your kids as opposed to reading to your kids, and together you can make some lasting memories and foster a lifelong love of reading.
Maddie began college as a Food Science major due to her love of baking, but quickly found chemistry was not for her and the pull of studying literature was too strong. Now a proud English major, Maddie is thrilled to have another outlet to talk about books. In addition to a love and appreciation for the classics, one of Maddie’s recent favorite reads was Circe by Madeline Miller, a beautiful retelling of the Greek goddess’s life made accessible to a modern audience. Stay tuned for more reviews in the Reading with Maddie and Me series.