Reading starts at an early age. How early? As early as you can imagine - from the womb. I used to read when I was pregnant with my baby. But after she was born, I was limited to baby books and baby-related articles online.
But, my husband and I also developed one more practice - reading to our daughter. She usually just grabs the books, tries to eat it, loses concentration or simply throws the book. Not that she is not interested in reading - it's the way babies are :) They think books are toys.
We kept reading and showing the books to her. One of my husband's favourite books as child was "Three Billy Goat Gruff." (Nah... never heard of either..) So, that's the book we always end up reading because the story gives so much of animation opportunities - like the different sound we can make while narrating and the different types of voices we can use to identify the characters.
And also, those were the only board books I bought for my daughter - so really there isn't much options either. :P
Recently, I discovered (quite fashionably late as well) that Book Excess has huge store at Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya. Who are these people? They are the parents of Big Bad Wolf book fair. I am definitely not a fan of BBW. I've been there only once, and probably due to the fact I was heavily pregnant at that time (I went into labour one day after visiting BBW), I didn't enjoy the walkabout that much and the titles offered did not fascinate me either. So the following year (last year in fact), I deferred my trip there.
However, their physical store was completely a different story. My, oh my! So many books - especially children books! I was ecstatic! Why? It's just one station hop from my office. I can catch my lunch and shop for books well within my lunch hour! It was just amazing! And how stupid I have been not noticing this before. Well, not too late I hope.
So I went on a shopping spree buying children books for my daughter. A great find was Roald Dahl set, and a classic bedtime storybook - We're Going on a Bear Hunt. I came back with loads of board books and stories and I aim to get plenty more. We're going to build a little library, remember? :P
Now, my daughter points to "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" title every night before bed time. My husband and I, will animate the words and sing the story to her (no, we did not make the song up. It's from YouTube by the writer himself, alright?) Well, she responds to "uh, oh!" and "oh, no!" for now :)
She will then flip the book and tries to read it on her own. It's really adorable. Really. Every single night.
Anyway, thanks to my generosity in supplying fresh titles to my tot, we have forgotten the old ones. We haven't touched those old baby books in ages!
Today something wonderful happened. My 16-month-old daughter was busy walking around the house, and I suddenly found her scrummaging the area we used to keep all her older books. She picked up a book that I have not read to her for quite some time now - The Three Billy Goat Gruff!
She walked up to me, passed to book to me and gestured to read it for her. When I opened the book, she stopped me and gestured that she wants to sit on my lap. Yeah, I remember - I used to read that book while she sits on my lap! Aww... my little girl wants me to read her a book! It was just a warm feeling and I felt all those days showing her the books, trying to read to her while she tries to munch the pages has finally paid off. Now, she wants to read all the time. Well, she doesn't exactly "read'. For now, she's flipping the pages carefully and looks at the pictures.
A little bookworm in the making?
Not quite there yet.
But, we're getting there!
