Today is World Book Day, so it's apt that today's post comes From the Bookshelf and I thought I'd go for some Classics. I know, I know, our bubba is only 14 months old, but there's something deeply nostalgic about them for me.
From a young age, my dad read to me every night and it was usually one of the Classics. Not long after Charlie was born, we were readmitted to hospital and one of the things I packed in our hospital bags was The Jungle Book. Although, as a child, there were lots of words I didn't understand in the stories and, of course, to Charlie it's white noise, there's something incredibly soothing about having stories read aloud, picking up on the emotions and pace with which they're read, and I hope that he'll fall in love with them as much as I did.
I collect clothbound Classics (yep, I conform to the English teacher stereotype!) and four of my childhood favourites now sit on the bookshelf in the nursery: The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and A Christmas Carol. Although he's an absolute fidget most of the time and we read him picture books more often than not, I reach for one of these when Charlie needs soothing or is in a particularly cuddly mood and he settles back listening to the sound of my voice while I get to indulge in a little nostalgia.
I know I'm biased, and I may be wrong, but I genuinely believe that being surrounded by books halves the battle and, that if your children associate books with special times with you, they'll come to associate books and reading with love so that they'll develop their own affection for them as they grow up.
So, before his nap and tonight at bedtime, we'll be reaching for one of those Classics again.
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