A Quote Worth Sharing About the Value of Reading to Your Children (not that you need it...)





 

"Your instincts as parents are correct: a minute spent reading to your kids now will repay itself a million-fold later, not only because they love you for reading to them, but also because, years later, when they’re miles away, those quiet evenings, when you were tucked in with them, everything quiet but the sound of the page-turns, will, seem to you, I promise, sacred." 
- George Saunders

Thank you to Bottom Shelf Books: Picture Books from a Somewhat Grown-Up Perspective for sharing this quote from the bestselling author of Tenth of December: Stories, among others, and for introducing me to a fantastic blog. Saunders wrote a guest post in 2007 at Jenny Rosentrach's food blog Dinner, A Love Story: It All Begins at the Family Table. Although he admitted his kids are grown now, Saunders talked about kid's books he and his girls loved. Dinner, A Love Story: It All Begins at the Family Table is also the name of Jenny's cookbook (and more) that comes out in paperback this May. I was thrilled to discover that Jenny's blog also happens to be a great resource for some very cool kids books, beyond those suggested by Saunders, with reviews of titles she is reading to or with her own kids. 

Saunders is the author of ONE children's book, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip, which is illustrated by the brilliant Lane Smith, and was published in 2000. In 2000, Saunder's Pastoralia had come out to very good reviews and his previous book, CivilWarLand in Decline was what all the cool kids/booksellers/literati were reading and talking about. So, of course I nabbed a (signed - don't ask me how) copy of The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip when I had the chance. I know I read it but I don't remember it... I thought about reviewing it on my blog, but never got around to it. I was thrilled to learn that McSweeney's released a paperback version of The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip in 2006. So, look for my review of The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip here soon! Until then, here are some illustrations from the book to enjoy and I hope you will click the link and check out Saunder's kid's book recommendations as well as spend a little time perusing Jenny Rosentrach's blog which made my stomach growl so much I have to stop writing and eat breakfast...

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