tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121670657790392788.post1922993984747480399..comments2022-12-12T04:31:42.099-08:00Comments on Saturday Morning Coffee and Common Core: Building Lifelong Readers: 25 Ways to Motivate and Inspire Kids to ReadSaturday Morning Coffee and Common Corehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10786194180187549552noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121670657790392788.post-83512217524059539832014-03-01T11:35:16.813-08:002014-03-01T11:35:16.813-08:00I am so glad you recognized City Lights. Another l...I am so glad you recognized City Lights. Another life time ago, I spent many, many happy hours there. Mary Ann, I cannot thank you enough for taking time to post this very thoughtful and well-written response. I am so glad today's blog resonated so strongly with you.Saturday Morning Coffee and Common Corehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10786194180187549552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121670657790392788.post-79573301316665102422014-02-23T13:36:33.568-08:002014-02-23T13:36:33.568-08:00Happily, I believe City Lights bookstore in San Fr...Happily, I believe City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, which is pictured, is one of the few independent bookstores still open and not a casualty like so many. Secondly, your wonderful words about reading resonated deeply within me. I have often wondered why some people seem to be born with a love for reading, some acquire the taste later and some people, no matter how cerebral, never sit down with a book for fun or enlightenment and consider reading like "homework". It can depend on many things. My folks read to me every night of my life and but full disclosure - one parent was a teacher. But I had three other factors that influenced me - 1) I was a solitary, shy child, 2) I always lived walking distance to a library 3) I had superb teachers in a good school system who emphasized what we now know is Close Reading and also emphasized a love of literature, words and ideas. Teachers who were probably much like yourself, Cathe. I remember in third grade, the teacher was reading a small part of Heidi every day and I was so mesmerized that I could not wait for the ending. I wanted to sleep in the hay near the goats, too! I fervently asked Santa Claus for my own copy of Heidi so I could "find out what happened" and Santa was good and granted my wish. By the way, I still own Heidi 60 years later and most of my beloved childrens' books. <br />For me books opened vistas and massive curiosity about the world and the different cultures contained therein. Because of reading, I am curious about my fellow human beings all over the world and I have amassed a knowledge and appreciation for the their art, history, food, and civilization, in general. I have also made many wonderful friends from my many travels. I love a great mystery on a long plane ride but I also love reading about the country I am about to visit. I love newspapers, magazines and a great work of fiction and a challenging piece of non-fiction. My fervent wish is that all children can be inspired by our great teachers to become avid lifetime readers. I can truthfully say that because of books, I am no longer that solitary child - I am a person with many friends and a wide variety of interests - which I owe to reading. Thank you, Cathe, for the wonderful reminder and for the huge debt we owe to the teachers who inspired us!<br />Mary Annnoreply@blogger.com