A smattering of reads
Around this Osborne house, everyone is reading something.
Drew is wrapped up in Royal’s tweets, blogs, articles, statistics, opinions and advice.
Oakley is into picking out his own books and likes Runaway Bunny, How do Dinosaurs…., Brown Bear, Brown Bear, the “Tractor Book”, Goodnight Moon, and the Curious George book from the library that was supposed to be for Andi.
Eli is reading about baseball from long ago (ie: Shoeless Joe Jackson) and Googling how to throw different pitches. You’ll find Eli in one of two places these days: in the chair next to the window with a book, or in the backyard with a baseball and a glove- by himself or with whoever will play.
Andi was awarded a certificate for surpassing her reading goal for the first quarter at school She has stacks of books scattered in her wake- beside the couch where she “watches” [mostly Andi reads through] Royals games, or next to her bed for “rest time”. She is on a reading romp.
I’m coming off a summer reading binge where I loved following suggestions and borrowing books that filled hours of my time…escape? Maybe. Enjoyment? Yes! I read many books now movies and am trying to see what I read. Since July, some of what I’ve read includes: Where’d Ya Go Bernadette, The Spellman Files, This is Where I Leave You, Half of The Shadow of the Wind, About a Boy, Cryptid Hunters and Zach’s Lie by Roland Smith, in efforts to see if Eli was ready to read them, and lastly, The Book Thief.
On Andi’s midterm report, her teacher said she has a better grasp of fiction than non-fiction and she should be encouraged to read more non-fiction at home.
Fiction or non-fiction? What shapes our minds more aptly? What does Andi need from a non-fiction book to enhance her comprehension beyond what a fiction book can provide?
I firmly believe, just because something didn’t actually happen, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Stories can tell the truth.
Jesus was one of the best story tellers- using parables to teach instead of straight dictation of religious facts. A parable is a short story used to illustrate a moral truth. Jesus thought story could shape spirit and direct behavior. Painting pictures with words, using characters and conflict and offering a conclusion, can make a brain path to a new reality for a real life situation.
The Royals are consuming much of our mental, emotional, and pphysicallife (yes, this post season is affecting what we eat and drink, whether or not we are up early to work out, and if we get enough sleep!) and they are directing our reading! The Royals are also writing a story- a non-fiction one with narrative invitations towards drama, hope, believing, and rallying. The non-fiction part of this real life KC adventure has the spirit of a fiction story someone should write.
We will share with Andi the non-fiction facts of nature, history, science or sports when it’s happening around her and upon assignments from school. I think the best non-fiction reading happens when we need it- like me now. I’m taking a fiction break and reading about spiritual and emotional health for me, and a book on parenting strong spirited kids.
Fiction will not fault us. Non-fiction works when we yearn for the facts and why’s behind the what’s we see and experience.
I have to think that Andi and the Royals will be okay and that both are shaped by stories of fantasy with some fact and history all woven together.
