Joy of reading:
In our family, we usually choose books over TV. It is hard for Jacob and James to turn down fun kid movies and shows. However, we take them to the libraries often so they will always have plenty of reading materials around.
I love reading because this activity provides me with quiet, reflective time as well as active learning time. It is one of the few ultimate ME time. At the same time, books allow me to make the intimate connection to the authors and their thoughts and feelings.
While reading, unlike during conversations, I can easily pause and ponder over a particularly thought-provoking line. So I have time and space to think deeper about a particular issue while I read.
Books also help stir my imagination and lift me out of the humdrum of routine and everyday life. Being grounded in everyday life is vital; however, little mental gets-away will only bring me back more refreshed. To move forward, we all need to be physically and mentally refreshed from time to time.
For David, reading The Hobbit or Sherlock Holmes give him much needed rest and balance at the end of his work days. For me right now, reading the juvenile fiction series His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman is bringing me the much needed mental escape and imaginative stimulation on a daily basis. This trilogy starts with The Golden Compass. The second book is The Subtle Knife. The last book is the Amber Spyglass.
An Amazing Audio Book Series
I had my mind set in reading children fantasy books this summer because of the instructional and imaginative values they bring. They are also immensely enjoyable stories penned by literary giants such as J.R.R. Tolkiens, C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman, to name a few.
I started off with His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman and had spent many hours enjoying Mr. Pullman’s beautiful writing and genius idea of parallel universes. His Dark Materials is a page turner full of creative ideas and exciting events. The sceneries depicted in the story are simply beautiful and surreal.
The best part of this trilogy for me is the scene where Lyra and Will are in the world of the dead. Every bit of their journey, experience, and struggle there is haunting. Only Mr. Pullman could think up and describe such a tormenting place where people await their final fate and the emotional and physical state of death. His writing and imaginative quality are superb!
With the Chronicles of Narnia, I turned to audio books and have not been disappointed in the acting quality of the narrators. All narrators are Shakespearean actors who do a commendable job in describing the events, personalizing the characters and bringing to life the battles for Narnia.
David and Lam 