Parents' blog
What do Bookstart parents have to say? Find out more and add your comments.
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World's youngest library members?
Posted Friday January 29th 2010
by Sarah BournLast week the Liverpool Echo ran a story about baby Charlie Harris, who was signed up as a library member when he was just eight hours old.
Charlie, who is now just over four months old, was signed up for a library membership by his granddad Noel, who works as a janitor at Halton Lea Library in Liverpool. Noel arrived at the hospital armed with a Bookstart pack, reasoning that ‘the earlier children get comfortable around books the better’, which is something the Bookstart team wholeheartedly agrees with!
Halton Borough Council were hopeful that Charlie's achievement might be recognised as a Guinness World Record (although they've since received the world record equivalent of a Dear John letter - Guinness have rejected the feat in favour of other more eligible categories). And, as an eagle-eyed Bookstart coordinator has reminded us, the impressive eight-hour signup wasn't quite a world-beater. Back in May 2009 we blogged about baby Katie, whose exceedingly quick-off-the-mark dad signed her up to the library exactly two hours and eight minutes after her birth!
Whatever the difference in hours, there's no denying that both Charlie and Katie's parents have achieved something admirable by… -
Matthew's top read: Green Eggs and Ham
Posted Monday January 11th 2010
by Jennifer Stirrup
At the moment, my four year old son, Matthew, and I are enjoying reading 'Green Eggs and Ham'. I actively encourage him to shout out the lines that he remembers, and he always enjoys raising the volume!
For example, I get him to shout 'Sam-I-AM!' at the relevant part. If he doesn't remember it, I point at him and he remembers, giggles, and then shouts it out.
I also try to get Matthew to guess the next word. 'For example, 'I would not, could not, with a mouse, I would not, could not, with a...' (point at my son) and he usually guesses 'house'. If he gets it wrong, we just laugh; if he gets it right, I make a fuss of what a clever boy he is.
I also encourage Matthew to make up his own sentences when reading the book. For example, I ask him 'What would you like to happen next? Something beginning with p...'
'PUMPKIN!' is a possible answer from him. I know it's not the right one according to the book, but I'm trying to teach him about sounds and letters.
It is a good way to encourage his memory…
