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Worlds Between Pages

Posted On : January 22, 2010 3:43 AM | Posted By : Yemi
Related Categories: Family, Dinbit, An Hour in D's Life, An Hour in B's Life, Buchela

For as long as I remember, books have been an integral part of my life.

I read a lot as a child. I devoured full length Amharic (Ethiopian) novels in middle school and became outright obsessed with reading in high school.

I believe books helped me remain sane.

They lifted my spirit during rough times and let my imagination soar.

I remember trying to think up autumn without having ever experienced it or squirrels without having ever seen one. [Hey I grew up in communist Ethiopia - not many movies then!]

Around here, when the kids stop making noise and the house quiets down all of a sudden, it is one of two things.

Either they are up to no good or they are looking at their books.

The days I peak in and discover my kids reading fill my heart with joy.

Because later - when friends betray them, lovers break their hearts, or their parents piss them off - I want them to turn to books.

I want them to know how to find happy places in their favorite pages.

And hide there for a little while when reality sucks.

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Glad to see they're liking them! And of course D will find whatever Big Brother does really cool. But what language is that B is 'reading'? Looks a bit like Vietnamese? Cambodian?? And he got a hair cut?? Oh why, those beautiful locks gone.....I will take a wild guess that the combing sessions were getting too painful...Hope you're well and finding time to fall into some books yourself!

# Posted By milena | 1/22/10 10:06 AM

Yemi, your kids sound a lot like mine. My son got 5 Hardy Boys from his Aunt for Christmas and she was not able to talk to him
much for the 3 days she was with us. I too used to love reading, growing up and I think it made my adjustment period to life in
the US much shorter and easier. I have devoured my share of Bobsy twins, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley high and Sweet dreams in high School
to last me a lifetime.

# Posted By Mamitu | 1/25/10 8:25 AM

Milena - Buchela is reading a Thai book. We make it a point to buy children's books from countries we visit :) Not so many books for me here in China though.

Mamitu, that is great that your kiddo is so into reading. ohhh and those books - Nancy Drew, Sweet Dreams, Sweet Valley High -- I remember those too:) I also loved Amharic books by Berhanu Zerihun, Bealu Girma, Addis Alemayehu --- books by these guys I read over and over and over. I loved their use of language. I still own some of these books. This summer I bought some Amharic books but I never got around to reading them and I didn't bring them back to china because we had too much stuff. Too bad.

# Posted By Yemi | 1/25/10 4:57 PM