Tuesday Open Thread: Children's Literature and Our Forever First Lady
The joy of reading.
The love many of us here at EB have for printed word more than likely stems from our childhoods. For myself, I was fortunate to have two college-educated parents who developed in me early on a love for literature. The local Barnes and Noble was my favorite store growing up because I was always allowed to pick out one book and an accompanying bookmark for my purchase. Early on, I became enthralled with the children's literature of the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Supermysteries. In middle school, I progressed into a Star Wars spin-off series called X-Wing: Rogue Squadron. By high school, when I was reading assigned literature, I was venturing into a variety of fiction from classics like Catch-22 to modern thrillers like Dan Brown's DaVinci Code. Currently, I try to find a balance between some of my favorite authors like Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Dave Eggers, Jon Scalzi, and George R.R. Martin along with social science books on race, power, and organizing to aid me in my professional development. I also occasionally delve into classic young adult novels and used my recent quarantine time to finally finish off the Harry Potter series after taking a year-long hiatus.
Looking back, I know how fortunate I was to have two supportive parents who helped me catch the reading bug early on. I also know how fortunate I was to have the financial ability to frequently purchase literature to take home with me. Not all children have this and it is during those early elementary school years where access to home literature can be crucial for a child's development. For children without literature in the home or a parent who is isn't afforded time to read to them, it can be a struggle to catch up to their more affluent peers. Children of lower socioeconomic status actually lose momentum and typically come back to school behind their more affluent peers due to the lack of access to classroom literature and instruction over the summer. Now, at a time when our nation's public school will be out of formal sessions for an additional 3 months, the odds of that gap increasing now poses a significant barrier to our nation's most vulnerable children.
Enter Forever First Lady Michelle Obama.
Knowing the importance of reading and knowing that our nation's parents might simply need a break, the former First Lady has begun a series of four consecutive Mondays hosting a read aloud on PBS' website. The series kicked off on Monday with the reading of The Gruffalo. This is exactly the type of action that endeared the nation to our former First Lady and is exactly what someone with a platform can and should be doing during this time. It's why she's our forever First Lady: she knows what children need and when they need it and she isn't afraid to command a national platform to help it be delivered. This is one of the many reasons why Michelle Obama is such a hero for many of us because she gets it. She understands the situation and she understands that she still has the power to make a difference even though she no longer has an official title. In the absence of any sort of empathy or leadership from the current East Wing, she is stepping into the void and bringing smiles to millions of American children.
For that, she deserves our eternal appreciation.