Saturday, March 5, 2016

My Book Made Me Do It

I always seem to cry during read alouds.  The books are too good not to share, so I always let them have their way with my emotions.

Wonder is the latest. When Auggie overhears the cruel comments made by his best friend and runs off by himself to cry, I cry right there in front of the class.  My students have learned to be alert for telltale signs - a crack in my voice, a second-too-long pause in the middle of a sentence - and quickly offer a tissue.  “Do you need a moment?”, a student asks.  But I just press on, tilting and dabbing to keep the pages dry.

Who could sob over the farting nurse?  I’ve read Wonder at least three times now.  Each visit to the delivery room on Auggie’s birth day makes me laugh out loud. (And I’m truly more of a chuckler). This year I laughed  till I had tears in my eyes.  Not intentionally.  Words are powerful like that.

So yesterday when reading group was distracted by a sound on the carpet, and we saw Dee, deeply involved in her novel, eyes and mouth laughing along out loud...a tear came to my eye.  Another reader being pushed around by a book.

10 comments:

  1. The power of books is a wonderful thing. I distinctly remember struggling to read Anne of Green Gables to my children when Matthew dies. Also, I've never even attempted to read Robert Munsch's I Love You Forever-a guaranteed tear jerker. I love that you're open to showing your students the power of books.

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  2. The power of books is a wonderful thing. I distinctly remember struggling to read Anne of Green Gables to my children when Matthew dies. Also, I've never even attempted to read Robert Munsch's I Love You Forever-a guaranteed tear jerker. I love that you're open to showing your students the power of books.

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  3. I have several I cannot get through without choking up. Sharon Creech's Love the Dog is one. I can't count how many times I've read it aloud, and yet when Jack writes the poem about his yellow dog sky and the blue car, blue car...
    My first experiences of sitting in close with readers and letting my tears and laughs show were instructive. These were kids who didn't realize that reading is real.
    They needed permission to feel what they read. I no longer apologize for tears or hilarity.
    By the way, I like the brevity of your piece. Pointed and clear.

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  4. A fabulous read aloud that changes children forever.

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  5. A fabulous read aloud that changes children forever.

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  6. Every single time I read Wonder I cry. I am currently reading it with my own 2 little girls and I anticipate crying again. Such a great book to inspire compassion.

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  7. That's the BEST!
    Another reader born!

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  8. That's the BEST!
    Another reader born!

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  9. "Another reader being pushed around by a book." What a quotable quote and what a memorable moment.

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  10. I absolutely love the last line, by outwardly showing what it feels like to be drawn into the words, you are allowing your students to do the same. Amazing work.

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