As it just so happens, I had the divine privilege of studying Children's Literature alongside Sarah at the University of Oxford in England this last spring and, quite instantly (when we serendipitously met on the plane going over), I knew she was a kindred spirit. Not only do we hail from the same great state of Colorado and share many of the same spiritual values, but she too has a deep passion for stories and the wholehearted cultivation of young minds. A full-time writer and influential friend to many, Sarah continues to share many of her own passions for living at her blog, "Thoroughly Alive." I highly recommend that you visit her page--her poems are truly restoring to the soul. But, you should know, if you do, she would recommend that you also treat yourself to a hot cup of tea at the same time... for nothing restores the soul half so well as the combination of literature and tea. (And to that I would also heartily agree.) :)
Anyhow, about her book, Read for the Heart is, at its core, a thought-provoking guidebook for going about the task of encouraging your children to read by giving them the kinds of books they will love to read. Sarah outlines not only the reasons why it is so vital that children learn to read for the sake of being able to do so in a text-driven world, but also why it is important that they read for the sake of their souls. We must teach our children to "Read to Live: for an awakened heart, a strong mind, and a steadfast soul." As she says on page 66, "Whatever children are given in their earliest years is what they will value when they grow up." So, we should give our children the best that they may value the best as they grow up.
Far too many stories that are written (or 'prescribed,' rather) for today's school children in modern, mass-marketed reading curricula are completely lifeless. Comprised of uninteresting plots and flat characters, and completely devoid of any kinds of moral structure, such stories leave children yearning for so much more. But rarely do such yearnings include wanting to read anything else. If a child's consistent impressions of reading are painfully dull, it is unlikely they will ever submit themselves to the idea of reading for pleasure. So, while students may learn a new phonics rule from a curricula-prescription book, they could learn that and so much more about life--about the world and about being a human in it--if they were simply given a better, living book.
C.S. Lewis--one of the greatest writers of theology and children's works during the twentieth century--wrote: "[Living books are those that] capture the issues of life in such a way that they challenge the intellect, they inspire the emotions, and they arouse something noble in the heart of the reader." So, if given the choice between feeding your child's mind a nourishing, interesting, living book and a processed, boring, lifeless book, naturally you will choose the former. And that is what Sarah's book is all about.
Written from a wholesome, uplifting perspective, Read for the Heart is truly as the jacket says: "like having a children's librarian as a best friend!" Almost like a catalog of incredible books for kids, the guide is organized into categories: Picture Books (appropriate for all ages), Golden Age Classics, Children's Fiction, Fairy Tales and Fantasy, History and Biography, Spiritual Reading, Poetry, and lastly Music, Art, and Nature. It's the perfect 'go-to' resource if there is a type of book your child is ready to read or interested in reading. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
If we are truly intent on Revaluing Education, we as adults must approach reading the way Sarah does: as a means of learning how to live, not just communicate. And our children must read the kinds of books Sarah suggests, the very books that will teach them how to live. By approaching reading with an appreciation for the beauty and thoughtfulness that good books embody, we will be doing our children an invaluable favor by giving them the means to learn how to live and have a passion for life. Revaluing our appreciation of books is the first step in renewing the way we think about and appreciate education and if we can revalue reading, we can revalue our lives.
And please be sure to buy Sarah's book. You will be so glad you did!
Read for the Heart is available for purchase both at Amazon and Wholeheart Ministries.
Sarah Clarkson's blog is titled "Thoroughly Alive" and can be found Here.
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