For Parents- continued

Censure the Censor

Which leads me to the third, and final (for right now), rule. Never censor a book that you share aloud with your children. THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKELBERRY FINN contains many references to "niggers." This is a painful word today - a harmful word. But it is a word that accurately describes a time in American cultural and moral history. It is a word that can provoke you and your child into discussing many important things - how things in America have changed or not changed since Mark Twain's time, what Americans of African descent prefer to be called today and why, how powerfully painful words are when used as weapons, used to round up people and confine them in the ghettos of stereotypes.

Whoops!

I lied to you. There is another rule, which is: Read children's books. Some of the best writing today is written for children. The list of authors at the top of this column is a good start. But don't limit yourself to just them. The other day, I met author/illustrator Diane Stanley for the first time. What a joy to have met her and, through meeting her, discovering her wonderful books!

Please let me know, parent-to-parent, your rules for fostering reading in your family. Let me know what books or authors you recommend for other parents of reading children.

And, respond to my books, as a parent. And as a reader. Let me know what you think of them.

Please feel free to follow the Readers Forum link at the bottom of this page. Join others in this participation of online dialogue, celebration, thought and wonder. Feel free to email me as well.

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