Struggling to read

Facebook memory from 6 years ago.

“Cat sent me these photos of me trying to read the words (blurry and blending into the coloured background) little man looks like he is really enjoying the story.”

The individual photos were on my Facebook post I’ve made a collage of them to add here. I was totally unaware that my daughter was taking these photos.

I remember feeling quite frustrated and sad at how difficult it was to read the words as they blurred into the background of the pictures due there not being enough contrast.

However I also remember how much fun we had looking on the map app on my iPad to see where each point on Emma Jane’s journey was as she travelled around the world after we finished the story.

I’d bought my grandson this book (along with several others) as his summer holiday reading, and chose it as he already loved learning about the flags of different countries due to his love of Formula 1 and seeing the different flags when people won. I’d thought he would enjoy reading it. He was already at the stage he was recognising familiar words. I remember Emily Jane visiting London, and Paris along her journey. Katie Haworth wrote a cracking rhyming story, and Daniel Rieley’s illustrations had us checking all the little details and gave a great feeling for all the different cities.

When we went out in the garden my grandson played flying to various countries.

I love how books open new worlds and new interests. Or introduce new aspects of our familiar world, and help us learn more about the interests we already have.

I also love that 6 years later my grandson still loves getting books from Nana, and that he’s expanded my horizons as I learn more about the things that interest him (Formula 1, Football, and Flags).

Until next time.