One Good Book

I love reading to my kids. It is so satisfying to see the kids get immersed into a story. When I read out loud I love ending a chapter saying things like, "Mmmmn, I wonder what is going to happen next?" or by simply puting the book up to my face and "peeking" at the next chapter smiling without saying anything like I've just discovered a big secret. Some of my favorite words in the world are, "Mom . . .keep reading!!!"

I remember one Saturday about a year ago, Drew was in Kindergarten and we literally read the entire book The Magicians Nephew from the Chronicles of Narnia in one day. I decided that I would follow his lead and stop whenever he wanted me to. Well . . . he kept asking me to read more and more and I did . . . until we had finished the whole book. It took the entire day.

For Christmas this year Lamon's Mom gave the kids the book Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (Not the Disney picture book version). She told the kids that part of their present would be that later in the year she would take them all to the play, but first to read the book.

Well we started it, but for some reason we set it aside. We have read lots of fun books since then, but we sort of forgot about Pinocchio. Well I was cleaning up the other day and saw it. I said, "Hey . . . we should read this!"

So for the last few days I have been reading it to the kids while they have eaten, while they have done their homework and while they have been in bed. It's been so fun to watch them react to this story. Drew would literally laugh out loud at so many different parts, and we all took turns shaking our heads saying, "Oh no! Pinocchio!!" as we had to watch him keep making mistake after mistake.

Well yesterday we started the evening off reading while the kids were doing their homework, and we had a bit of a "Chronicles of Narnia" moment. The kids did not want me to stop reading the book. Once they had finished their homework I told them that if they got all ready for bed we would say prayers and keep reading. And we did. We read until 10:00 at night (two hours past their bed time) When I read the ending it was nothing short of magical. We had taken this journey with Pinocchio. We had watched him make mistake after mistake wondering when he was going to learn his lesson. When was he going to learn that working and going to school would actually make him more happy than being idle? When would he learn to put those he loved first? When would he learn to have integrity? We wondered these things each chapter . . . until finally he does learn. He learns to work hard, to love and sacrifice and help others and finally the fairy tells him in a dream:

          "Brave Pinocchio! In return for your good heart, I forgive you all your past misdeeds. Children who love their parents, and help them when they are sick and poor, are worthy of praise and love, even if they are not models of obedience and good behaviour. Be good in future, and you will be happy."

And then Pinocchio wakes up a real boy.

I cannot describe to you how excited my children were as I read the ending. Their eyes were wide and they were grinning. When it was finished Drew, smiling ear to ear,  said with a sigh, "That was one good book!!"

But what he said next was the icing on the cake. He said, "Do you know why it was a good book? Because by reading it . . . it makes you better."

That was a triumphant moment.  And if that didn't encourage me to dip a little more into the classics . . . I don't know what will!! Priceless!!