Curling Up With a Classic (Editor's Letter)
One of my most treasured possessions as a kid was my booklight. It was a little clip-on light, no bigger than the palm of my hand, that I would snap on to the back cover of whatever book I had brought home from the library that week as I plowed through pages and pages each night.
We rarely bought new books — I loved flipping through the old, worn pages of books that I could borrow for free from our local library. From the “Nancy Drew” series to “Anne of Green Gables” to “Little Women,” my favorite stories were (and still are) the classics that have stood the test of time.
And there was just something about reading in bed once the lights were out that made it feel even more like I was in my own little world with the characters — fighting the White Witch in Narnia with Lucy and Aslan or making friends with Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Woodman in Oz.
But now, as an adult, I find it so much harder to set aside time for leisurely reading. Instead, I go to sleep early (young Alexis would be horrified at this idea), turn on Netflix or aimlessly browse social media. Because I know the joy reading brought me especially as a child, I know I need to make a conscious effort to pick up a book more frequently.
I’d encourage any parents out there to hand your child a book rather than their iPhone or tablet when they go to bed. Let them experience a new world through imagination rather than a bright screen.
There are thousands and thousands of choices for every type of reader — from sci-fi to sports. Once your son or daughter gets hooked on reading with a story they love, it’ll be easy to keep a book in their hands. But since I’m partial to the “oldies but goodies” category, here are a few kid-friendly versions of classics for your littlest readers, so hopefully they’ll want to pick up the original classics a few years down the road.
Happy reading!
BabyLit Storybook for ages 3-5
Keepsake Story Collection for ages 4-9
Lit for Little Hands for ages 3-6