Book club

amanda — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:38:54 +0200

Our 3-year old neighbour, Kieran, came over yesterday afternoon to show Finley two of his books: The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom ("by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler" he likes to add). Finley was thrilled since these are two of his favourite books as well. Kieran 'read' the story (not so much reading as sprouting the entire story from memory - i had to laugh when he got distracted and lost his mental place and needed to start all over from the beginning) and Fin followed along in his book.

It was so precious watching the two of them swap books through the gate (which was closed because their big Alsation Maddie likes to lick Fin like an ice-cream and Fin is a little scared and still getting used to the idea that dogs come in various sizes, some of which tower over you). Kieran hadn't read Monkey Puzzle before so I passed it through for him to have a look. Finley got all possessive over his All Time Favourite book and proceeded to collapse on the floor in a crying, screaming heap (something that has been happening with more regularity lately). I kindly asked Kieran to please pass it back to Finley and he obliged, looking on Finley's mini tantrum with a kind of delighted horror. I wasn't expecting the next part. Finley reaches out to take it and says with the most angelic baby voice you can imagine 'Eng gue' (thank you). My eyes filled with tears as they do each time I see my little baby growing up so fast right in front of me. The little baby who didn't really take an interest in books not so long ago and yet now there's this little boy in front of me who reads by himself, turning the pages, talking to himself, pointing at the images he recognises. I get to watch him discover far-off worlds and all sorts of characters and friends between their pages. Its a wonderful, exciting time.