Reading Is Fundamental

When I was a kid there was nothing that I liked more than books. I wasn't really into dolls and can't really think of a particular toy that I was crazy about, but I loved books. When I was about eight or nine I would walk a few blocks from the babysitter's house to the library. I would stay in there until it was time for my mother to come an get me.

I would take a stack of 10 or 11 books (whatever you were allowed) to the counter to check out. I was really tiny as a little girl and I liked thick books. I'd struggle up to the counter barely able to see over the stack. There was one nice librarian that would always say, "Valarie, let me keep some of your books right here so you won't have to carry them all." I never went for that. I read so fast and I was afraid that I would run out of books. I remember that I would read 2 or 3 books at the same time to keep from getting bored. I think I still do that today.

Anyway, when I thought about getting the kids one of the first things that I thought about was BOOKS. Not books that I would read but really hoping that they would develop the same love for books and reading that I had. With English not being the kids first language, I've decided to order as many books as I can that are written in Amharic. Not only because of the language but also because of the culture relayed in the stories through the characters and the artwork. I am hoping to find someone here who speaks Amharic and have them read several of the books on tape. I imagine sitting down with the kids at night and reading an American story and also reading along with one of the Amharic stories with them.

I found this link to several Amharic books, let's see how many of them I have before the kids come home.