Why Reading Rocks

Despite the fact that I do not volunteer for the Literacy Network of Greater LA (yet), I managed to get an invite to the Network's volunteer appreciation brunch this past week at the Hollywood Bowl. So my friend and I traipsed over to the Bowl Museum patio, which is gorgeous, and chatted with the staff (who is AMAZING) and ate yummy food. And most importantly, heard about and from people who are giving of themselves to help fellow Angelenos become literate. Hooray for them! My grandmother was a literacy tutor once upon a time (and we just commemorated what would have been her 83rd birthday earlier this week) so it was a nice way for me to honor her memory and also realize what an awesome gift she gave to others during her life. Yay Grandma.

I was really curious about the keynote speaker, a Dr. Danny Brassell from Cal State Dominguez Hills who is an associate professor of teacher education. He spoke about "creating readers for life," which most of you know is something is something I care a lot about. And at the same time barely "get" b/c I became a "reader for life" so young, and so without intention - there's this part of me that can't understand not loving reading. So I was worried when I heard 45 minutes, but those were 45 very short minutes. Brassell was a fantastic pick for a Saturday morning brunch: energetic and funny and irreverent and goofy. He treated us like we were about 8, and that was fantastic. And in the end, his main message was simple. You have to meet readers-to-be where they are at. It's not about you, it's about them. Plus, it's easier to remember things when they have a jingle or a dance. But you already knew that, right?

Here's his website. Where he recommends what clearly my parents did to create me.

My mission is to increase interest in reading by providing cool, short book recommendations for all ages. From interest comes devotion. As teachers, parents or whatever state we find ourselves in, we often cannot find time to read for fun, and I think it is important that our children see us reading for pleasure.

Exactly. You rock. Reading rocks. I need to do more of it.