293. Reading Books at Eighteen Months
This grandchild is now five months away from being twelve years old. I don’t read to her much, for she reads very well by herself, writes a family newsletter, and wins awards in spelling bees. But when she was little, she used few words herself. To say “more,” she used the American Sign Language sign of fingers on each hand bunched together and moving to meet each other over and over. I look back on this day of reading with her and relish the memory.
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Reading Books at Eighteen Months – A Pantoum
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she picks out her very favorite book
I read the words with energy and drama
she smiles and helps me turn the pages
and signals “more” on the final picture
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I read the words once more on every page
she settles down content to hear again
she signals “more” on the final picture
I turn to the beginning with less energy
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she settles down content to hear again
I skip the words and notice other things
I turn to the beginning with less energy
and find the drama in my voice disintegrating
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I skip the words and notice other things
the birds, the flowers—she points for me to name—
the drama in my voice disintegrates
she loves the repetition and nods her “yes”
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as I point to name the birds, the flowers
this small one smiles and helps me turn the pages
she loves the repetition and nods her “yes”
and reaches for her next most favorite book
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© Copyright Ann Freeman Price March 2003
