Published in the March 19-April 1, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Marty Cheek

Marty Cheek

Marty Cheek

Growing up in Hollister, one of my favorite activities was going with my mom or dad to the town’s small library and checking out a small stack of books to take home. Dr. Seuss hooked me on reading as well as the captivating monsters the boy Max in Where the Wild Things Are discovers in his island adventures.

The stories I discovered in books as a youngster allowed me to — safely under the covers of my bed or high in my tree fort — explore the fantastic made-up worlds of Oz, Narnia, Middle Earth or the ancient cities of Ray Bradbury’s planet Mars. Reading took me away from reality and exercised my imagination enough for me to create my own worlds in my mind. I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged me to read.

Participating with more than 100 residents in the recent Read Across America program in Morgan Hill schools helped me to see how vital it is for young people to develop early in their lives a dynamic passion for reading books, newspapers, magazines and other written material.

March 4, I visited second-grade teacher Beverly Jensen’s class at Jackson Academy of Math and Music and read to the group of young people the picture book What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Robin Page and Steve Jenkins. As the students sat crossed-legged on the floor in front of me, we explored animal parts such as tails, ears, mouths, noses, hands and feet, the children guessing before I turned the page what creature might possess the various unusual appendages the book presented.

When we finished the book, I asked for a show of hands from the children who thought that reading was fun. Every hand shot up. Several kids shouted they loved to read. That’s an encouraging sign.

My hope is that Jensen’s class of second-graders keep up their love of learning through reading all their lives. This vital skill will open up doors to many exciting opportunities and adventures for them. Reading will not only sharpen their minds and help them to think analytically and creatively, it will help them to better understand themselves and the world around them.

Reading is one of the most challenging skills to learn. In our 21st century world where people are so socially and economically driven by the never-ending exchange of information, reading has become the most crucial skill a child can gain.

For the protection and enhancement of their quality of life, we need to make sure that the young people of Morgan Hill learn to read effectively and grow into constant readers.

If you have young people in your life, I encourage you to read fun, age-appropriate books to them — and help them gain a passion for going through the hard work of learning how to read for the simple pleasure of learning.