Category Archives: Reading Snapshots

Photos of bookish sightings, including people “caught” reading in the wild. :)

Reading in Seattle

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A couple weeks ago, Andrea and Allison visited their cousins and uncle and aunt (Pastor Andy & Amy) at Gracepoint Seattle church. They were excited to take up a bunch of books for the boys up there, so they could have their own little Bibliopolis there. The reading snapshot I have from that trip is of Andrea reading to Eric, actually. Maybe Timmy and Daniel were at school. 🙂

She’s a reading buddy wherever she goes. An awesome reading buddy always wears shin ramen (신라면) socks!

And just this past weekend, a bunch of aunties from the very auntied-class of 2010 from Gracepoint Berkeley church, Austin church, Minneapolis church, and LA church visited, and they took a special delivery from Bibliopolis. Yes, books!

books are awesome presents

Pastor Andy & Amy, those books are for the boys! Looks like Stephen’s got his eye on that book too!

book mail is the best happy mail

Book mail is the best happy mail. Books for everyone, though Eric seems to be eyeing Timmy’s big stack there. Don’t worry, Eric, I’m sure he’ll share with you once you’re a bit older! (Psst…guys, the books are upside down.) 🙂

What was the best book you ever received as a present?*

*My friend Mary, I know what your answer is. Or what it should be! 🙂 

Being “All There” When Reading with or to Your Kids

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In our go-go-go, “Always On” kind of society, having real quality time with the people we care about most in our lives is a rare thing. Studies show that our kids are being shortchanged the most in all of this. Sadly, they are growing up in a world where to expect face-to-face conversation that is unhindered and uninterrupted by devices, even or especially with their parents, is considered “too much” and unrealistic.

Before I get too carried away with this topic — I want to save it for a review of an amazing book I’m reading right now about this very issue — I will do the “picture is worth a thousand words” thing. I’ll even throw in a video, so that must be worth a few more words! 

There’s a way in which we can turn reading to our kids into a task, something good we know we should do but only one in a long list if things we need to “get done.” We might even have our phones out and check them on the sly. But our kids notice everything. And when we do this, we forfeit a wonderful way to relate with and have a conversation with our kids, and reinforcing this way of always being “somewhere else,” even with our kids, whom we love very much.

Truly reading with or to your kids is an activity that requires a lot of care, wouldn’t you say? (I’m finding a way to connect each week’s photo challenge to reading!) Here’s a picture of Pastor Ed Kang reading to the kiddos during he and Kelly’s recent visit down to our Gracepoint Riverside & Irvine churches.

Photo and video credit to Kelly Kang, who you can tell from the video is trying to get some love from Kaylee on behalf of Anna. 🙂

And here is a video of the actual “slightly” paraphrased reading from Shel Silverstein’s classic The Giving Tree.

The Giving Tree – as read by Uncle Pastor Ed from hemilykim on Vimeo.

I know we all live busy lives, but when you set aside some time to spend reading with or to your kids, I want to encourage you to be *ALL THERE*. That means you’ll have to put away your devices and open yourself to the possibility of some conversation! I promise, your email and text messages will still be there afterwards. 🙂

Do you have any fond memories of reading with your kids? Or being read to by your parents, or others? How about thoughts on The Giving Tree…do you think it deserves all the hype? Share your thoughts!

Free Books, you say?

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One of my favorite things is the Little Free Library! They encourage people to “build a literacy-friendly neighborhood.” You might have seen them around town — I’ve spied quite a number in Alameda, Berkeley, and Oakland. I can’t have one in front of my house because of the whole HOA thing, but I love finding them, and almost always stop and take a picture of one when I see one. And I like to drop books off into them too!

Today’s reading snapshots are from our favorite triplets over at Gracepoint Berkeley church, who just happen to love reading.

little free library

“Hey, I want to read too!”

threes company reading

Reading is triple the fun when you’re outside, and you stop by a Little Free Library! (see what I did there?)

 

Do you have a Little Free Library? Or have you seen one in your neighborhood? If you’re allowed to have one in front of your house, I promise to provide the books and maintain it for you!