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Penguin blogger Jessica Lee answers the question: What was your strongest/favorite memory of reading during your childhood?
Mine was at the library. When I was 7, I remember spending hours at the Commack Branch Library on Indian Head Road in Commack, NY. On weekends or weekdays over the summer, my mom would drop me off and leave me there for hours - my childhood playground. She would do her errands and come pick me up when it was closing time; I’d say that was the smartest form of babysitting a parent can get – free and educational. I would take my summer reading lists, book reports, projects and bury my head in all of the books in the children’s & educational research sections before scouring the magazine racks looking for the latest issue of Bop, my guilty pleasure. Unbeknownst to my mother, I developed a passion for books at this playground. Because English was her second language, my mother didn't read aloud to me because of our communication barriers and she didn't know the classic American children’s books, but she provided me with the opportunity to learn the Western culture while retaining my Chinese roots at home. I never thought these formative years would land me in the publishing industry; I now get to work with books, market books, yearn to learn more, and of course read the latest books. Books offer a salvation, they educate, they give us joy, they let our imaginations run wild, and most importantly, they make a difference. Books have helped me cross the bridge into the Western culture and have opened my eyes to so many more things my mother was unable to have in her childhood. For that, I owe her the world.
Respond to this blog post and tell us: What was your strongest/favorite memory of reading during your childhood? Before bedtime? During class? After school? With a teacher? With your parents?
On April 2, Penguin will publish What to Read When by Pam Allyn, a book for parents & educators on how to choose the right books to shape thoughtful, creative, curious children…a book about books for a generation filled with electronics and technology. A tough obstacle, for sure… but how do we get our kids to read the classic books we once read? How do we get them interested in reading over playing video games? Do we buy Kindles instead of books & bookshelves? Can we utilize today's technology to read aloud? Allyn’s book will help parents create this love for reading in their children and help them understand the wondrous power of reading books aloud. I honestly think nothing can compare to the act of flipping a page or sticking a bookmark to remember where you left off. Whether it’s a physical book, or a new form of literacy, like the internet, Kindle, or eBook, you can discover the endless possibilities of reading with, to and alongside your child. What to Read When is a diverse, inclusive, and imaginative grouping of books for parents and children to enjoy together.
Posted by: Jessica Lee, Marketing Coordinator, Avery Publicity
Pam Allyn is a Penguin guest blogger the week of 3/30 - 4/3. View her posts here.
These are Penguin Group, Inc. books Pam Allyn references in her book:
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What to Read When, 
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