I remember when I was 3 or 4 years old, my mother read me a new book, Fox in Socks, by Dr. Seuss. What really impressed me about it was the warning at the front: “Take it slowly. This book is DANGEROUS!”
Perhaps that was why, over the years, I was inordinately proud of being able to read it quickly. I am the third of thirteen children, so I got plenty of practice reading aloud to my younger brothers and sisters. Then I started reading aloud to my own sons. I think it was as an adult that I finally got where I could read all of Fox in Socks quickly and without a mistake. And that was an accomplishment that took years to achieve! (Though I don’t prove it here. I think the camera flustered me!) Now that my sons are grown, I’ve become a librarian, so I can continue to read aloud to children.
About a month ago on YouTube, I saw a video of a teenager reading Fox in Socks extremely quickly. Much, much faster than I can do, no contest.
However, watching that video gave me the bug. I can go pretty fast, and I think listeners can actually understand what I’m saying. At any rate, I wanted to make my own video, because what a lovely excuse to read Fox in Socks as fast as I can! And what better day to pick than Read Across America Day, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday?
So I made an announcement in the library and rounded up the kids in the children’s area so I had an audience, and went at it. Lots of fun! I will have to try to do it faster (and with less flubs) next year.
After tweeting about reading Fox in Socks, I came up with the following about School Library Journal’s Battle of the Books:
When a reader tweets on twitter about which novel is the sweeter, it’s a
Tweeting Reader Sweeter Novel Twitter Chatter Battle.
Happy Read Across America Day, everyone!