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Her Book by Gigi McAllister
It is around 7:00 in the evening and my daughter Molly and I are snuggled together on the couch reading aloud from a book with an almost empty box of tissues between us. We are a sobbing, blubbering mess and I couldn’t be happier. The book we are finishing is Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s powerful tearjerker, One for the Murphys.
I have written about my struggles as a reader here at Nerdy Book Club before. When I had my daughter, I was determined that she would be a reader. I did everything that parents are “supposed” to do. I read aloud to her starting from infancy, brought her to the library regularly, shared my reading life with her and bought her every book a little girl could want. It turns out that parents can do everything right and a kiddo can still not love to read.
She is in sixth grade now. She absolutely loves school and always has. Her teachers are her idols and, unfortunately, none of them has been truly crazy about reading or connected with her through books since first grade. Her school district has a scripted program for grades K-5 that, in my opinion, kills the love of reading. Instead of reading books at school, she has been reading anthologies and leveled readers with weekly quizzes. Gee, I wonder why she has never liked to read?
This school year she has started to read a bit more. In her school library there is a chart to keep track of students who are reading this year’s state award books. She decided to put her name on the list and read a few. I was very happy that she was reading more and seemed to enjoy her books. One afternoon, I arrived home to see her holding One for the Murphys. “Yay! You’re reading One for the Murphys. I love that book.” I squealed. I tried not to get overly excited because nothing kills her interest in a book more than my excitement.
“Yeah, it’s really good so far” was her response. I celebrated secretly and tentatively, knowing her track record for frequently abandoning books. But, to my delight, she kept reading it. Soon she was telling me what was happening with Carly and the Murphys and sharing her feelings about this emotionally charged book.
We finished reading the book aloud together, taking breaks to cry and hug each other. Her reaction at the end of the book took me completely by surprise. “I hate this book!” she wailed as she hurled it across the living room. She cried as though her heart was breaking into pieces because that is exactly how she felt. (Spoiler alert) “Why did she have to goooo?” she wailed. “I need to know what happens to her!” It was the most precious moment we have shared with a book and I will treasure it forever.
In that moment One for the Murphys became HER book, the book that changed her as a reader. She was so affected that she wanted to share this book with the world. She begged me to help her start a blog so that she could tell others about books she was reading.
She has posted a few times on this blog if you would care to check it out. It is called Molly’s Crazy About Books. Reading is still not her favorite activity, but I know now that she will become a reader because she found THE book that spoke to her.
Molly was excited about my NCTE haul.
This hat is just like the one Mr. Murphy gives Carley.
I told this story to several people at NCTE in Boston. Most reacted with versions of “She found her book.” So I pose these questions to you my nerdy friends. Do YOU have a book that ignited your reading fire? What books have spoken to your students? Your children? What do you do to connect students to their book?
Gigi McAllister teaches 4th grade in Gorham, Maine. Since she was a reading late bloomer, she is trying to make up for lost time by reading all the children’s books she can. She is committed to helping her students become lifelong readers. She serves on the Maine Reading Association executive board and nErDcamp Northern New England planning committee. She blogs about books and reading at www.thelatebloomersbookblog.blogspot.com You can also visit her on Twitter at @GigiMcAreads.
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Oh how I love this story! Thank you for sharing it! Many of my sixth graders reacted the same way to One for the Murphy’s!! My book? Well, I’ve always been a reader…but my book…Anne of Green Gables! I felt like Anne Shirley was real. I wanted to be friends with her. I read and reread that book so many times…she’s a part of me. Thanks for the chance to share this memory! Happy Reading!
What a lovely and powerful book experience you had with Anne. I love how some books just become part of us. Thank you for reading my story.
I remember Wrinkle in Time as one of those books that hooked and changed me, mainly because no one else I knew was reading it or even know anything about it. It was like a secret literary club of one. Me. Even today, I think about the twists of science and fantasy of it, and it brings me back to childhood.
“A secret reading club” I love that. What a fantastic book that has stood the test of time. Thanks for sharing your book.
Your daughter’s story reminds me a little of Abby in Clements’ Extra Credit. Abby can read, but just doesn’t like it; she has caring parents, teachers, and ability, but just doesn’t like to read. One reason I liked the book was that I figured there were many students who could relate to Abby.
I don’t have a single book, but have my first memories of reading Winnie the Pooh and To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street aloud with my dad. I can still remember the joyful noise of cracking open the mylar-covered Little House on the Prairie that was the first chapter book I owned.
Thanks for sharing your stories. Happy New Year of reading!
Thank you Susie. I have the book Extra Credit, but have never read it. You can bet I will now. You have some wonderful reading memories. I like what you said about Little House. What a great series of classic books! Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Your post made me cry as I’m sitting in the kitchen with my 14 year old daughter who doesn’t love to read. The book that made me a lover of reading is The Hobbit. My uncle gave it to me when I was 19 and in college. There’s still hope!
There’s always hope, Tracy. Trust me.
Absoultely, there is hope. Molly is certainly not a reader yet, but I know now that she will be and that is enough for me. The more I suggested books, the more determined she seemed not to read them. It’ll happen, I’m sure of it.
I love this story! Thank you for sharing. Good job, mom, for your patience and persistence. One of my biggest thrills is that my kids are old enough now to read books off “my” shelf and then I get to enjoy them all over again through their reactions! My book was ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY. Even though I grew up in the midwest in deep suburbia, I completely connected with the characters and the story rocked my little sheltered world. Happy reading to you and your daughter!
Thank you for your kind words Nancy. I look forward to many more book interaction with Molly as she grows.
The book I first remember crying over was Black Beauty. I then went on to read all of Walter Farley’s books. My daughter was also a non-interested reader. She has become a non-fiction reader now as an adult however. I still prefer fiction, “to each his own” as they say.
You bring up a great point, fiction is not for everyone. Many students (and adults) prefer nonfiction. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
My daughter Anna always loved books, but she found Her Book when we read Deborah Wiles’ book, Love, Ruby Lavender. Anna found her first book character that meant something to her like a loyal friend. It is now the first book she rereads during the first days of summer. This is the book she gives to favorite people as a gift. 7 times and counting and Ruby is still an important person to Anna….and to me. I so enjoyed your post!
That is so wonderful. I have Love, Ruby Lavender, but have not read it yet. I will have to add it to my must reads. Thank you so much for sharing this story.
I too, am a late bloomer. Wrinkle in Time was MY book in junior high. I also remember my mom letting me stay home to read Love Story. My best friend, a life-long voracious reader, handed me Bourne Identity near the year it was written. But, I still didn’t become a “reader” until I quit my teaching job and was a stay at home mom. My youngest being my “emergency room” child. I decided I was going to write a book. Our library was just blocks from our home and I started reading middle grade books. It didn’t take me long to realize that although I loved to write, writing a book was HARD work. I may have decided that writing that book wasn’t going to happen at that time in my life, but reading became a must. I was around 33 at the time. I loved books so much that when I got back in the schools, one of my jobs was a media assistant and eventually I found my dream job and became a media specialist/tech teacher.
Talk about a late bloomer, my hubby retired and one day said, “I’m bored.” He hadn’t read an actual book since college. He reads both papers front to back every morning, cutting out comics for me. So, I handed him the book I just finished, Victoria Hanley’s Violet Wings. She lives in a neighboring town and I know her through her talks, Facebook, and such. He finished it and declared, “It just stopped. It ended. But the story isn’t finished.” I patted his hand and told him, “it’s a series…you’ll just have to wait until the next one comes out.” Then he nearly shouted, “Wait…what do you mean…it’s not written yet?” “Welcome to my world, sweetheart.” We’re on winter break from school and the other day he said to me, “You know that with you being home, you’ve really cut into my reading time.” Since Violet Wings, he’s read almost every single day. That was five years ago. He also volunteers in our library and loves recommending books to kids. It won’t be long before I retire and my reading time will be freed up a hundred fold. I can’t wait! PS. With the help of Donalyn Miller’s Book Whisperer, I talked my school into dropping AR! Proud!
Wow! I would consider the dropping of AR to be a great accomplishment indeed. I love this story. You should consider doing a Nerdy post yourself. My husband is a newspaper reader as well and has not read a book since I met him 15 years ago. Maybe there is still hope for him. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I also found reading very difficult as a kid but a librarian read part of A wrinkle in Time to us and I knew I wanted to read it. She did not say it is to hard for you or it’s not your reading level. She let me read it every day in class, helped me where I was struck and I was lost in books forever. For my daughter it was Charlotte’s web that we sat and cried over years ago. She now teaches and share books with children as much as I.
So fun to think about that “One” book! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this Joanne. I am hearing a lot about A Wrinkle in Time today. It is truly a powerful book that has had an impact on many readers. Kudos to your teacher for encouraging you to read it. Charlotte Web is another great example of a classic story that stands the test of time. Thank you for commenting.
I can’t think of a specific book that made me a voracious reader. I was lucky to always enjoy reading. My sister told me over the holidays that the one thing that used to really make her mad is when I would steal her library books and read them before she did! But, for my sixth grade students, my story is often like your daughter’s story. Most enter with a terrible attitude about reading for many of the same reasons you listed. But, I work so hard to get to know them personally and find that right book to excite them and turn them into readers. This year one of the best has been SEE YOUR AT HARRY’S by Jo Knowles, another was EYE OF THE STORM by Kate Messner. I read aloud ONE FOR THE MURPHY’S and it also was an instant hit. In the past students have loved CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson, and a new addition this year, STRONG DEAF by Lynn McElfresh was extremely well liked by my class. Every year it changes, and the challenge for me is to keep up with the new literature additions to make sure I can match all interests of my students! What fun! I have to READ to do my job well…one of the best “requirements” of my job!
Deb, thank you for doing all that you do for your 6th graders. It is such an important time for them as they are still developing lifelong reading habits. The books you mentioned are wonderful and belong in every middle school class library. Chains is a particular favorite of mine. Thanks again for sharing today and for all you do each day.
Great post, Gigi! I always love to hear those break through moments for kids as readers. It’s even more poignant that it is your own kiddo! Sounds like she really connected with Carly. That’s what good fiction can do for our readers! Lynda Mullaly Hunt made her characters so real that I couldn’t help wanting to bring Carly home myself. I still wonder how she’s doing!!
Ha! I do too and I’m sure Lynda does as well 🙂 Thank you for your comments.
I am so very touched by this post today–thanks so much, Gigi. I am thrilled that I have played a part in Molly’s discovery of how wonderful it can be to let one’s self seep into a book. They do become part of us, don’t they?
I, too, did not love to read as a child–something else we have in common, Gigi! I did a Nerdy post about it here: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/?s=Lynda+Mullaly+Hunt&submit=Search
MY book was The Cay by Theodore Taylor. As soon as I’d finish reading the last page, I’d turn back to the beginning and start again. I realized about six months after One for the Murphys was published that the relationship between Phillip and Timothy is not unlike Julie Murphy and Carley. Guess I’d been carrying that around…
Lastly, I doubt many authors wish to hear that their books have been thrown across the room–but I am delighted by it. So sorry, Molly. Honestly, I wanted her to stay, too. I even wrote that ending. But, it was not authentic writing. I am honored that you felt connected enough to Carley to be so upset on her behalf. Thank you.
Thank you again, Gigi. To say this makes my day is an understatement. 🙂
Ah my friend it was a delight to write this post. I can’t believe that I missed your Nerdy post. I just read it and can so relate to it. It is another funny coincidence, but guess what book Molly has on her blog right now?…The Cay. Too funny, she loved it when her teacher read that book with her class. I am glad my post made your day and I know your book will continue to make children love reading.
Yes! Theodore Taylor’s The Cay is a fantastic story that has stood the test of time. Great characters dropped into a tension-filed plot. Love! Thank you, again, Gigi (and thanks to Molly, too!). I’ve had fun reading these comments today. BTW, please add another tally under Wrinkle in Time for me, too 🙂
What a lovely post. Lynda Mullaly Hunt is a kind, giving author. I have Skyped her twice with students. She was wonderful. I wish her many awards and accolades for her book One For the Murphy’s.
Yes, indeed. She’s awesome!
My middle daughter also in 6th grade loved One for the Murphys too. We recommend that your daughter try Catch Rider by Jennifer H. Lyne. It’s a similar gritty realistic fiction book but the ending is happier. It reminded me A LOT of One for the Murphys and it’s also Lyne’s debut novel. I hope your daughter likes it.
Also, I had great luck with Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels for girls. Have your daughter try Smile. If she likes that, try Drama. The 6th grade reluctant girl reader that I have been working with also liked Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple (her daughter). It’s short stories of notorious bad girls in history like Cleopatra and Bonnie of Bonnie and Clyde.
Hope this helps!
These are great suggestions! Thanks so much for taking the time to reply with these titles. We will definitely check them out!
I love this story, Gigi! I am truly a late bloomer! While I do remember enjoying Ethan Frome and the Scarlet Letter in high school, The Secret Life of Bees sparked a love of reading as an adult for me! I need to read the Murphy’s now!
There are a lot of us late bloomers out here. Better late then never right? Yes, you really should read OFTM for sure!
Your story brought tears to my eyes and a feeling of melancholy to my heart. Despite all of my efforts, (some covert and some openly blatant) my daughter didn’t or hasn’t found “the book” yet. When she was younger my husband joked about the children’s library wing that I was secretly builiding in our attic. My hopes and efforts to find, snag, or accidentally trip across a book, any book, that would speak to her readers soul never reached thier fruition.
She is an ‘old child’ now and in her twenties. My heart still harbors a faint glimmer of hope that someday the experience will happen for her, but I worry that she missed her crucial opportunity to fall madly in love with “that book”.
For me, it was “A Wrinkle in Time”. I was in fifth grade. That was my book. I can’t even accurately explain why, or what the novel meant to me. It’s power was so amazingly magical. Many years later in my sophmore year of highschool I borrowed the novel from my english teacher’s library and never returned it. I am forty-seven now and I still have the book from Mr. Stablein’s classroom library.
Each year in my own classroom I attempt to put into words the feeling of finding “the book”. It has become my mission to help my fifth graders find the one book that speaks to them in the same way that “A Wrinkle in Time” did to me.
Perhaps I will never feel that shared experience with my daughter, but whenever a book goes terminally missing from my classroom library it makes my reader’s soul smile.
This is so beautiful Gina. If you read the comments, A Wrinkle in Time has touched many readers’ hearts. I applaud you and empathize with you. With Molly as a reader, I do not feel as though we are “out of the woods” yet, but the trees are getting thinner. I did not become a reader until I became a teacher so there is still hope. You have absolutely done everything good parents are supposed to do. Your daughter and your students are very lucky to have you. Thanks for sharing your story.
I so connected with your daughter. My mom was consumed by books at an early age and assumed I would be as well. I wasn’t on her timetable. I was on my own. I got there, just not as quickly as she did. She had a hard time understanding why I wasn’t like her and blamed it on television, the only media distraction of the day. Now looking at my three kids, one was a born reader, like my mom. Two, as elementary, middle school and high school students, would really rather do anything but read. They struggled meeting the expectations of being a lover of books. They could do it but weren’t passionate about it. I can’t blame it on the program at their elementary schools, both got read alouds and choice as readers. All but the first one (the reader) had reader’s workshop in the TCRWP tradition.
Sometimes it just takes time and we have to be patient. I think we are all on our own timetables to get to our life milestones and one of the milestones is becoming a book lover or at least a reader of books.
As parents and teachers we need to honor the time each child needs to get to THAT book. Providing access to good text by reading aloud, being ok with audio books, and not giving up (I believe) will get those reluctant, late bloomers there.
By the way, my two non readers are getting there. One came home from college (yes it took that long) looking through our shelves for the Picture of Dorian Gray. Actively searching for a book. HURRAY! The other is still in the audio book stage, but that’s ok I know she’ll get there in her own time.
An excellent reminder, thank you so much for your perspective. I was not a reader until I started teaching, but I also never had anyone showing what reading could be. I agree that we need to be more patient and just always keep sharing our own reading lives. I absolutely love audio books and wish more people (even teachers) would recognize their value. Maybe you should write a post about this? I’d read it for sure 🙂
I had a daughter like this. She was forced to read books she didn’t want in school. As an elementary kids she loved books. She is an avid reader now and makes sure her own children have books to read. I understand the canned programs that schools force kids into. They are geared toward the student who is behind for whatever reason. They end up killing any chance of loving reading. One of the best compliments I ever received from a student was, “I want you to know that I hate you.” When I asked why he said, “I’ve been in your reading class for two years and you have taught me to love reading. I hate that I didn’t have you sooner because I would have learned there were great books out there.” I’ll take that kind of hate any day. A student this year told me before Christmas break that I was getting close to getting him to like reading. He’s read five books so far of his choosing. There is hope for every child. Thanks for helping your daughter start a blog. I will follow and give her email address to my students to find great book recommendations from a student their age.
Thank you Sandra! I appreciate your support of my child and the children you touch every day. I wish I would have had a teacher to “hate” like you growing up. 🙂
I loved reading, always! But I think my love of books started with some great picture books that I still remember with great affection – I had a very strange version of ‘The Owl and the Pussy Cat’ purple and very 70’s, but I loved it and knew the poem by heart. I also read every Famous Five and Secret Seven, Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew book that was in our little town library. Heidi and all the follow up Heidi books were read and reread, as was Little Women, Jo’s Boys and all of those books. The Owl Service and all the Narnia books were also favourites. I probably read The Secret Garden, Charlotte’s Web and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, as well as the What Katy Did series a gazillion times. I was an avid rereader.
But when I was twelve, I got a beautifully bound set of all of Jane Austen’s books for Christmas – it was then I really knew I loved reading. I’m no Jane-ite, but I still love to read her beautiful characterisations of the Bennetts. Ursula le Guin and Sylvia Engdahl were two other favourite authors, as well as Robert C O’Brien.
I agree with Gigi about audio books. I have heaps. I have also bought them for my two boys – who are not avid readers – although my 19 year old has discovered Tom Clancy this Semester break. During our Winter Reading Challenge at school this year, I encouraged children to include audio books, and always have them available in class.
Books that have really caught the imagination of children I have taught are: Bud, not Buddy; Holes; The Cay; Where the Wild Things Are, To Kill a Mockingbird, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No-good Very Bad Day, Love that Dog, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy, Kensuke’s Kingdom, Boy Overboard, Voices in the Park, Because of Winn-Dixie – and there are probably others – these are just the highlights.
My younger son, 15, has two favourite books – To Kill a Mockingbird and Bud, not Buddy. Other than that he reads NZRugby (a magazine) avidly and any other rugby magazine I can get my hands on. We have some very deep and meaningful discussions about them. I can’t help but notice that he does with them what I do with my favourite books – reads parts aloud, yells at it, drags it around the house reading it while he should be doing other things, falls asleep with it on his face, dog ears it, rereads it – I guess he just has a different version of the virus perhaps…
This is wonderful Megan. How fortunate you are to have so many great book-related memories. One of Molly’s other faves is The Cay which her teacher has read with them this year. Audio books rock! I always have one in my car and on my ipod. I appreciate your comments very much, thank you.
This story made me cry! What a great story! I love One For the Murphys! It has touched so many kids lives! ❤
It has indeed Niki. Thank you for your kind words and for reaching out to encourage my daughter. It means a lot.
Gigi, it’s a wonderful story, & look at all the connections made from your words! I am still waiting for my grandson to find ‘the book’ or also ‘the teacher’ who will inspire his reading. I think the AR really hurt. I am trying to send books I think he will enjoy, & he does read some of them, but it isn’t his way to pick up a book often, & it’s not required to read very much for school. You & the others above have offered some hope! Thanks for this!
I think you hit the nail on the head Linda. In so many cases it really is “the teacher” that can make a HUGE difference. All we can do is keep faith and keep giving them nudges toward great books. Thanks Linda!
This hit the nail on the head for me. I was an avid reader since I could read and despite me reading to her constantly (and, in the womb as well), my now 10 year old is not as in love with books and reading as I am. It frustrates the everlovin’ you-know-what out of me! I pray that she finds that ONE book that will change her from a “I’ll read it ’cause I have to” to “I can’t wait to read more.”
As far as a book that was my ONE, I can’t think of one single book. Everyone opened up my imagination. I read my much older sister’s Cherry Ames, Student Nurse and of course Nancy Drew. Maybe Old Yeller?
Whatever IT was, it ignited an imagination in me that I started writing in 4th grade (a book called The Protractor People, with illustrations by me, too) and haven’t stopped!
I can absolutely sympathize with you here. I celebrate any small voluntary reading that happens, and it is starting to happen, thankfully. I love that you remember writing your Protractor people story, so great! Thanks so much for sharing here. It seems that many parents can relate.
What a wonderful story (and I agree – an amazing book!). You’ve definitely touched a lot of people with this post – so many stories and comments. I hope Molly continues her journey to become an avid reader. You’ve certainly created an environment in which she can thrive. Thanks for sharing this!
Yes Holly, it seems that many parents can relate. So often we are told that is we read to children, share our reading lives and expose them to great books that they will become readers automatically. It doesn’t always work that way. Thanks for your comments.
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Wow, Gigi, love all of the responses. The books that my students gush over: Wonder by R.J. Palacio. 4th and 5th grades read this aloud to their students last year and it’s the #1 book I hear that students have bought for themselsves. Many, many of them shared it with their parents. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I think the trailer (thank you Mr. Schu) was one of the reasons many kids picked this book up. Books that are checked out a LOT: graphic novels, Lunch Lady, Baby Mouse, Squish, Amulet. Series: Magic Tree House, Rick Riordan, Wimpy Kid, Magyk, Alex Rider, 39 Clues. They love picture books, too. I teach tech classes but I read aloud a book every class and then do a tech lesson. Before break I drug out the old faithful, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER by Barbara Robinson and read it aloud to my 4th & 5th graders. I forgot JUST how horrible the Herdman’s were. The kids ate it UP! I know some of them checked out our other copies. In reality, it doesn’t matter what you read aloud…just do it!
Great titles! Many of these are favorites in my 4th grade class. Wonder was Molly’s favorite until Murphys. I also love Ivan and share it with my class.