Moving Storybooks

Yesterday I watched two movies, both based on books. I finally got to see New Moon with some of my friends in the evening, but late afternoon, to kill time, I decided to check out A Christmas Carol. Being a teacher, I am both glad that storybooks are being made accessible in film, but on the other hand, I tread carefully because lately, I notice less and less kids read books. Most just wait for the film. It seems that books take a back seat more and more as children get older. Many times, it only becomes a bedtime prop for infants and toddlers.  For example, when I was talking to one of the kids I work with, he did not know that A Christmas Carol is a classic tale. Because of that, I tried to find some of my favorite books to share with the class. Further, to encourage reading, instead of the usual kris kringle done on the holidays, I asked the kids to do a book exchange instead.

To be fair, it’s really nice to see how many of my favorite characters in books have taken on a life outside the pages of the storybook. Take for example The Rainbow Fish. There are many activity sets and play sets or games that are inspired by the story. For me, this takes reading to a higher level. Another big favorite is Guess How Much I Love You. I have seen nursery accessories, furniture, and even clothing inspired by the touching tale of the little Nutbrown Hare who asked his father if he knew how much he loved him.

I suppose in the end I can say having stories made into movies and more can be a good thing. If for anything, hopefully it inspires people to take on the printed form of the story too. It definitely did that for me when it came to the Twilight series!

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