Kids!!!!!

[RICHARD]

I was standing in the check out line at Barnes and Noble last Friday...

Behind me I heard a small voice, reading with much gusto and great emotion walk up behind me.

I heard about Abraham and Sarah getting married and planning a family. I guess some angel was talking to them.

This kid's voice was crisp, clear and relaxing.

At one point the reading stopped, then began again.

I snuck a peek and saw that the delay was due to a page change!!! I was also taken back at the age of the child,
she was about 5 years old and reading at, what I would guess,
a 7-9 year old level.

I saw the woman who was with the child and told her that it was wonderful to hear a child read out loud..It sure beats having them sit a computer all day.

She smiled and I could see that she was pleased...

I did walk out of the store feeling good about hearing this small child read out loud...

When you find yourself losing faith in the adults of tomorrow, something like this will get you excited about their future.

[lynnestankard]

Absolutley wonderful.

Lynne

[carole]

I totally agree with you Richard, My daughter hates reading, its such a shame, I think she just needs to find a great author and then she might get hooked, she was not taken in by Harry potter, she is turning 12 in Aug and she has reading level of 14-15 yr old, I just want her to use it.!!!

[moosmom]

Wow!! Ya don't see many of those kinds of kids around these days. His mother must be very proud!!

[MariaM]

mmm I just love reading! I have a whole big pile or books to order from the library! If I want to, I can read a book in 1 day - a couple of days, depending on how big the book, but usually it takes me a couple weeks, after all, I do have Major now and Pet Talk is something to put into consideration

[catmandu]

That is almost as nice, as the Little Girl, who sawthe Found ats, on Pet Talk , and thought that they were Realy Cool. Thta makes us feel, as Good , as we have felt, in a Long Time!

[DJFyrewolf36]

It is SO wonderful to hear about kids who can read instead of sitting in front of the TV all day. Thanx Richard for the uplifting story!!!

[G.P.girl]

my sister learned to read when she was 3 and then i was so jealous i learned to read not long after that, about when i turned 4 (my sister is 1 year older than me) and we loved reading, we would always beg our mom to take us to Border's books, or Barnes and Noble, and we would be happy to stay there all day, just looking at books and reading them (we didn't even buy very many) and for our birthday's we would ask for books and the dolls that they make from characters....and then..my brother came along (he's 4 years younger than me). he hates reading and all he every does is watch TV play playstation and play games on the computer! my mom has to force him to read just so he won't fail his reading class at school. i've tried buying him books i think he would like for his birthday and christmas,but he just wants to know why i didn't get him the *violent*videogame he wanted. it's sad actually. we need more kids like that one you saw in the book store. i bet the kid's mom was really proud

[Doggirl]

I *love* reading books. When I go to my Library I have to get a book out for each day until I go to the Library again 'cus I read one a day.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Great story Richard. I've got a similar one. My Mom, Aunt and I went on a guided wild bird hike one morning. It was at one of our nature preserves around here. When we were at the end, another couple came along that had binoculars so we could tell they were bird watchers. Our guide stopped to talk to them. Well, they had their daughter with them. I would say she was maybe 8 or 9 and the whole time they were talking to our guide the girl was reading her book! Yes, they were out on a hike and the daughter brought her book along! You never see that sort of thing anymore and I was amazed.

However, as nice as it was to see a kid with a book who really enjoyed the book, I thought it might be a little more appropriate to have her leave the book in the car so she could get into the nature she was actually seeing - rather than just reading about it. Smart kid, though, and I bet you don't see her being a bag lady anytime in the future.

Oh, and one more thing, I think having a kid like that might be kind of intimidating. What happens if the kid knows more than I do and they're only 10?