The book we just finished was "The Lightning Thief." Recommenced by a colleague and her children, we have truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series and the upcoming film. I have always felt a major gap in my cultural literacy when it comes to Greek mythology. This book does a wonderful job of introducing classical ideas and characters in a modern setting that makes them fun, memorable, and true to the original. I especially love the idea of the Greek gods following the migration of Western Civilization from Greece, to Rome, then England, and eventually to the United States. I'll look a bit closer for Mt. Olympus floating in the clouds above the Empire State building next time I'm on 34th street. The book also has some great fun with Los Angeles. It won't take much of a nudge from the kids to start book #2 tomorrow.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Reading Greek Aloud
Although I am not nearly as consistent as I would like to be, one of my favorite parts of the day is reading aloud to my children. It tends to go in streaks as we get into a good book then finish it and go for a while without reading. I enjoy reading books aloud even if it slows down the pace a bit. A recent editorial piece did a wonderful job describing the value of reading out loud. I sometimes get frustrated that I can't read faster but Klinkenborg's article reminded me as do my children "that our idea of reading is incomplete, impoverished, unless we are also taking the time to read aloud."
The book we just finished was "The Lightning Thief." Recommenced by a colleague and her children, we have truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series and the upcoming film. I have always felt a major gap in my cultural literacy when it comes to Greek mythology. This book does a wonderful job of introducing classical ideas and characters in a modern setting that makes them fun, memorable, and true to the original. I especially love the idea of the Greek gods following the migration of Western Civilization from Greece, to Rome, then England, and eventually to the United States. I'll look a bit closer for Mt. Olympus floating in the clouds above the Empire State building next time I'm on 34th street. The book also has some great fun with Los Angeles. It won't take much of a nudge from the kids to start book #2 tomorrow.
The book we just finished was "The Lightning Thief." Recommenced by a colleague and her children, we have truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series and the upcoming film. I have always felt a major gap in my cultural literacy when it comes to Greek mythology. This book does a wonderful job of introducing classical ideas and characters in a modern setting that makes them fun, memorable, and true to the original. I especially love the idea of the Greek gods following the migration of Western Civilization from Greece, to Rome, then England, and eventually to the United States. I'll look a bit closer for Mt. Olympus floating in the clouds above the Empire State building next time I'm on 34th street. The book also has some great fun with Los Angeles. It won't take much of a nudge from the kids to start book #2 tomorrow.
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