Guest post by author and WRADvocate Nancy Dearborn. Nancy Dearborn’s picture book, Hugga Loula, will be published March 2, 2021 with Familius.
Power of the Written Word
I have a voice.
I want to be heard.
Each and every word.
Every human being longs to tell and share their stories because our stories are the very essence of who we are. Our lives and experiences are all stories waiting to be told. All of us have something to share, so each of us has a unique voice. Our voices may be bright and brilliant like a star or warm and wispy like clouds or they may be soft and smooth like freshly fallen snow.
And every one of us has a right to be heard regardless of our race, sex, age, etc. Through our words we can offer care, comfort, and hope to others and ultimately change the world for the better.
Our words can give others courage, strength, a spring in their step, and make them feel absolutely amazing. They can uplift and encourage others to keep going, to never give up, and to be the best person they can be.
Our words have hands that reach out and touch people deeply. And our words have breath, for they help people breathe and live. And ultimately, that is why most writers write – to share knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
Life is a paradox – the more we give our words and ourselves to others, the more our own lives are enriched.
Why Read Aloud?
I look forward to reading every day because books bring me great joy.
Books are filled with magical, mystical pages that carry us to distant lands and faraway places. We can travel on an African safari, experience the rainforest in the Yucatan, and visit the great pyramids in Egypt – all within the comfort and safety of our home, school, or library. It is through books that we learn and come to understand more about others and ourselves as well. Books offer care, comfort, and hope. They help us realize that sometimes what seems impossible, is in fact, possible.
Books help us connect to those around us as well as those faraway. They help us realize that our lives are not so different from others after all. We are not alone in what we experience and in what we feel. Books help us to know and understand that we are not alone in this journey we call life.
Reading opens our hearts and our lives to imagination. Books make us more than what we were before we read them.
Reading aloud is music to our ears. It’s also a dance we listen to filled with rhythm, rhyme, and voice. Reading aloud helps stories come alive for others through facial expression, tone, voice, etc. Sharing and giving to others is the secret of life – that a person builds a life by what they give others.
So, grab one of your favorite books, your favorite reading buddy, and join us for World Read Aloud Day!
Note: Three of my favorite picture books to read aloud are The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR by Audrey & Don Wood, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, and Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin.