Wife, mother, grandmother, reader, writer, kindness warrior. Retired teacher. Volunteer Reading Grandma. Former columnist for the Nevada Appeal. Author of US, NOW AND THEN.
View all posts by Lorie Smith Schaefer
3 thoughts on “Mid-week Wisdom”
Hi Lorie, I love this quote 💜 (and Neil Gaiman) Sadly, when I was 10 yo, I spent the Xmas holidays (six weeks) reading my way through all manner of Enid Blyton books. I was enthralled and so proud to tell my teacher when school returned. She was horrified and admonished me for reading books she deemed too childish for someone of my age. I can pinpoint that moment for the death of my passion for reading books and it would be 40 years before I picked up a book and devoured the story with that same passion I experienced when I was so young and impressionable. Yeah, it’s pretty sad what that teacher’s assumptions did to me.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. We all want to read what we want to read. What she should have said was, “That’s great! If you liked those, you might also like…..”
Reading is reading. No shame should be attached to what we choose. Kids who enjoy what they read will want to read more and will gain proficiency in the bargain. (Now I’ll have to look up Enid Blyton and see what I’ve missed!)
Take care. XO
I loved Enid’s books so much, I introduced my children to them and they loved them too. There was, and still is, a lot of controversy around her work, but her characters and wonderful stories have a special place in my heart regardless as to what anyone else has to say about her and her writing.
Lorie Smith Schaefer 
Hi Lorie, I love this quote 💜 (and Neil Gaiman) Sadly, when I was 10 yo, I spent the Xmas holidays (six weeks) reading my way through all manner of Enid Blyton books. I was enthralled and so proud to tell my teacher when school returned. She was horrified and admonished me for reading books she deemed too childish for someone of my age. I can pinpoint that moment for the death of my passion for reading books and it would be 40 years before I picked up a book and devoured the story with that same passion I experienced when I was so young and impressionable. Yeah, it’s pretty sad what that teacher’s assumptions did to me.
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I’m so sorry this happened to you. We all want to read what we want to read. What she should have said was, “That’s great! If you liked those, you might also like…..”
Reading is reading. No shame should be attached to what we choose. Kids who enjoy what they read will want to read more and will gain proficiency in the bargain. (Now I’ll have to look up Enid Blyton and see what I’ve missed!)
Take care. XO
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Yeah, I know exactly where she erred and what she should have said. All things said and done, I do love reading now.
If you do want to read some of Enid’s work, I recommend you start with “The Faraway Tree” series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Faraway_Tree
I loved Enid’s books so much, I introduced my children to them and they loved them too. There was, and still is, a lot of controversy around her work, but her characters and wonderful stories have a special place in my heart regardless as to what anyone else has to say about her and her writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person