The dictionary defines curious as “having a desire to investigate and learn.” I think that pretty much describes all of us. In early childhood, for example, children are curious about everything, eager to harness information about the world around them. If people weren’t curious, we couldn’t progress very far at all. It is the unquenchable desire to know and seek answers that drives us forward.
No matter how old we get, there will always be endless questions that need answers. We can open those floodgates for a lifetime of discovery by helping children to find the answers to their questions when they are young. There is no such thing as a stupid question, and if children can trust in that, learning and education will be exciting and fun rather than a hardship.
There are countless ways we help children nurture and sustain the curiosity they are born with — answering their questions (even if it means 20 times), making time to explore the world from a child’s point of view, talking with children, and reading books together on all kinds of subjects.
In the words of the famous German philosopher, Goethe, “Be always resolute with the present hour. Each moment is of infinite value.”
Books to borrow
The following book is available at many public libraries.
“Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron” by Mary Losure, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, Candlewick, 170 pages
Read aloud: age 8 and older.
Read yourself: age 10 and older.
In 1797, there had been reports of a wild, naked boy roaming the mountains in southern France. This fascinated the residents in the nearby village of Lacaune. One year later, the boy was captured. His once solitary life was never to be the same again.
Word spread about the Savage of Aveyron, and soon he was sent to one large town after another to be studied and was typically sheltered in orphanages. The boy was eventually given a name, Victor.
There were some who were Victor’s champions and tried for years to teach him how to speak, become educated and civilized and live among other humans, namely Dr. Itard and Madame Guérin. But despite Victor’s great fondness for these two who had done so much for him, his intense love of the outdoors and wind and rain never ceased.
A fascinating, captivating true story that brims with compassion, readers will hang on every word of this seamlessly written book.
Librarian’s choice
Library: Village Library, 207 N. Walnut St., Caernarvon Township
Children’s librarian: Pam Mohl
Choices this week: “Kindred Souls” by Patricia MacLachlan; “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman; “Indian Captive” by Lois Lenski
Books to buy
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.
“What Makes Us Human” by Victor D.O. Santos, illustrated by Anna Forlati, Eerdmans in partnership with UNESCO, 2024, 48 pages, $18.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 5 – 9.
Read yourself: age 7 – 9.
Written as a poetic riddle that will keep readers/listeners guessing the answer until the very end, this recommendation is a thought-provoking testimony to what, at the core, makes us human.
“I have been around for a very long time. . . . When you were a baby, you hardly knew me. . . . I can show you love. But also hurt you. . . . There are thousands of me in the world. . . . Some are disappearing quickly.”
Beautiful, expressive illustrations provide the perfect backdrop for this intriguing, captivating masterpiece on a subject we don’t typically think about but use every day, around the globe, making “What Makes Us Human” an important book in every regard.
“Averil Offline” by Amy Noelle Parks, Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024, 208 pages, $17.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 10 – 12.
Read yourself: 10 – 12.
Twelve-year-old Averil is tired of not having any privacy and not being allowed to make some choices for herself. Like many kids, Averil’s mom uses the Ruby Slippers surveillance app that allows her mom to see Averil’s texts and locate her at any time by tracking her every move. Her mom feels it’s the best way to keep Averil safe from harm, but for Averil, it’s a life of no independence, and it’s wearing thin on her.
When the new kid at school, Max, tells Averil that Ruby Slippers is planning to update their app to allow parents to turn on the camera and mic whenever they want, Averil is devastated. Max’s parents are as overbearing as Averil’s, and Max shares his plan to try and stop this and invites Averil, a star coder, to join along.
All they must do is find a way to reach the creator of Ruby Slippers and present their valid case that this update is a bad idea. But it won’t be as easy as they think. Will they be able to succeed?
Timely, thought-provoking, and fast-paced, “Averil Offline” really delivers.
Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children’s literature. She can be reached at kendal.rautzhan27@gmail.com.
Source: Berkshire mont
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