I am very pleased to have Sheila Jeffries join me today. It is truly a pleasure to have this opportunity to have Sheila stop by to do some writing for the Kid Literature blog. Sheila is a bit wonderful, with an insightful and creative mind. Kid Literature look forward to following the progress of her lovely new book SOLOMON'S KITTEN published by Simon and Schuster.
A blog for @ KidLiterature by Sheila Jeffries
When I hold a book in my hands, I am reminded that we have five senses. In this world of
technology, our number one sense, sight, is dominant and overworked. Our sense of touch, so important to our learning and well-being, is therapeutic. It anchors us to the planet and to our own physical body. A child who is struggling to learn to read, can be helped by drawing letters in a sand tray with the finger, because the end of the index finger is sensitive and has a sensual memory.
I use a kindle only if I need to travel light and read. I love real books. Holding a book before you read it, smoothing the cover, imagining the secrets within its pages, the excitement, the tears and laughter. There is also a more cosmic feeling of honouring the miracle of paper, its journey from the forest trees, and the knowledge that the book in my hand can ultimately be recycled. Books belong to the earth and to us in a way that a kindle never can.
Our childhood books are precious. I wish I’d kept mine. I had few books as a child growing up in the fifties. My parents struggled to find books for me, and libraries were then intimidating places with rows of fusty book spines in gloomy browns, reds and greens. But one day my Mum bought a grubby old copy of FRECKLES by Gene Stratton-Porter at a jumble sale. I read it hungrily, and it brought the wonder of the forest into my life. Years later I was overjoyed to find a copy on Amazon. It was like being reunited with an old friend. I believe that one book was the seed of my FOREST OF DREAMS project which you can see on my website www.sheilajeffries.com
Giving your children real books is like giving them friends. Books are silent. Books are reassuring. Real books are just that – REAL.
A final note from Karen Emma Hall - I first became aware of Sheila Jefferies through her book SOLOMON'S TALE that was out this time last year when my youngest daughter was delighted to receive it on Christmas morning. It is on our Christmas day photos as well. (I must dig it out). It is a moving story of her little black cat who came to heal and had touched people's hearts. It is hard to put it down, and it does touch you deeply. It is a deep book with a light touch.
Follow Sheila and find some wonderful insightful comments, tweets and of course her follow the exciting new book release here twitter sheilajeffries
See above where to keep up with Kid Literature
and Karen Emma Hall (Founder) on social media places,
and our twitter is here > twitter.com KidLiterature
facebook to like and love all our resources > facebook.com KidLiterature
Our newly designed website > http://www.kidliteratureauthors.com
No comments:
Post a Comment