Summer Reading

Rekindling wonder

Every summer, I make a point of rereading favourite books from my childhood. It’s a way of reconnecting with the joy and wonder of those early years, and reminding myself that summers are meant for relaxing, savouring and embracing the long warm days.

I usually start with Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery and slowly wander through the series. After that, Little Women, sometimes Little Men (both by Louisa May Alcott), and Pride and Prejudice (my favourite of Jane Austen’s many novels).

I read print books, not e-books, because I enjoy the feel of pages between my fingers, the smell of ink and paper, and ease of turning pages back and forth if I want to read something again. I don’t like screens. The light is too bright and the need to click a button or use a fingertip frustrates me. Invariably something goes wrong and I lose my spot. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned but I prefer the weight of a book in my hands to the convenience of an e-reader.

I thought I was alone in this desire to go back in time and recapture the magic of childhood through reading. Apparently not. In Peace Is A Practice, Morgan Harper Nichols suggests reading children’s books (old favourites or new finds) regularly as a way to reconnect with our sense of wonder.

“Keep some children’s books on the shelf with all your other favourite books. They could be any books. Choose some from your childhood or some you’ve recently discovered.

Commit to opening at least one children’s book at least once a week. One week you might look at only the illustrations. The next week you might read the story more closely. Pay attention to anything in the book that stirs up a sense of wonder or causes you to use your imagination. Carry that childlike mindset with you throughout the day.”

~ Morgan Harper Nichols, Peace Is A Practice

I’m curious. Which children’s books would be on your reading list either for summer pleasure or as a regular practice to restore wonder and ignite your imagination?

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