Every Book Has a Voice...

I love books. From as early as I can remember they have been part of my life and they continue to shape who I am. They continue to inspire me, guide me, enthrall me and involve me in so many ways both personally and professionally.

For me, every book has a voice that talks to you the moment you open the pages. (This might be the reason that I still prefer an actual book. I envision the act of cracking it open as allowing a story or conversation to escape and burst forth after being closed up and confined! I don't feel that I am setting anything free with my laptop or tablet.) Sometimes the voice that leaps from the book is cheerful, or entertaining or even mysterious to me. This voice takes me along on a ride to another place, another time. These voices let me experience more of the world and expand outward from my home here, be they past, present or magical! Other times the voice is caring, guiding and full of life lessons and experiences that it just wants to share and help me grow from. These voices teach me something and help me be more than I am today. 

Each book allows me to have a conversation with the author or the characters. Not one out loud (I can only imagine what people would say!), but one that happens inside my head. Don't we all do that? In my reading, I have asked Harry while reading " Does Hogwarts have a Visitor's Day?" and I have commented to both Atticus "You know, you are a great man. There are some people I need you to talk to." and to Sheryl "You are right. How can I Lean In more?"

Starting today, I will open another book and have a conversation with someone new. I plan on letting Rafe Esquith's voice burst forth from "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" that we are reading at the #reflectiveteacher at +TeachThought Community. 

I am once again that child sitting on the rug of the public library at story time. This time I am eager to hear what Rafe has to say about teaching and the wonder of learning!

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