Books that changed everything for me as a child were Robert Munsch books. One book I distinctly remember is Smelly Socks. I enjoyed reading these stories and having my parents read them to me because they were silly and always made me laugh. As a child, I gravitated toward books that were humorous and playful. Even as an adult, that preference has stayed with me. I do not watch many movies, but when I do, I usually choose comedies. From childhood into adulthood, I have always enjoyed things that make me laugh and smile. When I was studying my undergraduate degree at the University of Lethbridge I took a four month course called Education 2500-Orientation into Teaching. It is a course that gives students the opportunity to experience what it is like to pursue a career in education. I was placed in a Grade 4 and 5 split classroom and would do read-alouds. My first book I read to the students was Smelly Socks. The students enjoyed the book, they were engaged and were excited that I read Robert Munsch, so for the rest of my practicum I read them his books. Every time I read a book to these students they were very excited because “the combination of the visual and literary arts wins hearts,” Robin Bright says in Sometimes Reading is Hard on (page 150). Children particularly enjoy picture books because they are imaginative, diverse and offer a variety of different perspectives (Bright, 2021). Looking back, Smelly Socks has remained as a book that has brought meaning into my life. From childhood to adulthood, I have experienced the joys of storytelling and how a great book can change everything for readers by making them laugh and smile.
Here are the prompts:
- Describe your ‘one book’ that changed everything for you as a reader.
Smelly Socks, written by Robert Munsch, is about a girl named Tina who loves her colourful socks so much that she commits to wearing them every day. Over time, her socks become very smelly because she refuses to take them off, even to wash them. Tina’s friends eventually have had enough of the smell and carry her to the river to wash the socks. The socks are so smelly and dirty that the beavers run out of the river and go to live with Tina’s grandpa. Munsch was inspired to write this story while telling stories in the Northwest Territories, where one of the children was named Tina and wore very colourful socks. This experience led to the publication of Smelly Socks in 2003 (Munsch & Martchenko, 2010).
2. How do you feel about reading? Tell me about it.
Growing up, I enjoyed it when my teachers or parents read books aloud, but I did not enjoy doing the reading myself. I struggled with reading, writing and spelling as a child. As I have gotten older, I have come to enjoy reading more and more! What I choose to read has also changed as I have grown older.
3. What types of books do you like to read?
When I was in high school, I read popular sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and Divergent series. I also enjoyed the Shadowhunter series, including City of Bones and Clockwork Angel. More recently, I have shifted toward educational reading, particularly books on psychology and history. I have been exploring a collection of short books about World War II, including topics such as the D-Day Landings, the SS and the Nuremberg Trials.
4. List some hobbies and things you like to do outside of school.
Hobbies that I like to do outside of school are outdoor related such as skiing, fishing, golfing and going for walks with my dog outside in nature.
5. Who are your favourite authors?
Honestly, I do not have any favorite authors. I tend to read whatever catches my interest or whatever I hear is popular or highly recommended.
6. Tell me a bit about the last book you read that you really enjoyed.
An educational book I have recently read is Kids These Days by Dr. Jody Carrington. In this book, Carrington draws on her background in psychology to discuss important topics related to the field of education. The main message I took from this book is the importance of building deep and meaningful connections with students. When teachers form strong connections with their students, it ignites motivation, builds trust and creates a sense of safety and belonging. She also shares strategies for building relationships with students and creating positive, trusting connections in the classroom which I found helpful.
7. Tell me a bit about what you have been doing since last semester during your winter break. How have you been spending your time?
I went into the winter break thinking I would do lots of activities and stay busy, but instead I spent the break resting and enjoying time at home with my family. I ate good food, relaxed and was surrounded by great company, which was exactly what I needed.
8. What subjects or topics do you like learning about?
I love learning about history, psychology/neuroscience and religion! I am not religious, but I enjoy learning about the different religions. I took a few world religion courses when I was studying my undergraduate degree, they were interesting!
9. If you could read a book about one thing, what would that be?
If I could read a book about one thing it would either be fantasy, dystopian or historical literature.
Resources:
https://www.scholastic.ca/our-books/book/smelly-socks-9780439967075
https://www.scholastic.ca/our-books/book/mad-about-munsch-9781443189057
Bright, R. M. (2021). Sometimes Reading is Hard: Using Decoding, Vocabulary, and Comprehension Strategies to Inspire Fluent, Passionate, Lifelong Readers. Pembroke Publishers.