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Jólabókaflóð

I am not quite sure how to pronounce the above word but, it’s translation is “Yule Book Flood.” This is an Icelandic tradition whereby family members give one another books on Christmas Eve, then curl-up and read for the rest of the night.

I am not quite sure how to pronounce the above word but, it’s translation is “Yule Book Flood.” This is an Icelandic tradition whereby family members give one another books on Christmas Eve, then curl-up and read for the rest of the night. I would like to adopt this particular ritual, and I think I would want to even if my family didn’t celebrate Christmas.

What better activity for these dark, cold days than getting cozy and reading? Or snuggling up with the kids to share a picture book?

As I brainstormed the December paper, I figured the people who keep this paper afloat might share my inclination. On these pages, we regularly review books written by Bowen Islanders. However in a nod to the almost 20 percent of our population under the age of 14, I thought we should throw in a few book reviews for the younger set.

With this in mind I have been asking people about the books they’ve been reading with their kids that really stand-out. I have also invited reviews, which you will see on these pages in the coming weeks.

These reviews are not of “holiday books,” they are just about really great books that you might be interested in appreciating and experiencing with your kids or grandkids or neighbour-kids. As I’ve learned in the past four years or so (my son is 5), reading the same book over, and over, and over, and over can be exhausting, but it is also a great opportunity for connection, literary analysis and learning. So many parents and educators on Bowen work hard to expose their children to inspiring books that offer a diversity of perspectives and world views. In my mind, that is really something to celebrate!

If you have thoughts on a great kids book and would like to share them, please let us know! The Undercurrent wants to hear from you.

 

Meribeth Deen, the editor

editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com