Reading books is a simple act that holds immense value in today’s rapidly evolving, technologically driven world. Books are said to be the door or a portal to the world of imagination and creativity, leaving a child’s mind curious to dive deeper into a world new to them. Every book has a different story, setting, and character that offers children to explore new realms.
However, with every book, a child is given an opportunity to learn new cultures, traditions, religions, languages, and most importantly, values that would benefit them in the long run. What children learn through books tends to stay with them for a long time, leaving deep and lasting impressions on their minds. It eventually becomes part of the very foundation that shapes their personalities and nature.
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island.” -Walt Disney-
My Promise to Emily by Calvin Dudley is a book that not only serves as entertainment for the kids with its story but also teaches children, as well as adults, how a book can have the most prestigious life lessons hidden in it, and offers children the chance to learn about real-life values.
LEARNING LESSONS ON AN ORDINARY DAY
Calvin Dudley, the author of My Promise to Emily, describes an ordinary mid-week fishing day after a hectic day at school, where he met a young teenager, Emily. She must be around the age of thirteen. This was no coincidence. This encounter was destined to happen as Calvin learned a lesson that will stay with him forever.
After this chance meet-up, Calvin explained how one can learn even the biggest life lessons most easily and randomly. His trip and encounter with Emily taught him how important it is to fulfill promises and commitments, even if they are as small as a pea.
Since Calvin is a great storyteller, he sheds light on how a person can learn valuable information through casual ways, without any means of formal teaching or guidance, such as through books.
MAGIC OF DAILY READING
For children, if read seriously, books can become their best friend. Books are not just a mere collection of words, but a compilation of ideas, dreams, and tales that hold the power to shape one’s actions and beliefs.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
-Dr. Sues-
Books can teach children and adults a lot of things. When they incorporate or at least put in efforts to include reading in their daily routine, they are about a million advantages they can benefit from. Books and novels play a crucial role in improving language skills for both children and adults. For children, they can learn new vocabulary and understand sentence structures, whereas adults can learn new languages through books.
Books and novels with good stories can boost imagination, creativity, and the willingness to learn for both. Reading helps in minimizing stress and acts as a coping mechanism in times of difficulty. They can foster emotional and intellectual growth. Books also help in developing empathy and improving communication skills.
DISCOVERING VALUES AND LESSONS THROUGH BOOKS
Through turning pages of a book, children can really learn values that are fundamental in establishing a character that is loved and cherished by people around them.
Books and reading can teach life lessons and instill in children values in numerous yet powerful ways that one cannot even begin to fathom. They help in developing patience and focus in them, nurture and promote understanding, and encourage decision-making and critical thinking. Not only this, but it also cultivates a sense of responsibility and accountability in children.
Moreover, books also teach children ethics and moral lessons, and foster problem-solving skills in them. Books and novels also play a significant role in providing children with exposure to diverse cultures, religions, and languages that instill in them respect and dignity for others around them—in short, help them in accepting and embracing people with different religious and cultural backgrounds with love and kindness. Some books educate children about resilience and coping skills.
STORIES WORTH REMEMBERING
Then, there are books like Calvin’s My Promise to Emily that emphasize the importance of keeping promises and what it may feel like for both the person who made them and especially to whom they were made. Books with stories like these are worth remembering, and they can never disappoint you.
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
-J. K. Rowling-
Having books as a child’s best friend or the closest companion is nothing less than a privilege because they will always stay with you in the form of lessons or habits one may learn from them. People may leave your side one day, but books and the messages in them will always stick with you. My Promise to Emily by Calvin Dudley is available on Amazon.