The value of early reading

Everyone on hubpages, must love reading, or surely they would not enjoy writing.

l know l´ve said it before, but it´s never too soon to read stories to your babies, and give them books as soon as they can hold the little felt-cloth type of book , filled with brightly coloured pictures.

When l took my first music lesson at the age of 7 (Piano) My teacher, (who terrified me at first, because l´d never seen anyone so old with so much rouge on their cheeks and bright red lipstick)

Well, this teacher, told me on day one that she had no time for ´´so-called piano teachers´´ who allowed their pupils to learn to play, firstly with just 2 fingers, (Eh?), or by playing a simple modern tune, that would just sound good straight away.

NO! You learn to read music, learn the scales, till you can do them with your eyes closed, and then you begin with classical music. Her reasoning was that by learning to read music properly, and playing easier pieces of Chopin, Beethoven and other classical musicians, you could if you wanted to, when you reached your teens, play whatever hits were in the top 20. You´d be more than capable. Not so, the other way around. Learning a few modern tunes, often without even learning to read music, would never enable you to play the beautiful classics.

In other words,... her way ..... you´d get the best of both worlds.

It seemed logical to me even at 7 years of age. Besides, my dad and mum loved Chopin., and l was expecting classical music to be my first steps in learning to play the piano..

The same concept, can be translated to reading . !! Give a child a classic book to read and he/she can still read a comic when they feel like. Give a child a comic first, and the chances are he/she may never pick up a book,.

For young girls, ¨Little Women¨¨: by Louisa M. Alcott is still a popular classic even though it is many years since it was my favourite book. Most little girls adore their daddies, and when daddy goes off to fight in a war then mum and the girls have a very different life to lead and they have to be brave.,

This is the basis for the wonderful ¨Little Women ¨story.

For older girls Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a brilliant story. Although l, personally found the early part of the book a little boring (It would never have occurred to me to stop reading a book before the end). It soon became fascinating when l realised there was a hint running through the entire book about something or someone alive in the attic.!!

We don´t find out until almost the end , the truth of the attic, and once we do excitement and mayhem follow right to the end.

Jane Austin books as well as all the Bronte sisters wrote wonderful classic books. My favourites have always been the ones with a good sense of humour in them such as Pride and Prejudice and ´Sense and Sensibility.¨. Without the humour l would find these books rather twee( i-e- Affectedly dainty...)

When l was old enough to enjoy Shakespeare, l was hooked. Some people will never enjoy Shakespeare. That seems to be a fact of life.. but my dad loved Shakespeare and could explain it in simple terms to me. He often took us to Stratford upon Avon a beautiful , tiny town where Shakespeare had lived before he went to London to try to make his fortune.

Stratford upon Avon has THE best Shakespeare without a doubt. Even though Londons´ Shakespeare Theatre is stunning, nothing compares to Stratford. Even if you cannot go to the theatre to see a Shakespeare play, the little town has so many Tudor looking houses and shops,, plus some cobblestone streets, and a visit to Anne Hathaway's ´cottage (Shakespeares´wife) is a wonderful day out for all the family.

The river Avon runs close by the Shakespeare Theatre, a very pretty area, . You will always see swans on that part of the river Avon.

Rooting our children in the classics whether it is music or literature, is a solid start in life from which they can always find some pleasure.

l am constantly amazed at how many Rock stars are either classically trained, or have been to University acquiring degrees in serious subjects.

It doesn't stop them following their dream of the rock world if that´s where they want to be.

l´d be lost without the loud sounds of Bon Jovi or Aerosmith or Queen, but classical music is still in me to enjoy when l want it,.

Equally l absolutely love the lighthearted hilarity of books by P..Wodehouse, but it doesn't stop me from reading huge biographies about Mary, Queen of Scots, or The Last Tsars of Russia,...

Classical training in literature and music are a blessing that l´ll always be grateful to my parents for.

Below is my favourite Shakespeare Sonnet.

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought,

l summon up remembrance of things past,

l sigh the lack of many a thing l sought,

and with old woes new wail my dear time´s waste.

Then can l dry an eye unused to flow

for precious friends hid in death´s dateless night.

and weep afresh love´s long since cancelled woe,

and moan the expense of many a vanished sight.

Then can l grieve at grievances forgone,

and heavily from woe to woe tell oér.

the sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,

which l now pay as if not paid before.

But if the while l think on thee , dear friend,

all losses are restored and sorrow´s end.