The Joy of Reading and Reading Art

Little Wolff, Struggling Readers, and Anthony Esolen

Welcome to my newest readers, fellow bibliophiles, and educators!

Once upon a time, — so long ago that the world has forgotten the date, — in a city of the North of Europe, — the name of which is so hard to pronounce that no one remembers it, — there was a little boy, just seven years old, whose name was Wolff. He was an orphan and lived with his aunt, a hard-hearted, avaricious old woman, who never kissed him but once a year, on New Year’s Day; and who sighed with regret every time she gave him a bowlful of soup.

At our final morning chapel of 2023, I read Christmas stories aloud to all of our students. I sat on the front step and invited the students to sit on the floor around me.

This year I read Thomas Hardy’s “The Thieves Who Couldn’t Stop Sneezing” and François Coppée’s “The Wooden Shoes of Little Wolff.” It was an absolute delight. I love Coppée’s sweet image of the Christ child. I also love to read aloud as you might remember because expression is so creative, and I get to be a part of the imaginative process for an entire group, whether students or teachers.

Around the Web

I am firm believer that children of every age need to read to others and others should read to them. That’s why I find Sara Osborne’s new book so appealing. Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life is indeed “a ready entrance into exploring the good life and gaining its fruits,” Osborne writes. “It’s a doorway I want to hold open for my child—and for all struggling readers.”

Through her personal journey as mother and educator of a son whose learning did not follow a predictable map, Osborne hospitably portrays the reality of the long road to reading. She first describes the ideal, the power of story and our ability to identify with characters, a distinctive process akin to Charlotte Mason’s idea of relationship with people and characters of the past, present, and future. Exposing young minds to plentiful rich language from every avenue is praiseworthy, but it is realistically accompanied by what Osborne calls the “unglamorous hours” of doing the work itself with a modest, oftentimes laborious, pace. Read my full review at StoryWarren.

In the Classroom

I am completely taken by the new Anthony Esolen webinar series hosted by Thales Press. I already incorporate art appreciation within my high school humanities class, but Esolen has already become a favorite “gentle” guest speaker. His first class, “To Read a Work of Art, To Enter Another World” was a fine example of an art historian carefully noting details in paintings centered around the annunciation. His second class, “Masterpiece Christmas: To Read a Work of Art,” features works like "The Nativity" by Giotto and "The Presentation of the Holy Family" by Mantegna. My students and I all took notes!

On the Bookshelf

As I thought about a spring workshop proposal over Thanksgiving, I read through C.S. Lewis’s little-known essay, “High and Low Brows,” where he considers whether books are good or bad. He first asks whether that is a fair distinction before pressing all the ways we categorize books. His solution actually rests on how we, teachers and readers, talk about books in the everyday. I’m pleased to say my proposal to lead this book club of sorts with teachers was accepted.

I’m also excited to announce my study guide, Till We Have Faces: A Reading Companion, is FREE on Smashwords as part of their 2023 End of Year Sale through January 1! If ebooks are your thing, this is for you.

Jane Austen

Austen fans worldwide celebrate her birthday today. The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) offers a fun collection of videos by Austen scholars on glimpses into her daily life. I learned so much from Recreating Jane Austen’s Garden and Paper Marbling Techniques in the Georgian Era. And if only we were all in London or Dunfermline today, we could join the UK Jane Austen Society for an annual birthday tea or lunch!

Thomas Cole

I leave you with one of my favorite pieces that we (I) introduced to all of our 7th-12th graders this month. Cole’s sense of grandeur, his sense of largeness (is that a word?) and scale, astound me. Take a few moments and “read” his painting, The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds (1834).

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! May the joy of Christ fill your hearts with His astounding light and love!

Do comment and like this post. Help spread the word. And don't forget that the List Library at my website is always available to you, my readers. The book lists are great printable gifts or seasonal lists for any book lover!

Christine