I made this series during the first covid lockdown for the Wellington Literacy Association. I am re-sharing it now in the interests of extending the discussion about what it means to be literate, the way it develops, and therefore the ways we might think about outcomes.

My mum always tells the story of what my paternal grandfather said to her the day I was born: “Make sure you read to him every day.” And she did. 

Isn’t that where it starts? With love? Isn’t that what opens kids the world, that gives them the security to be interested in it and explore those interests?

And by getting to know what those interests are, by feeding those interests, by exposing kids to books related to their interests, what happens over time is that they start to see that what they’re interested in is worth something in the world at large and, even more important, that their primary interest is not the only thing worth reading and thinking about. They see there are many things in the world that can be loved. 

Isn’t this a core part of our role? To be open to our kids and what they bring. To allow love to come into the room. 

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