All Things Bright and Beautiful

One of our chapter books right now is that great classic, Black Beauty. If you haven't read it, it's the story of a horse (of course), told from the horse's point of view.

As we read it, there are parts that I am tempted to skip, just to spare my little one from hearing anything horrific; throughout the book there are descriptions of the maltreatment of animals. And, yes, I can tell that hearing these descriptions makes her sad.

But I'm also intrigued to see her 5-year-old heart growing as we read this together, her compassion being molded and shaped.  And I mean compassion that you can see blazing out of her black eyes (if I may be so dramatic). She has told me, "When I grow up, I'm going to have a horse. It will have no bit, and I'm only going to use a cloth saddle and reins."

I think the author's endeavor to strike a chord of compassion in the reader is certainly resonating in Georgie.  She's determined never "to treat animals that way" and "always to treat her horses very well."

I believe that every time I read Georgie a book, she retains not only the information, but the deeper concepts. I fervently believe this, since she references books at all times, remembering concepts we read about as long as a year ago when she was barely 4. And, if the books are molding and shaping her little heart into what it should be, then I'm doing my job. On top of that, she's getting a biology lesson, history lesson, and literature class all in one, plus readying herself to follow long stories when she's able to read them herself.

As it is, every time I get to the end of a chapter, all I hear is the demand "More!"  And I usually give in.