When you’re pregnant, especially with your first, you dream of all those “first” introductions. Experiences you can’t wait to share with this new little person. For David, it was “Star Wars” and indeed I think it has more than lived up to his expectations. His 2 year old son wants to be Darth Maul for Halloween — I think the introduction was a success. For me, it was “Alice in Wonderland”.

Lucy and I started reading chapter books this week and as I was putting her to bed tonight she asked if we could start “Alice in Wonderland”. I hesitated. Was she ready? Would she be bored? Would she understand and relate to Alice’s wonderfully contradictory personality. Alice is both logical and fanciful, a pragmatist and a dreamer. I LOVE that about Alice. Lucy and I snuggled into bed and as the soft glow from her sunflower lamp spread over our shoulders I opened the red cover of the book and we jumped down the rabbit hole. As we slowly made our way to the end of chapter 1 Lucy turned to me and with a crooked smile said, “I can’t wait to find out what happens tomorrow.” Yes Lucy, me too. I can’t wait for you to travel to all those wonderful places I’ve been in my imagination, to meet all those wonderful characters I’ve met. I want to introduce you to “Anne of Green Gables” and “Mary Poppins” and “Harry Potter”. Won’t it be lovely? And when you return from your journeys you’ll know. You’ll know all the things that I could never explain – the feelings, emotions, people, experiences — the words. The beautiful words spread out on the page, one after another inviting you to continue. And hopefully, like me, your love affair with books will start with Alice.