Keeping a Book Journal

I have loved, loved, loved writing -- almost as long as I have loved reading. I like to write poetry, short stories, devotionals, blogs (obviously!), grocery lists, journals about my kids, prayer journals, love letters to my husband; really, I even love taking notes and doing copy work! It's an obsession for me as much as reading is. I tell you this as a disclaimer, because I don't want anyone adding any mother-guilt to their plate if the thought of keeping a book journal sounds like more work on top of their already hectic schedule as a parent. Writing a book journal is fun and fulfilling for me, but it might not be for others. Not keeping one should never be a reason to keep you from reading books, books, and more books to your kids! There are many things that don't come naturally to me (like laundry -- blech!), but keeping a journal does. I know so many women who scrapbook regularly. I absolutely love taking pictures (especially of my kiddos!), but become too stressed out when I try and take those pictures and regularly scrapbook with them. For that reason, I have learned to ocassionally scrapbook just for fun, but without letting my irregularity in it become a source of guilt or stress. Not scrapbooking cannot keep me from the joy of taking pictures of my little ones, just as not journaling or writing should not keep you from the joy of reading great literature to your little ones!

Okay, disclaimer done.

Now, about this journaling stuff. After reading another person's book reviews a couple years ago, I realized I would have liked to have been able to remember what my immediate thoughts on those books were when I had read them years back. I had an "Aha!" moment, and decided that I would start documenting what books I read and what I thought about each one. While I am not always diligent to record each book in my own book journal, there is something more rewarding to me about recording the books that I read with the kids. I suppose it makes me feel as if I am contributing to their literary legacy in some way by documenting what books they have read and what little comments they have made about them, as well as any thoughts I may have had regarding them. It has also been a great resource in helping me remember what we have read and loved whenever another Mommy asks me for some book suggestions.

If this idea sounds appealing to you, my only suggestion is to take it and make it your own. If you are a scrapbooker, do it up all fancy! Maybe you are an artist; why not include your doodles and sketches alongside your record of the books you have read? My creative juices flow with words, so while my journal may not be pretty, it does have elements of myself dabbled here and there in the words that I write about each book. Still, I encourage you to not become a perfectionist about this! If you are not creative in a way that you feel you can easily incorporate into book journaling, then don't fret! Just write down the books, authors/illustrators, and the dates you read them and you are good to go! Years later, when your kids are raising their own little literates, they will treasure anything you have put together -- fancy or plain, wordy or brief. To them it will be a record of memories you formed together, and a great starting place for them to create their own new memories with their babies!

If you decide to try this out (or if you are one step ahead and already have a book journal), I pray it will leave a legacy of literacy for generations to come in your family -- the same thing I am praying it will do for ours!

“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.”

John Locke (1632 - 1704)