Heroes Worth Knowing

As my Mother-In-Law, Carol Sands Lillehaugen used to say, “If you learn to love to read, you will never be lonely. You always have a good friend with you.” As a young mother in the 1960’s she shared that love of reading with her kids and though I had always liked to read, after Mark and I married I learned to love it even more!

I can’t tell you home many times we would talk about books and things we learned while eating dinner or doing chores around the house.

When our kids were preschoolers, we had the joy of sharing the love of reading with them. We began the tradition of going to the library each week to pick out 10 books. Keeping that number consistent was a super strategy for staying organized!

Biographies of famous people – especially books that described that person’s childhood, helped us share a vision for ways regular people could do important things.

Here are 4 favorites you might enjoy reading aloud to your kids too…

We traveled to Medora, North Dakota several times when our kids were young. Each time we were sure to bring one duffle bag just for costumes so they could really get into character. And… Teddy Roosevelt was one of their favorite characters!

This book, Bully for You Teddy Roosevelt! by Jean Fritz brings to life our colorful 26th president. Conservationist, hunter, family man, and politician, Roosevelt commanded the respect and admiration of many who marveled at his energy, drive, and achievements.

When a heavy storm destroyed the bridge over Honey Creek, near Kate Shelley's home in Moingona, Iowa, fifteen-year-old Kate bravely rushed out into the storm, saving the lives of two men and preventing hundreds of other lives from being lost. This book, Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express is the true story of a young girl's resourcefulness and courage in the face of great danger.

I think our family brought this one home from the library dozens of times. We could ponder, “Would we be brave like Kate?”

Marion Anderson had a gorgeous voice, but because she was a black woman, many opportunities were blocked for her. In 1939 she gave a concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that drew a huge crowd of people of all backgrounds. This book, When Marian Sang by Brian Selznick and Pam Muñoz Ryan describes not only her unique singing ability, but also the strength of her character, and the struggles of the times in which she lived.

Ruby Bridges This Is Your Time written by Ruby herself, describes the story of this civil rights icon —who, at the age of six, was the first black child to integrate into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans.

What bravery and commitment to a brighter future that family must have had. I think Moms and Dads today can ponder if they would have been able to make that challenging choice.