The Power of Rereading a Book

Some of my family’s well loved spine split, page bent books.

As we make do with the resources and materials we have in our homes, it is important to remember that rereading books is so beneficial for many, many reasons! In my family we use quotes from books we've read a bazillion times together to communicate when we can't find the right words and to find connection. The quotes are like inside, running jokes that bond us. One of my favorite lines is from Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. It helps my boys let go of the energy from the day and settle into bed. It's part of our predictable routine.

"Turn off your engines, stop your tracks,

Relax your wheels, your stacks, and backs.

No more huffing and puffing, team:

It's time to rest your heads and dream."

My youngest uses a line from his favorite book, Ol' 556 Alaska's Might Steam Engine by Shannon Cartwright, to let his older brother know he's upset with him.

'"Humph! I think he's rude!" said Moose."

A familiar book can be like an anchor in a quickly changing tide. It can provide some familiarity when routines are turned upside down like all of ours have been. One of the reasons I've read Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site so many times to my boys is because when they were really little, my husband had construction projects in remote areas of Alaska and was gone for weeks at a time. It gave them connection to their dad when he wasn't there to be part of our bedtime routine.

Here's a great article from Scholastic about some of the benefits of rereading books.

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