Back in the day when I used to read newspapers, the comics sections were my glimpse into a future of hope. I do not remember when I first read Calvin and Hobbs but, shortly thereafter and to date, I could not get through a strip without wondering, "Who is this guy, Bill Watterson." I still wonder. Superlatives like wit and wisdom, integrity, courage of convictions, et al., are punctuated by notions of humility, morality, ethics, and self-actualization. To me, in a word or two, Calvin and Hobbs is a mirror into the soul of Bill Watterson - a man with whom I would love to sit in front of a crackling fire on a cold winter's eve, mug of coffee in hand, and ask (and attempt to answer) the question, "What is the meaning of life."
Calvin and Hobbes came along much to late to be important in my life and, for some reason, never showed up in my children's, all born in the 90s. What did show up for me and my children were dozens upon dozens of books.
I'll mention one that no one mentions today. I discovered it in college. It's the stories of Winnie the Pooh. I don't think I read these to my children, but I should have. Another series that I did read was Laura Ingall's Little House on the Prairie books. Both of these series have wonderful lessons for both children and adults. Another wonderful series - perhaps mostly for girls - was Anne of Green Gables series. We read all eight (I believe) of them. We also read dozens of illustrated classics. I did read aloud to them the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, including the Hobbit.
Most of these were read prior to my children being in middle school. I stopped reading to them when they got into high school. I've always regretted that.
Oh gosh. What a great post! My husband introduced our sons (now in their 20s) to Calvin and Hobbes when they were in elementary school. They acquired most of the paperbacks over the years, and for their high school graduation we gifted each of them the complete hard bound set. I have so many fond memories of the boys reading their favorite strips to us from the backseat of the minivan, where there were always at least a couple of the paperbacks strewn about.
When our younger son was in third grade, his teacher expressed concern that all he read was Calvin and Hobbes, “just a comicbook.” I pointed out to her the sophisticated vocabulary and the philosophical concepts. She conceded and bought a few paperbacks for her classroom. By the end of the school year all the boys were reading them!
One of the greatest gifts grandparents can give isn’t simply a book. It’s the habit of sitting beside a child and asking what the story means.
Calvin and Hobbes gave us plenty of laughter, but it also gave us language for imagination, friendship, human nature, and responsibility. Culture is passed down in conversations like these—one well-loved, worn-out book at a time.
Back in the day when I used to read newspapers, the comics sections were my glimpse into a future of hope. I do not remember when I first read Calvin and Hobbs but, shortly thereafter and to date, I could not get through a strip without wondering, "Who is this guy, Bill Watterson." I still wonder. Superlatives like wit and wisdom, integrity, courage of convictions, et al., are punctuated by notions of humility, morality, ethics, and self-actualization. To me, in a word or two, Calvin and Hobbs is a mirror into the soul of Bill Watterson - a man with whom I would love to sit in front of a crackling fire on a cold winter's eve, mug of coffee in hand, and ask (and attempt to answer) the question, "What is the meaning of life."
Calvin and Hobbes came along much to late to be important in my life and, for some reason, never showed up in my children's, all born in the 90s. What did show up for me and my children were dozens upon dozens of books.
I'll mention one that no one mentions today. I discovered it in college. It's the stories of Winnie the Pooh. I don't think I read these to my children, but I should have. Another series that I did read was Laura Ingall's Little House on the Prairie books. Both of these series have wonderful lessons for both children and adults. Another wonderful series - perhaps mostly for girls - was Anne of Green Gables series. We read all eight (I believe) of them. We also read dozens of illustrated classics. I did read aloud to them the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, including the Hobbit.
Most of these were read prior to my children being in middle school. I stopped reading to them when they got into high school. I've always regretted that.
Oh gosh. What a great post! My husband introduced our sons (now in their 20s) to Calvin and Hobbes when they were in elementary school. They acquired most of the paperbacks over the years, and for their high school graduation we gifted each of them the complete hard bound set. I have so many fond memories of the boys reading their favorite strips to us from the backseat of the minivan, where there were always at least a couple of the paperbacks strewn about.
When our younger son was in third grade, his teacher expressed concern that all he read was Calvin and Hobbes, “just a comicbook.” I pointed out to her the sophisticated vocabulary and the philosophical concepts. She conceded and bought a few paperbacks for her classroom. By the end of the school year all the boys were reading them!
One of the greatest gifts grandparents can give isn’t simply a book. It’s the habit of sitting beside a child and asking what the story means.
Calvin and Hobbes gave us plenty of laughter, but it also gave us language for imagination, friendship, human nature, and responsibility. Culture is passed down in conversations like these—one well-loved, worn-out book at a time.
Amen. Preach!