Between the Chapters: Meet Sarah
This week: a peek into how reading actually looks at home for Sarah, mom to Olivia (age 2.5 years). Here is a snapshot of what she reads aloud, what Olivia picks up on her own, and a little about the life happening around the books. This interview is the first of many to come as part of Booktrition’s “Between the Chapters” series.
“Between the Chapters” is an interview series about how reading actually happens at home. It’s not about idealized book lists or what we wish we were reading. Instead, this series is about what real moms read aloud, what kids reach for on their own, and the everyday context surrounding those choices. Each interview offers a small glimpse into a family’s reading life—plus a little about the mom herself.
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I first met Sarah in 2006 through my ex-boyfriend. She was one of his best friends from spending the summers together on Nantucket, and fittingly, my first introduction to her was at a mutual friend’s wedding on the island. Fast forward to 2009, and this boyfriend became my ex-boyfriend. And while friendships you meet through significant others often dwindle with break-ups and divorces, this one did not. If anything, we grew closer. She has held my hand while I’ve cried, she has been a bridesmaid at my wedding, and she has held each of my three kids as newborns. This interview, then, was particularly fun and endearing for me; to get to have this adult conversation about what our own children read today.
Sarah currently lives in New Jersey and so this conversation took place over the phone—me, at my desk, and Sarah, parked across the street from her favorite toy store, Cam Jam Kids. After our conversation ends, she plans to go inside the store to re-up on Olivia’s favorite Jellycat stuffed animals that coordinate with the Jellycat books. This leads me directly into my first question for Sarah:
What books do you love to read to Olivia right now?
I love reading the Jellycat books because they are like board books but with a little more substance. Some of our favorite titles are Munro in the Middle, Otto the Loyal Long Dog, Just Like Me, and My Mom and Me. They also have these adorable Jellycat stuffed animals that go with each of the books. And for us this has become a problem. Jellycat owners have a disease. I am parked across the street from my favorite toy store and I absolutely love the owner. She owns the local toy store here called Cam Jam Kids and we are on a first name basis. I have her direct cell phone line and she tells me when the next Jellycat stuffy will come out. I’m like, “When are you going to get the next drop?!”
Jellycat books aside, I also love the Sandra Boynton books and have many of them memorized. We also love the Little Blue Truck books but the problem with those and books that don’t have thick pages is that she loves to tear out pages.
What book is Olivia obsesses with right now?
She loves Disney’s 5-Minute story books, particularly the ones about Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse. They are all short stories but in one book. She pretends to read them to me until she lets me pry the book from her hand to read aloud to her.
How does it make you feel when Olivia looks at books?
Oh, I mean, like pure delight in watching her explore things on her own without wanting my intervention. So, I don't know what the right emotion is, but it's like, it's probably just pure joy. I mean, when she opens up a book and is flipping those books, I'm also just like, giddy. She is creating her own narrative and using her imagination.
Do you think teachers should recommend books?
Olivia will go to preschool next year and I’m expecting that they are going to be guiding us towards age-appropriate reading material. Maybe that’s a high expectation, I don’t know. How else would we know how to compliment what they’re doing in the classroom?
What has been a Booktrition post from Instagram that has stuck with you the most?
There was a post about alphabet charts and what words and pictures best represent each letter and I thought it was really fascinating because I wouldn’t have thought twice about that. There’s a Winnie the Pooh alphabet and for the letter ‘x’ it has “explore” and I’m not sure where I come out on that one.
What else in terms of literacy and beyond are you curious about?
We’ll be looking at preschools soon and so I’m wondering what I should be looking for in terms of their literacy curriculum.
Literacy aside, I think bedtime is our biggest pain point. We have a great routine and read multiple books before bed each night, but I guess I’m wondering how people do it with multiple kids, sports and activities.
Which, leads me to my last question: what do you do for yourself just to self-indulge or make life a little bit easier?
I watch mindless TV; things I’ve seen before and don’t require attention. Like, I’d love to watch Emily in Paris but I’m going to watch West Wing instead because I don’t have to think about it.
Also, I treat myself at times to getting my lashes done and getting hair blowouts. The hair blowouts last for days and just save me so much time not having to deal with my hair.
From here, our lovely conversation had to sadly come to an end because it was time to pick up my kids from school, and Sarah had to get the next Jellycat drop at Cam Jam Kids! But I loved this conversation with Sarah for so many reasons and I hope you did too. These “Between the Chapters” interviews are snapshots not prescriptions. They’re meant to make reading feel familiar, not impressive. If you see your house reflected here, you’re in good company. If your house looks totally different, you are too. You can decide what to take with you, and if you have a friend who’d enjoy reading this too, feel free to pass this along. We are better when we share ideas and learn from each other.