I imagine that very few HSF readers would disagree with the assertion that childhood in 2019 is different than childhood in, say, 1999. Speaking as one who was a child herself in 1999, I’m not sure that young Christa could even have imagined some of the changes we see now:
- “You mean that I can carry a little television around with me all the time, and I don’t need a videotape to watch my favorite shows?”
- “The internet is everywhere, not just at the library?”
- “I can send instant messages to my friends and family complete with pictures from a phone that doesn’t need to plugged into a car or a wall?”
Silly as they may be, these examples illustrate the major cultural shift that we’ve experienced over the last two decades, particularly those related to the ability to entertain ourselves.
That’s not to say, though, that our essential natures or the essential natures of children have radically altered. I would imagine that most children (if they have not been relentlessly conditioned to enjoy only digital media) can still receive great joy from playing outside, for example. It is to say, though, that parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and anyone else who comes into regular contact with children must be more intentional than they would have been twenty years ago in encouraging active play and active imaginations in the children they love.
One of the greatest means by which to foster children’s imaginations and bring great delight to children’s lives is reading. I’ve written about this before, but I think the idea bears repeating, especially as we are increasingly bombarded by digital technology. I am not saying that we should completely ban all digital technology from the lives of our children, but we must be mindful of its effects on their developing minds. Reading, on the other hand, has been proven again and again to have profound positive impact on both the developing minds and the developing characters of children.[1]
Perhaps you’re a parent who is interested in encouraging a more bookish life in your home, but you’re not sure how to begin. Maybe you feel that you need more insight into the benefits of reading. Maybe you don’t which books to even begin with. I can assure that you are not alone in your searching and that several resources are available to help. In particular, Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt is at once informative, encouraging, and delightful to read.[2] With this brief review, I hope to encourage you to find a copy!
Review
Throughout Honey for a Child’s Heart, Hunt builds a strong case for the benefits that come from families’ reading together and from encouraging a love of books in all children. I especially appreciate her deep love of words and of language itself. In fact, she begins the book by beautifully capturing the profound impact that “word[s] fitly spoken [or written, in this case]” can have upon both the developing minds and the developing characters of children (Prov. 25:11, KJV). “The world cries out for imaginative people who can spell out truth in words that communicate meaningfully to people in their human situation. . . . Children are the freest and most imaginative of creatures. They love the fun of words and have a spectacular ability to learn,” she writes.[3]
Indeed, good books can function as parents’ great allies in the character formation of their children. Through stories, children are exposed to important truths and can vicariously experience situations that teach them virtues of courage, love, and empathy. Because of this, parents must make wise decisions as they select books for their families. Hunt encourages her readers to choose books that are appropriate to the ages and intellectual development of children and that are of high quality. Interestingly, she cautions parents against buying books that are thinly disguised sermons.[4] She writes:
A good book has a profound kind of morality—not a sentimental sort that thrives on shallow plots and superficial heroes, but the sort of force that inspires the reader’s inner life and draws out what is noble. A good writer has something worthy to say and says it in the best possible way. The author respects the child’s ability to understand. Principles are not preached; they are implicit in the plotting of the story.[5]
In addition to her winsomeness in building her case, another one of the many strengths of Honey for a Child’s Heart is that Hunt generously shares her own experiences in both the classroom and her own family, throughout the book. She and her husband built a rich book culture into their family life, and Hunts writes of the special family “language” and “friends” that came from the books they read together.[6] Of course, this special bond is not limited to Hunt’s family; any family can build a bookish life that encourages this sort of unique family bonding.
An excellent way to share to books as a family is to read them aloud together, no matter the age of the children. Hunt gives advice on how best to accomplish this. Particularly worth mentioning is Hunt’s admonition that fathers participate in family reading.[7] This is one of the best ways to encourage boys, who tend to be reluctant readers, to pick up and enjoy books. Hunt also recommends that families choose books to read aloud together that appeal to the older children in the family; the younger children still love the togetherness of reading time and can keep up better than you might expect![8]
Hunt also spends time discussing the benefits of particular genres as part of a child’s overall reading diet. She particularly examines fantasy, realism, and poetry. Fantasy books have a unique way of helping children apply principles to life as they understand the way allegory works.[9] Furthermore, fantasy appeals to the imagination and, more often than not, deals with strong themes of good and evil.[10] Realistic fiction, on the other hand, can allow children to gain empathy as they witness the trials of the characters that they could find in the real world as well and offer them the knowledge that no matter how adverse circumstances are, hope can be found.[11] Poetry introduces children to the delight that the creative use of words can have.[12]
Chapter 6 is an admonition to make Bible reading a central activity in family life. “If we really believe that God speaks through this book,” Hunt writes, “how can we possibly handle it so carelessly and leave the responsibility for its content to someone else?”[13] As she does elsewhere in the book, Hunt shares her own experience with family Bible-reading and offers practical advice on how to incorporate it into your daily routine. All the while, families should keep this goal in mind: “to teach children to think biblically.”[14]
Finally, Hunt includes several chapters of annotated bibliographies to help families as they begin to select books to read together. She divides chapters by age group and genre. These bibliographies also list other titles by the author and/or in a series. These lists are excellent resources for teachers who are looking to build strong classroom libraries. They are also good for those of us adults who realize that we need to read more children’s literature!
Conclusion
Honey for a Child’s
Heart is, in my opinion, an essential resource for the family library.
Gladys Hunt’s excellent writing and winsome style communicate her contagious
passion for the beauty of words and the power of reading to and with children.
Pastors and teachers could certainly also use these resources as they minister
to the families and children God has placed them with. May we all take
advantage of the common grace that God gives to us through good culture,
particularly the good culture of children’s literature.
[1]See Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook (New York: Penguin, 2013) for an excellent fuller treatment of this idea.
[2]Gladys Hunt, Honey for a Child’s Heart (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002).
[3]Ibid., 20–21.
[4]Ibid., 30–31. Interestingly, a quick scan of the average children’s book section at your local Barnes and Noble or Wal-Mart or Target will reveal that most of the sermonizing occurring in children’s books today are not in books with Victorian-era prudish morality. Rather, there is thinly veiled (if veiled at all) progressivism in many titles targeted to children.
[5]Ibid., 42.
[6]Ibid., 75–76.
[7]Ibid., 77.
[8]Ibid.
[9]Ibid., 59.
[10]Ibid., 57.
[11]Ibid., 61–63.
[12]Ibid., 65.
[13]Ibid., 85.
[14]Ibid., 88.
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