IT STARTS WITH A BOOK

On Friday, April 29th, I will have attended the 13th Annual Dia del Ninos y los Libros (Day of the Child and Books) event taking place at my elementary, middle, and junior high school alma mater, Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy, School # 76 in Buffalo. I last walked the halls of School 76 as a student when I graduated 8th grade some thirty-one years ago. The last time I was in this building was perhaps my younger brother’s graduation in the early 2000s. Being invited and having the chance to go back to my childhood school and participate in this event is an immensely proud moment, especially when I look back to where I came from and more importantly where I am going. 

I find it important that this event emphasizes “los Libros” because a few months ago, in this very column, I wrote about how the current Governor of Florida was using his power to embark on a crusade to ban books in the sunshine state. Education and literacy are the key to our children’s development and promoting the importance of reading is the right move and I am proud to have been invited.

Currently, where our children and young people are constantly bombarded with information tied to a phone or computer screen, I think the importance of picking up a paper or cardboard-backed book and promoting literacy and reading is more important than ever. Reading opens the mind to new ideas and experiences, and yes, one can have similar experiences watching a YouTube or Tik Tok video, however, reading words on paper in your voice, in my mind, adds to the learning experience.

We need more writers, poets, and scholars of Latino descent. The best way to do this is by promoting reading and pushing our young people to expand their minds outside of the video games and repetitive social media videos many of us who have children are struggling to shield them from. To end this column, I wanted to include a poem my nine-year daughter, Angelina wrote, which completely blew me away. I like to think the amount of reading her mother and I pushed her, and her siblings helped mold her into the little poet she is becoming. Yes, I am a little  biased but suffice to say, I am enormously proud of her work:

“BOOK BUTTERFLIES”

by Angelina Anastasio

 Book butterflies, soaring through the sky,

Like kites new and different, just like you and me.

 Book butterflies, they swarm around you like bees in a beehive.

 They give inspiration like artists.

These butterflies can be in your tummy

But sometimes they can be pretty darn funny.

Book butterflies, they tickle, they wiggle.

They make you laugh until you cry.

 Book butterflies, just like you and me.

When my daughter read this poem to me, a sense of pride washed over me, knowing how difficult of a path she took to get to where she is today academically.

Angelina was born profoundly Deaf in both ears. Although she uses cochlear implants to “hear” and has been in mainstream school since kindergarten, my little girl was dealt with a very tough hand early in life. Using ASL and spoken language at home, we were able to close the gaps she had developmentally and before we knew it, by the time she was in first grade, she was already exceeding her hearing peers in her language and reading levels.

If you were to speak with Angelina, you might forget that she is Deaf, as she loves to talk nonstop and is always curious. Although I truly give all the credit in the world for her development to my wife who was very hands-on with Angelina during those tough early years, I cannot help but think the introduction of books we surrounded her and her siblings with helped make her into the artistic, well-spoken, and curious little girl she is turned out to be.

Reading works, and I implore you all to get your kids to turn those screens off, take them to the library, and pick out a few books. Months ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of taking Angelina to meet local Buffalonian Boricua author Maria Del Pilar Perez and have her sign a copy of her children’s book “The Magical Closet Mystery.” I was so proud to see one of our own telling our stories and encouraging our little ones to read. If you have not picked up a copy, please do so on Amazon.

As mentioned above, we need more Latino/Latina writers bringing forth new ideas and experiences, and journeys. 

Every journey starts with one step. For some, the inspiration in taking that first step can be found on the first page of a book.