Reading take-off

After passing 2, Taikun started to interest in storytelling as I have noticed after moving to New York in fall 2012. After spring of 2013 when the weather getting warmer, he became interested in “reading”—albeit just for pictures. In additional to storytelling, he would take a storybook, flipping the pages on his own. I often saw him standing reading—turning the pages of a book on a table or on a coach by himself, enjoying the pictures. He concentrated on it very seriously and devotedly.

T bought a book “Curious George,” originally published in 1940s. This is a “70th Anniversary Edition”, or Complete Adventures of Curious George, collecting some of the best story in this series.  It became Taikun’s favorite must-haves. He loved it so much—and he must carry it around, from living room to bedroom, from downstairs to upstairs, and even from home to the car when going to daycare.

This book was fun even for adults. The settings of story were about the adventures of a monkey named George and his partner Yellow-hat man (“n̂g bō-á Papa” as I interpreted it), who caught the monkey in a forest, and then both lived together. Based on this monkey’s curiosity, the storylines extended various explorations. 

While Taikun couldn’t understand the words and could only enjoy the illustrations, I tried to come up with the storytelling without referring to original text at all. I simply looked at the graphs and devised my own version of story—oftentime I found it’s far more fascinating.

I was attracted to this book based on nostalgic reasons—although the storylines was timeless, all the illustrations were retro. It’s fun to see how different operation room in a hospital and subway cars in 1940 were from today’s. It’s also fascinating to see streets of New York and the life of people—say entertainment with a chorus in 1940s.

Saturday, July 27 2013

We gave him a new book “The bridge is up!”. T, A, and I told him this book many times, of course, using different interpretations with using different languages. 

His curiosity also burst, connecting the storytelling to some unrelated issues to the storyline. He asked a lot questions seemingly related, but I know reasonable and definitely related to his understanding to the world and his life at this stage.

According to A, for example, when told the famous Taiwanese story “hó-ko-pô (Tiger Aunt)”, regarding two major characters a pair of sisters, he inquired if there a mother for them. After A replied yes, he continued, “where is she?” Or in my case, e.g., when seeing the pictures showing a bridge and water underneath, he asked? “ū hosu mo? (Is there a hose?)”.

In the late evening of July 26 (Sat), I read the book for him. After finishing once he asked to say it again and I did. This time I pointed English to him, reading them and interpreting them in Taiwanese. Hopefully this way he will gradually understand languages in written form. All of a sudden he became curious about the road where all characters were trapped due to the bridge was up. Looking at the road in the illustration, he asked what that was “che sia-mih? (what is this?)”. I replied it was a road, which was painted in black asphalt. Then he continued, “che gio kih to-wi? (Where does the road go?)” Without waiting for my response, he followed, “Ki Tai-oan. Goa beh a-kong a-ma.  (To Taiwan? I’d like to see grandpa and grandma.”

I was so surprised. Excited, I then asked him, “Goa choa lih kih Tai-oan, ho-mo? (I bring you to visit Taiwan, okay?)” “Ho-a (Okay)”, he followed, “chē-chhia (let’s ride a car.)” I then explained to him that we can’t since there is a sea between. “Sia-mih si hai (what is a sea),” he asked. I followed the sea is a big piece of water, and car cannot go. We have to take a plane or a boat. “poe-hêng-ki ai chē  chin-kú, (it’ll take long riding a plane)”, I followed, “ai-che cha̍p-jī tiám-cheng (it takes 12 hours).”

He looked understanding and replied “ho! (Yes!)” with a satisfactory grin. I was so touched—this is the first time he showed his proactive interest of Taiwan. Though the identity issue is still a long way to go, I would like to say “bravo” for my cute little boy.