The article reflects on the intergenerational tradition of storytelling, emphasizing the deep emotional connections formed when parents read to their children. It recounts personal memories of the author’s father, who shared Rudyard Kipling's stories, blending his childhood in Africa with their sharing in Surrey. The piece highlights how these stories, cherished by both the author and their father, are passed down through generations, symbolizing connection and shared experiences. It expresses hope that new stories will continue to be embraced and shared, creating a family legacy of literature.
"Best Beloved." The phrase that describes how every child, wrapped in a story read by a parent, will feel in that moment. It's handed down: generation to generation.
We pass these stories, hand over hand, voice to voice, as stories have always been passed. Each generation reads the old ones and finds new ones that will in turn be passed on.
As a child, I was read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog the Forgetful Cat; Dogger; Burglar Bill; Green Eggs and Ham; Burnie's Hill.
I hope that my children, too, find joy in the stories that I shared with them and that they’ll read them to their own children one day.
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