BOOK REVIEW Literary Speaking The Reading Promise By Alice Ozma Reviewed by Michael Sprong Yankton Community Library Once upon a time in a land far away, fathers were with practical tools seen as menacing figures. Children were told: “Just wait to bring reading till your father gets home” ... to instill fear and intimida- home. Since Alice tion. Perhaps, an antidote to this image is the memoir and Jim never The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We could have imagShared written by Alice Ozma. It is a story of an “eccen- ined they would tric” father who learned as a single parent to nurture his read for more than 3,000 consecutive child through their shared love of reading. Ozma, in writing about her father Jim Brozina, artfully days, they did not weaves together both a tribute and her own coming-of- keep a record of all age story. The beauty of her story lies in the way she con- books they read. veys the tender and sacred moments of growing up. She However, in the back of the book they provide as a creates a compelling read by describing mundane family resource a list of books they can remember reading along with a form readers can use to make a reading experiences. The backdrop is, of course, reading. When Alice was nine, her father, on a whim, turned a promise of their own. It is notable that Jim Brozina is a consummate chilhabit of bedtime reading into a “promise.” Jim would read to Alice every night for at least 10 minutes for 100 dren’s librarian who knows how to pick books that not days in a row. They called it “The Streak.” What started only delight and entertain children, but also help them as a 100-day challenge continued as a commitment to understand meaning and values that they can apply to daily reading. “The Streak” only ended when Alice their own experiences. No parent can go wrong by folmoved into her college dorm room 3,218 days later. This lowing Jim’s reading list. You can use the book’s suggestions as a starting remarkable habit defined a bond that neither of them point to create your own list. For more ideas about chilwanted to break. According to Reeve Lindbergh, a reviewer for the dren’s literature contact the Yankton Community Library Washington Post, “Ozma has written a thoroughly enter- and talk to Becky Pittenger (who, by the way, received the taining book with skill, intelligence and a delightful sense South Dakota Library Association’s New Librarian of the of humor. The book is about reading, so it will please Year Award). Bottom Line: Adults who encourage a lifetime of librarians and other book lovers, but its greatest strength lies in the author’s affection for the father who kept his reading give children a wonderful gift. promise. He emerges from the story, with some poignancy, as a man whose idiosyncrasies are more than matched by his remarkable gift for parenthood. Brozina writes: ‘I have discovered very little in life that I am adept at doing. I cannot fix your car, repair your roof, or even drive a nail straight. However, I have given everything I have to being a father, and I happily stand back to see the results.’ He should be very happy, indeed.” In fact, reading has recently been shown to produce happy results. For example, data from a recent study by a major university suggests that reading more books can prevent depression in young people. (National Institute of Mental Health, University of Pittsburgh Schools of Health Sciences, April Richard Krementz Gemstones 2011) More specifically, the same exclusively available at... researchers found that young people who read more books than their peers are only one-tenth as likely to be depressed. Once again, anecdote and science meet, and The Reading Promise is a perfect example. The value of the book lies not just in a heartwarming tale. It also leaves the reader 909 Broadway #3, Tripp Park Plaza, Yankton • 605-260-0446 Do You Dream In COLOR? We do...in every color imaginable! 6 n HERVOICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011