I’m working in a 3rd grade classroom this fall launching reading workshop. The classroom teacher and I have not always seen eye-to-eye so I was a bit nervous entering her classroom.

Last week, while teaching a lesson on what it means to have a reading life, I shared a bit of my life as a reader. I became an avid reader despite having no memories of being read to. When I was seven, my mother gave me a beautiful book of fairy tales illustrated by Tasha Tudor. The words were too hard for me to read, but I spent hours looking at the pictures. I still have the book. It is a prized possession. I told the students about my love for this book and how I always wished I could have a dress like Cinderella’s.  After my lesson, a young Vietnamese girl came up to me and said, “Mrs. Miner, when you showed us that book, I was in a whole new world.” That may be one of my happiest teaching moments.

In looking for a photo, I just learned that I own a first edition of this fairy tale book. I love that my mother took the time to find a book she thought I would love. Later, I discovered more of Tasha Tudor’s work and her passion for gardening.

Tasha Tudor lived in New England, was the daughter of a portrait artist, and believed that if you had only a little money, you should buy as many of one kind of flower as possible to make a big splash. I love that.