Happy holidays from the Parenting Times editorial office. Editor Tracey Tong’s holiday must-haves include books (on the coffee table now: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy), coffee and comfy (yet stylish) clothes for home, like Rose Boreal’s Tofino dress in Flight Blue. Inspired by adventure and exploration, the dress combines fluid, dynamic cuts with technical fabrics. Photo Credit K. Simpson
When I was growing up, I was always immersed in a book. As a primary schooler, I devoured Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club series and looked forward to the years when I’d be old enough to babysit (I never did). A bit later, Lucy Maud Montgomery transported this southern Ontario girl to Canada’s east coast (in my imagination, anyway) and I dreamed of finding true love like Anne Shirley did, or pursuing a career as a writer, like Emily Starr.
I was crazy for Stephen King novels in middle school. The dreams I had after reading those books were more like bizarre nightmares—Edgar Allan Poe meets Salvador Dali.
If the books we read as children are our first friends, then the Tong household had the most eclectic gang marching around at all hours. With my mother working as a teacher and my brother even more obsessed with books than I was, our home was bursting with literature.
Ours is a culture that loves books, which is why we’re delighted to present the theme of this issue: the Love of Reading.
Just in time for winter—a perfect season to hunker down with a good story—our first issue of 2025 focuses on one of life’s great pleasures, which also happens to be financially and physically accessible.
We chatted with local writers Derville and Tasha Lowe, Brian Nolet and Ana Temborska about their goals for their work, benefits of reading for seniors and sussed out some of the hottest new Canadian books for kids.
The ability to read doesn’t always come easily, so education writer Sheryl Bennett-Wilson talked to local private educators about how they can help, as well as experts about reading with learning disabilities. We also asked local speech-language pathologist Brigitte Dobrzanski about how these services can change the lives of children.
Our local columnists shared their personal stories about a unanimously favourite pastime—reading (of course). Jon Willing writes about his run-in with artificial intelligence during story time, while Chris Hunt tells us about the Friday night book-and-pizza ritual from his youth. Kita Szpak says that parents’ attitudes about books sets an example for their children.
I don’t have much time to sit down with a book these days, but my daughters love to read, and my favourites of yore have re-entered my life (albeit in a shinier, more modern graphic novel form). It doesn’t matter. When I see the titles and run my fingers over the heavy pages, I’m home.
Best wishes,
Tracey
The Grinch and editor Tracey Tong. Submitted Photo