A Little Extra Reading Magic

Slice of Life is sponsored on Tuesdays by Two Writing Teachers.  I'm linking up for the first time!

Reading adds a little extra magic to Walt Disney World, a.k.a. The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Big B & Little C with Belle, a fellow book-lover

This summer, before leaving for our first trip to Walt Disney World, I purchased the Disney Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters to use as an alternative to the traditional autograph book. (Thank you, Pinterest for the link to this idea!)  Big B enjoys the "encyclopedia format" of nonfiction, and I figured it would be less likely to just sit on a shelf.  Win, win.  

I packed coloring supplies and bubbles and downloaded apps like Heads Up to entertain us in line, but we rarely pulled these items out.  Lines=Reading Emergency.  Every time we had a few minutes in a character line, we whipped out the book and read about different characters.  We read the Maleficent page at least 28 times...I became very fluent.  Haha! Suprisingly enough, Little C liked to read about the villians, but absolutely refused to actually meet a single one,

In the line to meet Anna and Elsa, I looked up to see Little C listening and six little princesses reading along with us.  They had gradually scooted over and created a little reading circle, sitting and smiling together.  Perhaps it is because I miss my classroom reading community, but it was a magical moment for me.  No matter what, no matter where, kids love being read to.

My heart exploded each time I watched Big B and Little C meet a character.  (Mentally, I picture it growing three sizes like the Grinch and bursting out of my chest.)  Their smiles were filled with pure joy, and Little C was especially fascinated with meeting her favorite characters in real life. Little C would often show and talk to them about their picture in the book.  Donald Duck was excited to see he had a page to all by himself and declared that he was #1.  Little C informed Elsa she wanted ice powers so she could make a dress like she was wearing in the illustration.  Reading will forever be a part of those magical moments...which only further proves that, to quote Walt Disney, "there's more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island."

Annie