"Green Eggs and Ham"

My Grandma Croom was a teacher in a one-room school house in Oklahoma during the Depression.  My folks split up when I was five and Grandma looked after me in more ways than one, including very patiently reading with me every time I came to visit.  I think my father felt a bit guilty about the divorce and, as a sort of peace offering, he bought my sister and me a series of books, including "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Go, Dog, Go."  This was the glorious beginning of my life as a reader.  It taught me a love for the written word, simple poetic repetition, and Dr. Seuss' irreverent humor.  Later, I remember reading classes in First Grade, sounding out the phonics.  I remember "Weekly Reader," a monthly "newspaper" with little grammar games and interesting stories.  Extra-curricular reading was encouraged in our schools, and I recall reading the Narnia books when I was twelve; I recall falling in love with the beauty of words from the simplicity of John Steinbeck and the grandeur of Shakespeare.  My deep, dark confession is that, though we were taught speed reading in the Ninth Grade, almost immediately afterward, I seemed to have lost the knack.  As a result, a heavy reading load in college was a bit intimidating.  As an ESL teacher for 25 years, I believe I was able to capitalize on this "learning handicap," empathizing with many students who struggled in this and in other ways.