My Little Author

My girl likes to "write" stories. She is always penning words down on pieces of rough paper and showing it to me saying "Look, mama, read my story." I encourage her love for reading and writing by stapling papers to make them look like a book and asking her to make up her own storybook.

The other day I bought her a colorful notebook and asked her to write her own story. This is what she wrote.

Note: I have substituted the names she used in her book. Mary for her name and John for her little brother but the rest are included just as she wrote it, together with the incorrect spellings and manglish used.

Mary's bedroom full of hearts and flowers.

Once upon a time, Mary's bedroom was full of Heart's. mummy asked mary why her bedroom was full of Heart's. Mary said, "it is a catoon (cartoon) bedroom, thats why." "oh, said mummy. "oh" that's why said mummy, again. so, mummy went back to the kitchen.

"oh, mummy How does your bedroom look like?" asked Mary. "it's not cartoon, said mummy. "because why?" asked Mary. mummy said, "because big people don't need cartoon bedrooms aready, that's why, " "oh", said Mary. Oh, mummy but what about daddy and john asked Mary, walking away. john got cartoon but daddy no cartoon.

now i know why daddy no cartoon becuase He's big! that's why said Mary sofely (softly). yes, said mummy. "Yes, its ceret (correct)", said mummy again. "ok goodnight" said Mary to mummy. "Goodnight Lah", said mummy angrily. "don't disturb me" said mummy. "don't disturb mummy lah, said daddy. mummy needs rest, said daddy again.

no, but i want to talk to mummy or chet chat (chit chat) about school.

mummy needs rest and tomorrow mummy cannot take care of you How? but, i still wanted to sleep with mummy. cannot said daddy, yes said Mary

soon, daddy and Mary were talking about yes no yes no until the wholeeee bedroom was fulllll of noise until one by one they all fell asleep john 1 mary two mummy 3 and daddy 4 all fell asleep. goodnight said everyone to everyone.

The story had many mistakes but then I think its not bad for a 6 year old.

I had a great laugh when I read her story especially the last part which is like a chapter taken from our bedtime conversations. Lol! Anyway, I think that encouraging her to write is a great way to teach her the language. I can then correct her spelling mistakes and show her where she should use capital letters or add her commas, inverted commas etc. I should also tell her that we should not write the way we speak ie Manglish as that is the incorrect or improper usage of English.

Apart from teaching her spelling and grammar, I also get a little peep into whats going on in her little mind. Its a very nice exercise overall and I shall continue to encourage her love for reading and writing.