One of my first and clearest memories of a story was listening to "Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie" on tape during nap time. I was enthralled by Abbie's bravery and courage and I listened to the story so many times that as a three year old I could recite it by memory--and would do so to whomever would listen.

Sponsors and Early Experiences

Barbara Brant describes a sponsor of literacy as "literacy takes its shape from the interests of its sponsors... the concept of sponsors helps to explain, then, a range of human relationships and ideological pressures that turn up at the scene of literacy learning" (Brant 337.)   This process of shaping of interests and desire and even relationship is demonstrated in my own experience with sponsorship.  Though I boasted many sponsors in the form of grandparents, my dad, friends, etc, the individual whose very presence and personality most shaped my literacy is also my mother.  When I unsuspectingly began my journey toward literacy many of my earliest memories center around my mom introducing me to various forms of literacy.  We started with short story books and graduated to chapter books of increasing difficulty as my siblings and I grew older.  My mom's passion for books was infectious to us.  She sincerely got excited for story time as she would gather us all around on the couch or her bed on hot summer afternoons or snowy winter afternoons.  Then she would weave a tale with voices and expressions for each character as we delighted at the time spent with her and each new book, character, and experience which she introduced us to.