A decades-old tradition, illustrated in a modem children's book, links the sweetness of honey with the joy of learning to read. The grandpa held a jar of honey so that all the family could see. He then dipped a spoon into it and put some honey on the cover of a small book. The little girl had just turned five. Stand up, little one, "he asked the girl softly.  "I did this for your mother, your uncles, your old brother,  and now you ! " Then, he handed the book to her.  "Taste f " She touched the honey with her finger and put it into her mouth. " What  is  the  taste?" the  grandpa  asked. The little girl answered,  " Sweet ! " Then all. the family said in a single voice, "Yes, and so is knowledge, but knowledge is from the bee that made that sweet honey,  you have to go after it through the pages of a book ! " The little girl knew that the promise to read was at last hers. Soon she was going to learn to read. This is the beginning of a profoundly moving children's book entitled Thank You, Mr. Falker. In this book, Patricia Polacco writes of her own passion to read, inspired by the honey on the book. It wasn't until fifth grade that she met her beloved teacher who provided the help that she needed to finally unlock the magic of the written world. The child learning to read is admitted into a collective memory by way of books. And with the printed words that are active with. meaning,  the child bees acquainted  with a common past which he or she renews, to a greater or lesser degree, in every reading. Much as the author of the book Thank You,  Mr. Falker puts it,  " Almost as if it were magic,  or as if light poured into her brain, the words and sentences started to take shape on the page as they never had before-And she understood the whole thing---Then she went into the living room and found the book on a shelf, the very book that her grandpa had shown her so many years ago. She spooned  honey on the cover and tasted the sweetness---Then she held the book, honey and all, close to her chest.  She could feel tears roll down her cheeks, but they weren't tears of sadness- she way happy, so very happy. " The book entitled Thank You, Mr. Falker is about
the early life of Mr. Falker the magic power of oral words on children Polacco's early experience with reading how the honey on the book makes children feel happy