We had a baby on November 19th! The most adorable newborn boy EVER came into our lives, and we are so smitten. Schroeder Hirschi Eyre, may you live up to your difficult-to-spell name, and may you follow the examples of your fabulous older siblings in every way. Especially reading!
I cannot express how wonderful this reading challenge has been for our family. My kids are reading like they NEVER have before, and they are absolutely loving the world that has opened to them through these new books.
Example: Flannery is now nearly done with the second MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY book. If I could explain how miraculous this is, I would, but words will not suffice. She is reading, reading, reading. She is reading novels. She is absorbed, engrossed, entranced — in love with stories. She borrowed my kindle and read A LITTLE PRINCESS in a matter of days. That is not an easy book. I would be impressed with any eight year old who took that on; I am particularly impressed that my girl who does not like to work hard read that thing so fast.
But that's just it. Reading has stopped being a chore to her. Audio books are no longer an option. Picture books and graphic novels she has read too many times are no longer an option. Reading is her only source of easy entertainment left, therefore it is no longer work—therefore, to Flanny, it has become worthwhile.
The Kindle does help. So much so, we decided to get everyone Kindles of their own. Flannery has now started HEIDI on the kindle (it cost ninety-nine cents and A LITTLE PRINCESS was free), and, again, she is loving it. She doesn't seem to desire pictures on the kindle like she does on the printed page. Maybe it is just the fascination of reading on a device, but since she really is reading, I don't care!
I still prefer a real book with pages I can turn and dirty up with love. I still would rather own shelves and shelves of books until my house is stuffed to the brim and we barely have room to sit, but there are advantages to Kindles. We can all be reading the same book at the same time. I can find books in a matter of seconds (um, and buy them...). Books tend to be cheaper on Kindle. We certainly won't lose them (although we might forget they are there, though I suppose you can skim through your library on the Kindle in the same way you might search for a book to read on the shelves).
I am rambling, but the success we are having is truly miraculous. Everyone, even my husband, is on board. I have loved or enjoyed all of the books I have read since this has begun (not that I would recommend them all)... which brings me to the point. We've got to start our reviewing!!!
Tomorrow we will begin. A book a day. We've already read as a family OVER FORTY BOOKS. I'm telling you, books are awesome. Reading is awesome. Reading a new book you wouldn't normally choose IS AWESOME!
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