Book Tales (chapter two)

 

This has nothing to do with books.  It's just cute.

Buddy has had a thing for monsters for the last few months.  Since Halloween actually.  He has managed to find every single book at his elementary school library about monsters, goblins, mummies, ghosts, ogres, poltergeists, and even gargoyles when the pickins became slim.  Week after week he comes home with a monster book in his backpack and I get a huge kick out of how many books his library actually has on this subject matter.  And I am so curious to know what the librarians think of this Kindergartner who only chooses monster books.

* * *

In order to check out a new book each week, the students must return their book from the week before.  His "media day" is never the same day of the week, so I have to be extremely vigilant at looking on the school calendar to find out when the book is due.  I was lax one time and tried to teach him to remember on his own.  Well that backfired.  Here's what happened.

He came home in a huff one day because I had not reminded him to take back his book so they wouldn't allow him to check out a new one.  He was irritated, so I tried to help him realize that it's ultimately his job to remember if he wants a new book.  Because hello.  I have enough to remember every week.

The next day he tried to convince me to let him take the book back and get a new one in the few minutes between when the bus drops him off for school and when school actually starts.  Now I've seen the way he acts when he arrives at school.  He is extremely full of energy and usually acts really crazy when he sees all his friends.  I didn't think there was any way he'd be mature enough to navigate past his classmates waiting in the cafeteria for their teacher... and the older kids eating lunch in the cafeteria... down the hall to the library... quickly choose a new book... return the old book... check out the new book... and get back to the line in the cafeteria before his teacher showed up.  I've seen how that kid moves (not to mention seen how long it takes to choose a book) and I figured there was no way that idea would work.  So rather than setting him up for failure, I strictly forbid him from doing that.  I told him he'd have to wait for a new book until the following week.

The following day he came home from school and I noticed a new goblin book in his backpack.  I asked him where it came from and he proudly told me that since I wouldn't let him get one before school, he decided to check one out after school.  Yep -- in those few minutes between when the teacher takes him to the bus and the bus actually drives away he managed to bust his buns to the library and choose a new book.  And miraculously he managed to make it on time.  If I had known that plan was the alternative, I think I would have rather him gotten one before school rather than risking missing the bus after school.

* * *

And speaking of reading, my New Year's Resolution is to read more this year.  I really enjoy reading but really don't make it a priority.  It's hard to read with two banshees running and yelling all the time and by the evening I'm too tired and would rather just watch TV.  But this is a new year and I'm going to read. 

So far I've read "Cry, the Beloved Country," and "The Shack."  "Cry" was wonderful in the end so I can see why so many people love it.  But it was really slow for 90% of the book and too poetic for me, so it wasn't really my style.  But the ending made the read worth it, so ultimately I liked it.  "The Shack" was really interesting and thought-provoking actually. Again, I can appreciate why it is so popular.  But I didn't love it.

I'm reading three other books at the moment:  a biography about Ardeth Greene Kapp, a self esteem book I would like a few of you to read (but it's awkward to recommend something like that to people so take my word for it, it's FANTASTIC).  And "Olive Kitteridge," which I unfortunately had to return to library this week half-read.  So I'll have to wait until I can get it back to finish it.  But I really like it.

I have a running list of other books I want to read this year.  Thanks Nicki for the "Three Cups of Tea" suggestion.  I have heard really good things about it -- so that's been added to my list.  And Myndi-I did read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and very much loved it too. 

What other books can you recommend?