If you don't have kids, then you may not know that today was Read Across America, a day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday - Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham and all of that. What is more fun than the classic pairing of pajama day with a read-in. Madalyn just purchased a new Webkinz (again for those not operating in the world of small kiddos and tweens, this is basically a stuffed animal that has a code that allows you to have virtual play on-line,). As such, she wanted to wear her duckie slippers which are the closest thing she has to her birdie Webkinz.
This is an unofficial, unsubstantiated opinion, but I think middle children are excellent readers. Madalyn is an excellent reader. She has the natural desire to read and loves it. One of her New Year's resolutions was to read a chapter book a month; she has well surpassed that goal.Of course, I am a middle child, and though my reading skills are a little numb as of late, I still do o.k. The last book I read was Admissions, a novel about the crazy admission process of New York private schools. I won't complain again about another book fair or having to send in shoe boxes and tissues. These parents pay around $32,000 a year for elementary school education, plus are expected to kick in a little more for the fundraisers. Out of curiosity, I looked up a few websites just to see how closely the fictional book was to the non-fiction of life and yup it was pretty close. One caveat though, I noticed that for my "free" public education, Makayla has read, or I have in our personal library most of the required summer reading for 6th graders as required by the pricey institutions.
Cayleb and I read a few new books today, too. These come from our Grandma B. 2nd grade library, that we love. He was most interested in two that he kept flipping through even after I was done reading. One was, Dinorella by Pameal Duncan Edwards, a great book with a hilarious alliteration of "d's" ; ..."a dastardly deed was taking place! A deinonychus was dragging off the duke. I'm done for, cried the duke. He will devour me. Indeed I will! laughed the deinonychus. I'll be digesting you by daybreak." And another favorite was Bill Grossman's My Little Sister Ate One Hare. "My little sister ate 3 ants. She even ate their underpants. She ate 2 snakes. She ate 1 hare. We thought she'd throw up then and there. But she didn't." Just think of a little boy, who has a little sister and finds potty talk funny as all get out and you get the idea of why he finds this book so funny!
And the latest book I am reading is, The Wall Street Journal's Lifetime Guide to Money. What can I say, the current economic situation has even affected my reading. Maybe everything Wall Street recommends won't be on my main street list of things to do and follow, but it has some good advice. Bummer though, our 6 month savings has whittled down to about 3, and that is if we really like Mac 'n' Cheese.
