STOP READING

For the last few months, nothing makes the girls happier than a new book.  Or a book they haven’t read in a while.  Or even a book they recently enjoyed and want to read again.

The girls each got a book series for Christmas, and I think they devoured it within two days (switching off books so they could read what the other got).  And then, less than two weeks later, they got two more series for their birthday.  And again, it was read within days.

The girls have gotten a few new books here and there – for Valentine’s Day, for Easter, spending a gift card to the bookstore they got as a present – augmented with very frequent trips to the library at school.

This week was the book fair at school, and the girls could hardly wait to make their selections.  I joined them for lunch, and then we went to shop.  

We decided on a total of seven books…two of them were compilations of three stories each…in the neighborhood of 360 pages each.

We’re four days out from the book fair, and the girls have read all their new stories.  Seriously.

While all this still and quiet is really nice in many ways, I have found myself at times directing the girls to STOP READING.  (And that feels a little crazy to say!)

Let’s PLAY something, I'll encourage them.  A game…a puzzle…some blocks…a Lego set.  They’ve been happy enough to oblige, but it’s clear that reading takes first place in their hearts.  Or sometimes they’ll agree to have me to read to them, which is a nice compromise...and I’m happy to oblige that little “blast from the past”.

If readers are leaders, then look out, World!