Book Junkies

Reading is a big deal to me. I l-o-v-e to read and, when I got pregnant, I couldn't wait to snuggle with my baby and read to the little bundle.

Belly did not disappoint. From an infant, she loved to hear me read books. We moved smoothly from board books to picture books to longer chapter books. She will sit still to hear me read from a comic book, a homeschool 'how to' book and even a magazine article, especially if it means some quiet one-on-one time.

Jilly also enjoys story time although she has always done it with a twist. For a long time, if asked to pick out a book, she'd come back carrying one of the Where's Waldo books. This kid (three years old, mind you!) can find Waldo in no time flat! She also has a fondness for an English/Spanish picture dictionary; my seven years of French are of no help here, although I love to hear my Austrian mom trying to read Spanish words to her granddaughter.

By the time D came around, I thought I was well on my way to raising a bunch of book-loving kids. I made sure all the best board books were front and center, and tossed aside the cartoon-character books and the odd little book in the shape of a tractor. But D hated to sit still for stories. If I opened a book, he wanted it closed. If it was closed, he wanted to throw it. Or chew it. Or sit on it. Anything but hear what was inside of it.

And then one day, he brought me the little tractor book. Delighted I sat down to read it to him, thinking that maybe this would be a cute story about a tractor and a farmer, or maybe even a love interest.

Instead, I read nouns. No verbs. No plot. No story line whatsoever. In fact, here is the fascinating story that I ended up reading over and over again for about 6 months:

little loader
little digger
loader
grader
excavators
loaders
bulldozers

--(this is just a gripe, but I would've thought the name of this book would be Loaders wouldn't you? Nope, it is called Digger) --

Sadly, this was the extent of his book interest. But, this all just changed a few days ago.

To my shock and delight, D came to me last week clutching a well-worn copy of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom that had been a gift to Jilly. The first time I read it, he sat completely still in my lap, with my arms around him as I held the book. On Day One, we read the book no less than six times. He calls it "Boo Boo" and points to the letters, the coconuts and the moon with his chubby little hand while I try to inhale the scent coming off the top of his head.

And then last night, it was Goodnight Moon. Four times in a row. Tonight he sat for Goodnight Moon AND an Arthur story.

Sigh. Books with nouns AND verbs. I'm happy.

(this entry was inspired by the hilarious and honest post called "Does Moby Dick Come in Bath Book?" from 10.17.06 by Girl'sGoneChild, one of my favorite bloggers)