Today is National Grammar Day. One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn't pay more attention to grammar and spelling when I was younger. Writing is one of my favorite past times and I spend more time than necesary debating the correctness of my grammar. It should be second nature and it is not. It is important to me that my children excel at grammar and I love that there is a day to celebrate the importance of having a firm grasp on the rules of your language.
Happy National Grammar Day!
"March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same."
The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book in the Chaos Walking Triology, had to fight hard to make me a fan. I read the first 5 pages of that book so many times it is pathetic. Each time I would shrug and set it back down, opting for one of my other awaiting novels. Then, one day, I had to clean my office. I will do anything to avoid cleaning my office, anything... even read a book that's opening passage is "The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anything." That night, in the heat of procrastination, I read page 6 and I was hooked. Todd and Manchee, the communicative dog had won me over.
Patrick Ness has taken a classic coming of age story and given it new life. Todd, a young boy, on the cusp of becoming a man, is forced to leave everything he has ever known. In the process he meets, for the first time ever, a girl and vows to protect her. However, we learn very shortly after the introduction of Viola that she is more than capable of taking care of herself, and is as integral to Todd's survival as he is to hers. The reader will share in the struggles of these two children, as they discover the secrets of Todd's home.
As the trilogy continues with The Ask and Answer and Monsters of Men, we watch as Todd and Viola struggle to do what is right verses what is easy. By the end of the series Todd and Viola have been forced to grow up and through that process they learn that good and evil is not so black and white. The shades of gray are the circumstances a person is placed in and their reactions. Todd struggles with his inner demons and learns that even good people have the capacity to do evil, hateful things. However, the one thing that remains true through the entire book is that we will all do everything necessary to protect the ones we love, even at our own expense.
It is easy to see that the younger readers will fall in love with Todd. My Mommy's mind hopes that my son will find the strength of character to become a man as good as Todd.
While it may be difficult to get past the first 5 pages (and a talking dog), I implore you to try. These books have everything a reader could hope for in a solid YA Science Fiction trilogy.
If we have ever had a conversation about books or music, then you have heard me talk about Wesley Stace aka John Wesley Harding. If not, you should know... I love him.
His music, although not typically my taste, has a very special place in my heart. His voice is strong and clean and his lyrics are storytelling at it's finest. His live shows are amazing! If you ever have a chance to see John Wesley Harding, I strongly suggest you do. Not only does he interact with the audience on stage, you will find him selling cd's at the end of the night. Usually providing lively conversation while signing autographs.
I remember the first time I heard that Wesley Stace was writing a book, I was crazy excited. I couldn't fathom a better person to tell me a story. Misfortune is still among my favorites. Stace was able to weave this story in the most intricate of manners. The gamut of emtions felt while reading this story was unbearable. I was literally awed as I turned the last page. I have said for years that it is among my favorite endings to a book, ever. If you have not read Misfortune, I highly recommend it.
Yesterday, Stace released his third novel, Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer. Below is some sort of silly interview that someone, somewhere thinks is clever... I am not one of those people. Although I have been told that Eugene Mirman is funny, I don't think this video is a good example. Regardless, I plan to run out tonight and buy this novel at my local Borders and hope you will do the same.
Oh and if you are at all curious, Stace's second novel, By George, is also fantastic.
If you have never read, or heard, anything by Wesley Stace, you must do so immediately. I am sure your life will be even more full once you allow this creative genius in.
Isobel is one of those children who has little problem learning. She is a sponge and absorbs knowledge. The down side of this is that whenever something is even slightly difficult for her she hates it. She is so used to things just making sense that she has a difficult time when they don't. This has been our biggest struggle with reading. She can sound out words, but if they are one of the many words in the English language that can't be sounded out, she becomes agitated.
For instance... a few nights ago we were reading one of her Level One Barbie books and the word in the book was know. She struggled with sounding out the word, so I told her the word sounded like "no". She did not believe me, her exact response was "nuh, uh. Why are you lying to me? No is spelled n-o and does not have a k in it." I told her that I know it is strange, but I promise it sounds like no. She was very upset with me. We had to call Jon up so he could confirm what I had already told her. This did not sit well with her. In fact she was so upset that we had to close the book and go to sleep.
The night before last, I suddenly had an idea... which to me was brilliant, but to every other parent in the world was probably obvious. I would have her read something that she sort of knows, but would still have to read. We started with Marvin K. Mooney Will you Please Go Now. What a mistake, she knows this book so well, that she didn't even have to read the words, she could recite the book from memory (a downfall of it being my favorite Dr. Seuss book). The next book of choice was Green Eggs and Ham. This one was a success. She sort of knew it and the pictures match the words, making it easier to figure them out. She read each word in the book all by herself. At one point I told her that could sounds like would (which she was reading without problem) only with a c instead of a w. Beyond that, I didn't help her at all. She was so proud of herself and so excited. For the first time ever, the words "okay, maybe I do like reading" escaped her lips. A true success.
Since that night she has read Green Eggs and Ham at least 5 times. She will read it to anyone who will listen. She has read it to Emmy and Eli more than once, and they loved it.
Just another thing that is exciting, yet sad. Just another example of how quickly she is growing up. One week from tomorrow she will climb back on the bus and head off to her first day of first grade. And I feel pretty good knowing that she can read at least one full book independently before she climbs those stairs.
