Reading Wednesday - Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

It is almost impossible for me to tell you which Dr. Seuss book is my favorite. All day I have been reading quotes from his collection and each time I think "Ooh... I love that one!" or "Oh, I forgot about that one, wow!". I think that my favorite was ever revolving and changing.

Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! was my favorite when I was a small child. I have vivid memories (some of my earliest) of my Dad and I laying in my bed reading this book. I was read this book so many times as a child that when it came time to read it to my kids, I didn't have to look at the pages. This was also the first book that Izzy "read" to me. She was 3 years old and she "read" every word without even one singe look at the book. It was amazing!

My other favorites only presented themselves after I had kids. Not that I didn't read and love Dr. Seuss as a child, I just see them differently as a mom. While I previously found the nonsensical words irritating, I have learned to love how important they are when teaching kids to read. The pictures in relation to the rhyming words make it easy for young readers to sound out the words and create connections that constantly expand their growing vocabulary.

Green Eggs and Ham was the first book Isobel actually read from beginning to end. She made so many new connections reading that book. It was simple enough that she had the necessary confidence to push herself, but with words she had never tried to read before. She made the connection that could, would and should all sound the same, she recognized that both know and no sound the same but are different words. As a parent, it is difficult to watch your child struggle through something as difficult as learning to read and I am not sure I would have made it though without Dr. Seuss to help me along.

The other thing I love about Dr. Seuss is that every book has a simple, kid friendly message. These messages revolve around respecting yourself, respecting others and respecting your environment. These three items are the most basic and important values a child can learn. Everything they do in life will stem from learning and understanding the importance of these three things.

Happy Birthday Dr Seuss!

Thank you for all you have done for me as both a child and a parent.

Reading Wednesday - Chaos Walking Trilogy

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.

Visit your local Borders or Borders.com to get your copy today. For you e-book enthusiasts, you can download both The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer for only $7.79 and Monsters of Men for only $11.09 at the Borders E-Book store.