Reading Relationships

This post ought to make my sister really happy because there’s very little knitting (or spinning) content in it. This one is all about the books – and the readers. It’s been a good time in my house for both.

I mentioned recently that DQ had become totally absorbed by the Harry Potter books. Well, she finished number 6 on Saturday night in the wee hours after everyone else had gone to sleep. She read all 6 in less than 3 weeks! Now she’s searching all 6 books for clues to how it all ends and lamenting the fact that number 7 will be released while she’s away at camp. She’s been begging us to promise to send it to her at camp. I am going to get such mileage out of this! I could probably extract all kinds of promises – a clean room, no fighting with her sister, straight A’s… the list is endless.

In the meanwhile, she’s already moved on to other books and finished a 200 page book and is looking for other meaty reads. She doesn’t want to read anything short – unless it’s one of the Fruits Basket graphic novels. I don’t get the attraction to these at all.

Oooops! A gratuitous display of yarn porn - egads! *

Anyway, the newest reader in our house has been busy too. I may have mentioned her learning disabilities on occasion. They deal mostly with reading and related issues so I was really afraid that she’d never be able to enjoy reading. I have no doubt that she'll be able to do it but I want her to love it. Over the holiday last week, something happened that still has me feeling happy.

At the Passover Seder, you are supposed to tell the story of how the Jews left Egypt. In most homes, this translates into reading around the table. Not everyone takes a turn but most do. Last week, Stink-o took a turn for the first time! Actually, she requested a turn and didn’t want to stop. She haltingly read 2 paragraphs aloud. She only stopped because we told her that it was someone else’s turn.

The part that makes it even more amazing is that, through it all, a friend of hers (same age and grade but a really good reader) kept prompting her with the words she had trouble with. I wanted to tell this friend to be quiet and let Stink read but Stink was calm and patient and just soldiered on. I was so proud I could burst.

Ok, enough mommy pride… I’ve been reading too. Last fall I saw Kathy Reichs speak at the National Book Festival. The show Bones is inspired by her books and, since we enjoy the show, we went to hear her speak. She was great, and listening to her inspired me to check out her books. I just finished reading her most recent one, Break No Bones, and I loved it. It’s a mystery set in Charleston, South Carolina that features forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. I was surprised because, aside from the name and occupation, the TV character and the one in the book have very little in common.

At the NBF, Ms. Reichs noted the difference between the 2 characters and explained it as a younger version on TV and an older, worldlier version, in the books. This is true but it’s more than that. They have different family histories and different relationships. On the show she's thirty something (I guess) and has no kids, never been married - in the book she's, um, older and has an estranged husband and a daughter in college. I'm not complaining though, because I really love both versions of the character. They both have their foibles and they are both interesting. I will definitely be returning to the library to find the earlier books in this series.

Um, oh yeah, I've picked up a little knitty reading too. Fitted Knits has some cute stuff in it and all of the dyeing I've been doing lately inspired me to get a copy of The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. I'll tell you how I like it after I have more time to really look at it and absorb it.

*Work has been getting me down lately so I brought this new skein as kind of a talisman to keep my spirits up. That's probably a little weird - isn't it?