summer reading

my intention for this summer was that it be full of serious learning, aided by my doula training course and the two-week summer school course i was planning to take at regent college (christianity and the political economy of capitalism). intentions have given way to reality, and though i did take and enjoy the doula training course i haven't really continued my doula studying since then. and i recently decided not to take the regent course at all. this will be a loss, i know, but somehow i couldn't imagine reading karl marx and adam smith when i've only been whetting my whistle lately with where the wild things are. (which i think i actually have memorized.) which i know is a good reason to read something else, something more challenging, but i just don't have the energy to be a good student right now. i barely have the energy to grow a baby and keep my two-year-old alive. so no summer school.

but i still wanted to have a goal for summer reading, so i've embarked on something a bit more realistic. basically my rule is that if a book is geared toward readers over the age of 18, it's too much for this summer. so far, my summer reading journey has been lovely.

my favorite book as of yet has been the mysterious benedict society by trenton lee stewart. it's a moving, smart mystery about four gifted children risking their lives to save the world. i loved it. and there's a sequel, the mysterious benedict society and the perilous journey, which is waiting for me at the library. hooray!

another book i really loved, but which was a little harder and sadder to read, is the green glass sea by ellen klages. this one was about a little girl who lived for a while at los alamos, new mexico, while her scientist father worked toward creating the atomic bomb. it's mostly about her life and losses, and her own scientific ability, but it's also really interesting to glimpse life in the strange temporary community that was los alamos. it was sad but really beautiful. (the main character in this book reads a book called the boy mechanic, which i since found out has been recently re-released as practical projects for the handy man: over 700 projects including a hammock, kite, toaster, sundial, lantern, swimming pool, camera and much more. i got this one from the library for aaron, and he's enjoyed perusing the many project opportunities.)

and most recently i read a fun and heartwarming book set in boston, called my most excellent year: a novel of love, mary poppins and fenway park. it was about three ninth grade friends who learn a lot about themselves and others through musical theatre, JFK, baseball and sign language, among other things. it was just a really nice book to read. (and i loved the details of the city and the north shore.)



and now i'm onto rule of the bone by russell banks, thanks to my brother kevin, who just finished it and recommended it highly. it's pegged as a modern-day catcher in the rye, and kevin said he really appreciated reading about the journey of a boy he can relate to. so far it's definitely holding my attention, though it is more serious and challenging a book than i had planned to focus on this summer. but i think it'll be worth it. maybe it'll help me understand kevin's struggles a bit more, and help me prepare a bit for the complexity of a boy growing up.

and not to be left out are the piles and piles of books i read with noah every day. we have really been enjoying the library, and noah even signed up for his own summer reading club! he has a little booklet to fill out, where he colors in a bug after each book we read together. after five bugs, ten bugs and fifteen bugs he wins a prize (a pool coupon, a pizza coupon and a free book). aaron asked if he could join the club too in hopes of getting a free pizza. i think noah reads way more than aaron does these days, though. we could probably complete the booklet on a daily basis, but we'll take it slow. it does seem like a great way to keep noah involved in thinking about all the reading we do and participating with other kids in a challenge. there will even be an awards ceremony at the end of the summer for all the kids who complete their booklets! pretty exciting.

my favorite of noah's recent library books is bye, bye baby by janet and allen ahlberg. it's "a sad story with a happy ending," about a baby without a mommy who goes in search of one. he ends up with a lot more than a mommy in the end. noah loves it, and it's so funny! at the beginning, the baby without a mommy lives alone and has to feed himself, change his own diapers and put himself to bed. he suddenly realizes he is too young to be doing these things all on his own, that he needs a mommy, and his search begins. i also love thinking of him talking in a tiny boy's british accent. so cute.