My Little Book Monster

There is new book worm in our house. I call him "My Little Book Monster." My Dad is a book worm, I am a book worm, 17 year old daughter is a book worm and now my 7 year old son is a book worm. I LOVE IT!

Last week I went to the library while my little monster was at school and picked out the following books for him to read. Actually, there is a book missing. He just had to take it to school in case there was "free time" and he could read more. It's a Dinosaur Cove book.

He read Squanto two or three times and asked that I re-check it out (7 day rental only due to holiday theme) so that his Granddad could read it because he thinks Granddad will like it alot.

He then read Spider Kane. Right now, he says Mary Pope Osborne is his favorite author because he absolutley loves the Magic Tree House series. He and I snuggle up together either on the couch or in my bed and read silently side-by-side. It's one of my most favorite times with him right now.

Yesterday (Sunday) he finished Spider Kane and couldn't wait to see the next book I had checked out for him. I try to keep them a surprise so he doesn't know what's coming. He sat down and started reading Horrible Harry at Halloween. We took a break and joined the rest of the family and did the whole social thing until bedtime. After we turn out the lights, we let him read with his flashlight for "a bit" before we tell him lights out. He often turns the light off himself after a while. Last night he came in at 8:47 (I forgot he had been reading since 8:00) and was could hardly contain his excitement... he had finished the book! Granted it wasn't long but still, 8 chapters later and the book he had started was finished in the same day.

We all fell in love with this "Spanglish" book that I happened upon. To hear DH read it outloud with his thick Spanish accent was the best and funniest thing ever! Paco read it outloud yesterday and really tried to copy his daddy. It was darling.

The illustrations are too cute and we just love the way the story ends - a new spin that is worth finding this book!

It has an extensive glossary in the back to help out the folks who aren't sure what the words mean as well as how to say them in Spanish.

It's so fun to see reading turn from hard work to pleasure in a year. I love his school teacher and know his ability has been fine tuned under her care. We are so blessed!!!

Book Review: The Effects of Light

The Effects of Light by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

I read many books a year and thought I'd share a few with you as I finish them and think on them. Some books are just reading books for me, "trash novels" I call them, not that they are trash but just a filler and not a book that has any meaning to me. This particular novel made me think.

There were two sisters, Myla and Pru, who were raised by their father since their mother's death when Pru was an infant. He was an academic in Oregon and was very much "into" himself and his philosophical tangents.

Enter a family friend/photographer, Ruth. She started shooting the girls when they were very young. Many/most of her photos of them include nudity, innocently taken, not as pornography.

Through the years, the pictures gain national attention through Ruth's exhibits and their pictures are given the black mark for containing nudity.

For me, this book was a walk through Myla & Pru's self discovery of themselves, their bodies, other people's perceptions (and thus their reality). Myla dives into her father's life after his death, does some real soul searching herself through destructive behavior (drinking) and through love - real love, true love.

I had to think about the effects of such pictures: their beauty, downfall and rising again. Were the pictures wrong? Did Ruth go too far? What was the father's role in this? Is there something wrong with taking pictures of our bodies, of our children's? What if we have permission? Does nudity = porn? Is it only porn if someone else views it as such? Is it bad if someone else says it is? Is there a fine line with pictures and if so, how fine? Could I cross it myself, unaware? What about the baby pictures in the sink and tub? What about my girls when they were young playing in the sprinkler without shirts on... and I took a picture. If it got in the wrong hands and someone "liked it", would that picture become black? I don't know. I do know I was challenged in my thinking and beliefs and because of that, I have say it was a good read.

Available at most public libraries and on-line.