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The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. ~Dr. Seuss
- Kyle reading Harry Potter. 12/7/11
As I mentioned in a previous blog entry I HATE READING!, it took some creative effort and encouragement to get Kyle to enjoy reading. I am happy to announce that those days of negativity have passed. His imagination has really sprouted and opened up in the world he reads. In fact, while I was reading the Hunger Games trilogy, he asked me what it was about. He was truly curious and interested. He was no longer intimidated by the number of books, absence of images, or the volume count. He said he thought about reading them, but then he said to me, "Well, I was actually thinking about reading the Lord of the Ring books, and then maybe I'll read those books." I told him to say the word and we'll go to the book store and he can pick whatever book we wanted or if he wanted to borrow any one of my books. I even have a series of Star Wars books that I read years ago and I decided to give him.
Kyle is still currently on the Harry Potter books, I believe he is almost done with Goblet of Fire. What is funny is Kyle's enthusiasm for me to catch up to him in the Harry Potter books. I showed him my backlog of books and he said, "Wow, Aunt Heather, you have a lot of reading to do before you can get to the Harry Potter books, so you better keep reading!" He cracks me up! I said, "Yes sir, I do." Periodically, he would ask me how many more books are in front of the Harry Potter books and I have to give him the count.
I don't think I ever really explained Kyle's love for the Harry Potter books. You see the deal was, I would read him the books. And when I mean read, I meant with my best British accent and character impersonation I could muster along with the rhythm of excitement and emphasis at the right moments. He became so into the first book, The Sorcerer's Stone, he would grab the book in the middle of day, omitting to watch TV and ask me to read to him. To really get into the story, without distractions, we would go back to his room and cuddle on the bed while I read. After about three or four chapters of reading I would need a drink and a break but Kyle would plead with me to keep reading. We both got into it! He would squirm and squeal during scary or exciting parts, which made me more involved in the story and made me laugh. I tried to make the characters come to life, as per the movies, since he was a big fan. Once, I forgot to add my version of a British accent and Kyle stopped me immediately and said, "No, Aunt Heather, the real way you read! The other way." O my goodness, yes the accent did help make the story more cultural, even though my sister didn't appreciate it.
- A book Kyle was reading last year. Sometimes he is his Aunt Nikki! c. 2010
When my sister was home for a weekend, I told Kyle why doesn't he invite his Aunt Nikki to join our reading time. We all piled on the bed, including Pudd'in. As I proceeded to read, Nicole started to snicker and said, "Yes Aunt Heather, just like when we were in London." I told her I was a quarter British and I was doing just fine! She couldn't help but laugh over that comment.
I must say I LOVED our time together reading. Then came the dreaded day when he wanted to start taking the books to school to read. Now I was in shock! I asked him, "I thought you wanted me to read to you?" He said, "I do, but I also want to read them on my
