We are going to throw out a few not-so random quotes. Tell us if you recognize the pattern:
“It gets to the point that I have to tell the math teacher to take (her) books away,” the mother shrugged. “You know, because she’s reading them in class.”
“Ten o’clock, you come in (to their bedrooms) and there they are with a flashlight and a book.”
Many of the parents who came out last Friday to root for their children brought books with them. And more than a few younger siblings – too young yet for this competition – found quiet corners to read.
7 responses so far ↓
Susan Gable // May 11, 2005 at 10:20 am
Wow, sounds like fun! I would have loved this as either a student or a teacher. And I’m with the kid in the article – forget Moby Dick. (G) Give me something more interesting.
SKL // May 11, 2005 at 12:30 pm
I was the kid under the covers with a book and a flashlight until three in the morning — and yes, as Grandma warned me, it ruined my eyes. But now I write all day AND get to wear killer glasses, and life doesn’t get so much better than that.
Booksquare // May 11, 2005 at 11:23 pm
I was that kid, too. Wore the eyeglasses. Had Lasik. Totally miss my glasses (sometimes…did you know that there are numbers on the alarm clock?). Wouldn’t trade the bad eyesight and squinting for all the television in the world.
Susan Gable // May 12, 2005 at 7:00 am
I got my first glasses in fourth grade. Haven’t done the Lasik, too chicken. You’ve got to wonder if there’s any truth to all the reading doing something to our eyes. I mean, it’s hard to say – my parents are both big readers, and they’ve worn glasses since they were fairly young, too. So, is the bad eye thing genetic? LOL – Is “bookworminess” genetic? My sister didn’t get the gene because she doesn’t read as much as my parents and I do.
Ken // May 12, 2005 at 9:17 am
Hi, my friend Jennie said to stop by.
I, too, was the kid with the book, and now my 9 year-old daughter is the same way. She falls asleep with a book, reads at breakfast and dinner, basically whenever she can. Last year, her mixed 2nd/3rd grade class had two battles of the books and even the kids who didn’t like to read much got into it.
I don’t know if the reading thing will lead her to writing more (she really doesn’t enjoy writing now), but I can hope, can’t I?
Booksquare // May 12, 2005 at 11:04 am
Hi Ken — Glad Jennie dug the info out of her inbox. I hear she’s also planning on cooking us a 9-course meal.
Reading, I’m afraid, inevitably leads to writing. At some point, she will be out and about…without a book. Luckily, she’ll have a pencil and paper handy. You know what happens next.
I’ve never met a writer who isn’t a voracious reader. Sure you see it happening the other way sometimes, but prepare yourself for the worst.
Ken // May 12, 2005 at 2:42 pm
Well, thankfully she will have music and art to fall back on if the going gets tough with the writing thing.
And I look forward to the 9-course meail, although, knowing Jennie, I expect 8 of those courses to come out of a Trader Joe’s package…