For a long while we couldn't get Aidan to read "a book" to save his life. He's an excellent reader but he never seemed interested in reading just for fun. He was limiting himself to
The Friend and the scriptures. Not that those choices aren't good choices but I really wanted him to read other things...and the cereal box wasn't satisfying. Anything we tried to suggest to him just didn't hold his attention. He was bringing books home from the school library that at the time just didn't impress me. Then, Jaren and I stumbled across this
article in our
Scouting magazine. Nothing too "eye-opening" but it made me stand back and just pay attention to what Aidan really
liked reading. He was reading. He just isn't the type of kid to tell you about what he's reading unless you ask. So, I found out what he's into. And, it is this series of books that got him hooked on reading:
The 3rd book in the series was such a big deal for him (as it just came out)! He thought he was going to die if he couldn't get his hands on it right away! For the first time, he was up into the night reading a book from start to finish! He feels like the coolest kid on the block because he's read it!
I will tell you that these books are full of cartoon-like, black and white pictures and the text is written "kid style". The lack of full page "traditional" text is what made me weary at first. I thought, "This isn't a book!" But, it is. There is a beginning, a middle and an end. There are life lessons learned in these books (believe it or not). They're presented in a way that's interesting and fun for a 2nd grade boy. And, right now that's all that matters to me.
The
Do-It-Yourself book is kinda cool because you can write your "own diary." A neat way to get a boy to start a journal.
So, they're not
Hardy Boys but it was so awesome to watch Aidan be so excited to read! Whatever works!
Who wouldn't laugh at these wonderful pictures in this book!
If you haven't read this book, check it out!
