Book Review

I've always loved reading. As a child, I always had my head buried in a book. I remember when I first read The Secret Garden, one of my all-time favorites, I would set my alarm at 5am so that I could get up early to read it. I was about seven or eight at the time. Growing up in Agatha Christies birthplace might have added to my need to read every Agatha Christie mystery ever written. I never tire from reading her stories, over and over again.

Now, I read whenever I can't sleep (which as most of you know, is most nights). It's not unusual to find me sat in my closet at 3am reading a book, so that the light won't wake up Steve. I'm a bit of a promiscuous reader and like to have a few books going at one time. For instance, right now, I'm reading Founding Mothers - the Women who Raised Our Nation (my second time), Ken Follett's Pillars of Earth, Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton (a yarn murder mystery) and one of Declan's books, the Time Travellers. It depends on my mood as to what I decide to read at that particular time.

My children have caught on to the fact that although I am likely to turn down the purchase of a video game or toy, I rarely refuse a book. I enjoy chairing the Book Fair at the Elementary School and encouraging the children to love reading.

After Dental School and those many years of forced educational reading, Steve was very reluctant for a few years to pick up a book. It bothered me that the kids rarely saw their dad reading (no, Sports Illustrated does not count), so I was on the search to find books that Steve would like. I'm a bit of a Book Yen ta and love matching up people and books. Steve has a love of History, in fact it was his minor at the U. So, one day while at our locally owned book store, Janke's, I came across a signed copy of Flag of our Fathers and just knew that Steve would love it. He didn't seem that excited when I presented it to him, but before the weekend was through he was addicted and couldn't stop reading. I quickly began searching for another book for Steve, this time Fly Boys. Same effect! The Da Vinci Code was next, although it frustrated him as he had gone away on a business trip for the weekend to Utah and to visit his mum and had expected to get some good sleep (in other words, sleep not interrupted by Kim who never sleeps and is reading in the closet). Little sleep came as he sat up most of the night reading. After that he was a little reluctant to pick up a book for fear of getting lost in it again.

Some time later, I remember an author I enjoyed, Bernard Cromwell, who had written the Sharpe series. It was an instant hit. This time it was me who was less than enthused for him to start another book, as he really becomes lost in them from the first page and barely remembers to eat and go to the bathroom while reading one.

It probably comes as no surprise that the children have caught the reading bug too. Each with their own "reading personalities". Caleb is addicted to non-fiction and has read Faith of our Fathers and many other of his dad's History books himself. His English Literature teacher is a little frustrated with his reluctance to get back into fiction.

Declan on the other hand has a wide variety in the books he enjoys reading, but he too, is a very productive reader. He has lists of books that he would like to read and has them waiting in the wings, so that he never experiences that feeling of finishing a great book and not sure what to read next, and finding yourself wandering aimlessly around Barnes and Noble mumbling "why did the book have to end?"

Madison is a girly reader and enjoys stories of princesses and puppies. I can't wait until she discovers The Secret Garden.

EB on the other hand, he likes books about trucks, cars and monsters. But, he does take the saying "bury your head in a good book" a little too much to heart. This is where I found him during his nap on Tuesday, fast asleep.


The kids and I loved this picture so much, that we decided to print it and make it into a card for their teachers with a gift certificate for B&N for their end-of-year teacher's gifts. The card would read "Bury your head in a good book this summer, on us".