Summer Reading with Shane

Shane started reading The Inquisitor's Tale before school let out.

He swore it was amazing. So amazing he even read it at the bus stop. I've heard him recommend it to Nana and Cole over the phone. He regaled me with the "summary" an entire chapter. He spent more time telling me about it than he needed to read it (and probably added a wealth of "details," too).

It's August and Shane hasn't finished the book yet. He took it with him to SC once, but we had to return it after renewing it three times. A week or two later we checked it out again.

Theoretically, Shane's supposed to be reading for 30 minutes a day to earn electronics. He says he reads in the morning before he comes out of his room, but we don't count that.

So what is Shane reading? Mainly comics and Hank the Cowdog. I feel like he's read all the Calvin and Hobbes, Splatoons, and Far Sides a million times....which is fun and good, but I want him to read some new stuff, too. You know, stretch his reading muscles! I suspect he mainly flips through comics and animates the story in his head (while adding sound effects).

Shane is a good reader, though. I said he was old enough to read through the Gospels and started him reading Mark out loud. We go through half a chapter to a chapter each day. We're up to Ch. 7. 

I was proud of Shane one night. We were saying bedtime prayers and I realized we'd forgotten to read during the day. I was about to put it off, but he was eager to read.

Yes, staying up later to talk factored into it. I was still pleased.

Shane reads with good inflection and adds the occasional dramatic touch. He'll occasionally skip a word, substitute something close, or drop to the next line like he's trying to go too fast, but he's a good reader for a 5th grader in my estimation.

So I'm going to make sure he finishes The Inquisitor's Tale. I want him to feel like he can read books that big on his own, so I haven't read any of it with him. We'll keep renewing it until he's done.....hopefully sometime this year!