Trixie Belden, Star Wars, and Adult Novels

We sent Huckleberry to Kindergarten not knowing how to read and a few days later he came home, said, "I can read now" and he could.  SnapDragon entered Kindergarten already reading because Huckleberry had been home schooling him for years (he also knew most of his simple math add facts).

So the tricky thing has not been to get them to read, but to find books that are a challenge for them but age appropriate.  We were pretty consistent at pre-reading the books Huckleberry would bring home and probably a bit over cautious.  To be fair, we almost always said, "yes, you can read this," but it was handy to know what he was reading and fun (there is some great juvenile fiction out there).  Ironically, he really isn't very sensitive to adult or sad themes while his brother, who we have not been as successful at protecting, is. 

For Huckleberry's 5th grade graduation, Oak gave his uncle permission to buy him some of the Star Wars novels--probably two years after most kids start reading them.  The first book he read was the second of a trilogy, so he found it a bit confusing but enjoyed it.  The second book was the first of a different trilogy which explained a lot more of the back story and was thus easier to follow.

At the YMCA yesterday Huckleberry was reading his second book and explaining it to the lady next to him.  "This is the second adult book I read.  I understand it a lot more than the first adult book I read."

On the flip side, SnapDragon was on the third page of Huckleberry's first "adult" novel when we realized he was reading it.  I told him he couldn't read it yet (mostly because it is actually too difficult for him at 7 to read and understand).   But I offered him my childhood Trixie Belden novels (well, they are older prints I purchased as an adult since mine burnt in my parent's house fire).  He started the first one yesterday.

Today as he walked through the kitchen clutching the book he said, "Mommy, reading this Trixie Belden is THRILLING!" 

Oh, and now he is on book two. 

Now we just need to teach Sunflower to read and we might have some quiet peace in the house again.