Frenzied Daddy

I’ve never done this sort of thing before. I think I’m going to start a “book club” specifically for parents reading “young adult” books. I’m already reading the books, it’ll be good to talk about them as well. And I was moved by an article Grandma P brought over about how eighth graders tend to stop reading so much. So my fifth grader who is reading hundreds of books a year (yes, really ) will probably be reading much fewer when she leaves middle school.

Middle school, by the way, is next year.

The Oregonian article reminded me how much better readers do in school; reading and writing skills are much improved in kids who read for fun. And one of the best ways to help kids read for fun is to help match kids to books they might like.

So, thinking about the flames in the discussion around The Golden Compass, I think I’m going to use that as a springboard. So, I’ll be looking for some sort of “reading guide” that’s not totally pro-or-anti Pullman, and I’ll be putting a… schedule(?) for lack of a better word.

I’m using the Portland Parents site for it, aiming it at other parents who are concerned about the same things. Let’s see how far I can take it. Wonder what we’ll read for March.

I’m getting mildly crotchety in my old age. I spend way too much time on the internet reading insightful blog posts and other forums. I tell ya, it’s wearing me out. I’ve had it up to -here- though with blatant apostrophe abuse. People, an apostrophe does not mean “hang on there’s an s coming!”

So when I read this post about the author wearing an “Arrest Bush” t-shirt to his local Outback restaurant and being confronted by a little old lady, I was dumbfounded. On one hand, he had a salient point about what happens after we arrest Bush; that the little old lady wanted to make sure he knew about the Nuremburg war crimes, and that Bush needed to be tried against those standards, and the little old lady was agreeing with him. On the other, he used an apostophe in a possessive “its” ( … as it’s guiding power… )

Damn, damn damn. Whatever shall I do?