Being Booky

I'm guessing that most of the people who read this blog also read books, for if one loves to read, one loves to read. I will read almost anything - or at least attempt to read almost anything. I have found some classic literature quite hard going, and if I'm not in the mood to persevere, I'm afraid I will abandon the book concerned; but generally I can find pleasure in most tomes.

When I was packing up the house in which we used to live, it became apparent that we had a lot of books. Too many books perhaps? (Although is there really such a thing as too many books?) I was very good and only kept books which were in some way relevant: all my astrology books, some new age-y type ones (when I was ill I read zillions of them), a few poetry books, lots of craft books, some interior design books, and lots of novels. I tried to keep only the novels that I thought I'd read again, but in reality I suspect I shan't read that many of them again. The bottom line is I just like books.

I am forever trying to encourage the children to read. No.1 used to be an avid reader - ask her a question (ANY question) about the Harry Potter series, and she'll be able to answer it. (We have the game Harry Potter Scene It, but she wins every single time so the rest of us don't want to play her anymore!) She has read each and every one of those seven books several times.

But within the last year her reading has fallen off dramatically. It's now music all the way: She has it on constantly. I can't be too critical because I know I was exactly the same, and an appreciation of and love for music is in itself a wonderful thing. She will read magazines - those girlie/teenagey ones which are full of stuff about bands, singers, and other things that girls like. I bought her a couple of books recently (found in charity shops) which she has had her nose in. One is Barry Trotter & The Philosopher's Scone, which makes her giggle. Barry Trotter, Lon Measley, Ermine Cringer and Professor Bumblemore are all jolly silly, and I'm pleased she's reading again.

No.2's reading history isn't that great. He'd far rather be out in the garden kicking a ball around. But he has had his enthusiasm for books tweaked by signing up for Team Read this year. I've signed them both up, but I very much doubt that No.1 will complete it. No.2 however, likes the idea of achieving a certificate, and now he knows he can read sporty books to qualify, he's even more keen. Basically, Team Read asks that a child reads 6 books from the library in the 6 weeks of the school summer holidays. No.2 has already read two! The first was a Star Wars book, which he enjoyed so much he read twice. The second was a book about the history of his beloved Liverpool FC. From that book he learned all about the tragedies of Heysel and Hillsborough that affected 'his' team long before he was born, as well as the legend that is Bill Shankly.

I bought No.2 a book a few weeks ago. It seemed like his sort of thing. It's entitled 'Yuck's Big Bogeys', written by Matt and Dave. I would like to thank Matt and Dave for writing something which made my son laugh out loud. Whether he was laughing at the subject matter or the fact that I actually felt vomit rising in my throat as I read a chapter to him, I'm not quite sure. In the end I had to stop reading because the descriptive writing was so ... descriptive! Let me just say though that if you have young boys, they will almost certainly love these books. No.2 is begging me to buy others in the series, and with titles such as 'Yuck's Abominable Burp Buster' and 'Yuck's Fart Club' I've little doubt that they'll keep him amused.

As for me - I've just finished Cecilia Ahern's 'Thanks for the Memories'. As always, Ms Ahern approaches her subject matter from a quirky angle, and that's what I enjoy about her books. In this tale our heroine (an Irish woman named Joyce) has a life-saving blood transfusion after falling down the stairs (and in the process losing her unborn child). After she comes round from her trauma, she discovers she 'knows' things about which she previously didn't - the premise being that she has, along with the blood of her donor, received memories and knowledge. The fact that she and her donor accidentally 'meet' makes for an interesting storyline. I believe there are recorded cases of people who have received donated organs and/or blood having such experiences: it's a fascinating concept.

And I've acquired some new crafty books too:-

I feel my sewing mojo returning! The old Jean Greenhowe book (top left) was a great find - 99 pence in a Charity Shop. I'm hoping I can use some of the clothes patterns for some character monkeys I've been thinking about ... watch this space.

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