Summer Reading

(For some reason, that title reminds me of Mr. Tracy and Mrs. Robbins. If you went to CAHS, you know what I mean.)

Connor has successfully completed the Summer Reading Program at the Columbus Library. I *loved* the Summer Reading Program when I was a kid, so when we were at the library earlier this summer and I discovered that they had a toddler version, we signed Connor up. I admit that I did it mostly for me, and I thought it would be a good chance to teach Connor how a sticker/reward/chores chart works. Do you know what I discovered? Connor is still too young for a sticker chart to do any real good.

But, we do read to him a ton, so I put up his stickers, and now all that's left to do is take the chart back to the library so that he can get his prizes. Maybe then he will understand the process better, but I'm not really sure that will make a difference.

I've also had two summer reading successes (and one failure).

I started reading A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire. It's the third book in his Wicked series. I *loved* Wicked, and the second book, Son of a Witch, was okay. But, it has been a really long time since I read those, or any of his other books, and I got out of sync with his writing style and the storyline. I just couldn't get past the first few chapters, and since it is a new, popular book, I had to return it to the library before I finished it. Maybe I'll try it again some other time.

But, things have recently turned around. I have finished two books in the past two weeks.


First, I read DragonLight by Donita K. Paul, the fifth and final book in her Dragon Keepers Chronicles. It was a nice ending to the series, and was well-written, and very enjoyable.


Then I read First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh. This is the first book in this series, and I definitely plan to read the next ones. It was also an enjoyable read.

I was thinking about these two books at the same time, and a few things struck me.

First, neither are really high-brow literature, but that's what is great about light summer reading.

Second, the main female character ends up with a baby at the end of both books, but the books are very different in how much detail goes into the baby making. DragonLight is a fantasy teen book with a Christian bent, while First Comes Marriage is what many people would refer to as paperback romance, sold mostly near the checkout lines of the grocery store.