I have a proven strategy with Mark when it comes to reading. It may even classify as a manipulation, but I prefer to call it a strategy. Mark really enjoys reading and being read to, but he always struggles to choose a book. My strategy is this: I choose I book I'm interested in reading or I want him to read and I present it to him. He usually says something like, "I don't want to read that." I reply, "That's fine; you don't have to read it, but may I read just one chapter to you?" Since he loves to be read to, he gives his permission. So, I read one chapter (or even part of a chapter) and he's "hooked." When I get to the end of the chapter I stop and he almost always begs me to go on. This is when I usually complain that I'm tired of reading so he'll take the book and read it on his own. If I'm really interested in the book, I'll continue reading and end up reading the entire book to him over the course of a few days.
We just finished reading "The Brothers Lionheart" by Astrid Lindgren (of Pippi Longstocking fame). This is one of the books that really captivated me, so I read it to him. I'll spare you the details, but will tell you that it is a great adventure story about two very heroic brothers. All went well with the plot until the very last page when the brothers commit suicide so that they can both be together in Nangilima (another level of "Heaven"). One brother became paralyzed by a dragon's fire, and the brothers didn't want to be separated. Quite the ending for a children's book, and an ending I didn't expect.
When I pick the next book for Mark to read, you can be sure I'll skip ahead and read the ending to myself before I start reading the book aloud to Mark!
2 comments:
If you think of it, tell me how he reacted to that strange ending! Of what descent was the author?
Astrid Lindgren is Swedish. I don't think Mark was too bothered by the ending because it sort of "fit" with the story.
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