Today was the kick-off of our county library's summer reading program. Kids sign up for the program and are asked to track the number of minutes they read this summer. There are prizes for every 100 minutes of reading done with the top prize being 600 minutes for the official t-shirt. It will not surprise anyone that I loved the summer reading programs at my hometown library as a kid.
Ella heard about our program on one of her visits to the library with her wonderful nanny a few weeks ago. She has read and reread the brochure outlining the program and the various levels and prizes many times since she brought it home. She has, rather hopefully, asked me several times whether I am sure that the grand prize of a Kindle Fire (to be given away by drawing a name from all the kids who complete the program) is really in fact going to be given to only one kid.
So today we went over to the big kickoff event to register her. It was too hot to enjoy the bouncy house (never a good idea in a sunny parking lot on a 90 degree day), and she was lukewarm when I asked her if she wanted to register for her own library card (we did it anyway). We did a few crafts and came home.
As eh as she was at the event, I was a little surprised by how pumped she was when we got home to start logging her reading time. We read together for 16 minutes before nap. We took turns reading pages in one of the Magic Treehouse books, and not only was she reading the words very smoothly, she was expressive and seemed to really understand how to use different tones of voice and intonations. It was really kind of amazing to hear. She read for 30 more minutes during her "nap" time, and she and Josh read together for another 10 minutes before bed. I logged her 56 minutes dutifully and sat down at 8:00 with Josh to watch a movie. At 8:25, Ella called downstairs to tell us she was done reading and was going to sleep. I made a note to add another 25 minutes. Seconds later, she yelled down to say she was not in fact done reading and to keep timing her. At 8:50, she finally said she was done for the night.
So I just logged 106 minutes of reading for her for today. The library counter says she has reached 17% of the 600 minute goal. On Day 1. There are 55 more days to go. And I wouldn't call this an unusual reading day for her. I am so proud. And so happy that she loves to read so much. And I'm just a little nervous that the library people will think we are lying fools when our not-yet-kindergartner blows the top off of the program goals.
