Learning to read

So last night, Rico reads the book Wall-E as his book. Now, it was Daddy's night with reading, I was in the kitchen puttering around. Rico reads his book in 3 minutes. But, then again, it's the 5 words on a page kind of book with some pages only having pictures.

Half an hour later, I realize that Marielle is struggling through her book. Wait a minute? It should not take this long for her to read a book on her reading level. So I asked what she was reading... Skippyjon Jones and the Mummy Trouble. That's a bit above her reading level. So I tell them to stop, she's read enough and Ralph says they are almost done.

Later, as we are cuddling in bed, I tell Marielle she gets credit for reading 2 books, because that was a hard book and a lot longer than her brother's book. Then I tell her to choose easier books. And she says to me, "Mom, I want hard books. I want to read more and learn the hard words because I want to be a good reader".

Sometimes that girl just pulls my heart strings. She tries so hard. Things that come easy to her brother, aren't coming easy to her but man, is she a fighter! And the way she's going, she's going to be a good reader, too.

Just had to say

That Marielle is now up to 5 books read and is ahead of my "reader", Rico, who has only read 4 books. Marielle is jazzed. I am just happy that she is into the whole "read 20 books, get your webkinz" thing.

Who stole my daughter....

And replaced her with a reader???

Marielle, who hates reading, who cries when I tell her she has to sit and read to me, got up today, got 2 books, read one and then read the other one to me. Two books before 9 am! I can hardly believe it.

But, on the other hand, motivation....

I told both kids to pick out a new webkinz. Marielle picked the guinea pig. She would love to have a real life guinea pig, but that's not happening, so she was thrilled that there was a new webkinz guinea pig. Rico picked out the porcupine. Then I told them that I would buy them but they were mine until they read 20 books. When 20 books were read, the webkinz were theirs to adopt. Oh yes, and yesterday I pulled them out and showed the animals to them and then packed them away until the books were read.

I made up a book list on the computer and printed one out for each and we started yesterday with Rico reading 2 books and Marielle reading 1. They each wrote the name of the book on the list after they read it.

I guess Marielle is inspired by her webkinz and really, really wants it. Great! I'll buy more webkinz if it motivates her to read! Here's to a summer full of reading!