Two Forks

 One walks through life on a trail. As they go along there are forks on the path that cause them to make a choice on which way to go. Many times it is a choice on whether to learn or refuse to listen.  If they choose to learn, what happens?

The traveler's eyes are opened. As they take their new found knowledge and glance back a mistake is noticed. Discomfort fills them up and makes them itch. They wish they would have not made that mistake and they know what the right action would have been.  

Another fork in the path as appeared. Will they forget what they have learned so that they don't have to change? One path direction looks easy and goes down hill. It seems more comfortable and they know it well. The other path direction goes uphill and will require them to use their new found wisdom. It will take strength and determination to reject the old ways that resulted in mistakes.  However wisdom is like the wind at your back when running. The push of the wind will get them to places that they haven't been before. It will provide strength to climb.  Walking that uphill path with the strength of wisdom will bring them to a mountain top, a new view of the surrounding world.  

To think it is just two forks in the path to a new perspective, right choices, and freedom from sin.

Raising Boy Readers

Sullivan understands boys and education. This book gives the reader a summary on the past two decades of reading education and how boys have been impacted.  Half of the book describes how a boy reads and what he is interest in, the other half is 300 recommendations for boy friendly books.  I loved that the copyright is 2014 and technology is addressed. Modern questions get answered by Sullivan. 

Being a mom of three boys and one girl, I have witnessed the difference in desired genres.  Non-fiction, pictures, fantasy, crazy fonts, and action books have been read over and over in my home.  My bookshelves are full of books on animals, bones, wars, mice riding motorcycles, comedy, and creatures flying. My childhood favorites, Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder, have really only been treasured by my daughter.  The boys bored of them by the second page.  My daughter reads for the characters and my sons read for the action, but they all love for me to read to them. 

Volume, that is what Sullivan suggests for all readers, not degree of difficulty.  However only books that interest the reader. I concur. My children are readers because they have been exposed to books of interest and value the opportunity to read. 

HOW? In real life what does that look like? Taking turns reading pages of Ralph's Motercycle, 30 non-fiction or easy reads by each of the beds, reading lights on all bed posts, books in each relaxing room in the house, lots of audiobooks, requesting books of interest from the library, wandering the library shelves, each of us asking friends what they are reading, and modeling reading as parents are the ways in which we have become a reading family. 

One more thing.... Honor when your child wants to read or not. Yes, if that means only one page is read that day. Great, one glimpse is enough to the keep the flame going. 

This book is going beyond a library loan to an Amazon buy.