READING

Joey and I finished the second volume of Neil Gaiman's books that we have attempted together, The Graveyard Book. The story is about a small toddler whose family is killed, yet he escapes the executioner and wanders off to a local graveyard. There the local denizens, mostly ghosts, take up the child's cause and decide to raise him withing the safe confines of the cemetery. The book won for Gaiman a Newberry Medal, and it certainly is deserving in many ways. Although the book appears to be aimed at a slightly older audience, Joey enjoyed it (not as much as he did InterWorld, however), and he followed along attentively to the story. Unfortunately, I did not like all of the writing, as I felt it was awkward and clunky at times, which seemed to come out more vocally than had I just been reading it quietly. Perhaps he didn't have a strong editor to reign him in. The many English colloguialisms were a challenge at times, but we managed to get through them without too much strain. I also have to admit that I got a little teary eyed at the end, but I no doubt that we will be seeing Nobody (Bod) Owens and Silas again.



In addition, Chimo and I have been reading. We finished the Illustrated Classics of H. G. Wells' The Time Machine, and have started Peter Pan. He has advanced his reading level to where he is nearly equivalent with the kids in his classes. The teachers are very happy with him. Here is apic of him I caught on the sly while we were waiting for a lunch place to open up.