I have a problem. It’s a good problem. My kid won’t stop reading.
“Sweetie, would you like to do another book review for me?”
“After I finish reading this book, Mom.”
“Ummm, okay, but you said that after you finished the last two.”
“But this is just sooo good!”
Ugh. Now, here is my problem. I cannot afford to feed this kid’s reading habit! I filled his kindle with Literature. Tarzan, Huck Fin, etc. It’s all stuff my husband SWORE he would like. But no dice. He starts ‘em, but he doesn’t finish them. He is just not interested in the classics.
He is extremely particular. He needs high action, suspense, and comedy all wrapped up in a neat little package.
He’s interested in big block-buster novels, which shouldn’t be a problem, but he wants them when they just hit the bookstores, and some of them are $24. Okay, so, yes, I have paid that much for a book for myself, but it takes me usually a month to read it. This kid will plow through a 300 page novel in two days!
Maybe someday I will just yank a book out of his hands and say “You can have another after you tell everyone why the heck you liked the last ten so much!”
Hey… he may as well earn those books rather than me just handing them over, right?
Now if I could just get his brother to pick up something OTHER than Calvin and Hobbs, maybe I could at least get a second read out of these novels.
Maybe someday. ***sigh***
Jennifer M Eaton 
I have the same problem!!! My middle schooler literally can’t fall asleep until she’s read for AT LEAST an hour before bed . . . oh wait, is that just OCD? LoL
Yeah, It’s 11PM and he’s still reading. I don’t want to tell him to stop, but the kid needs sleep!
Yeah, he’s the same way
Can you get him books from the library? My friend’s daughter reads about 4 books a week, but she gets them on her kindle from the library. My 11 year old son loves to read too, but thankfully, he likes to play a lot as well, so a book can stretch out a few weeks. But you’re right, it is a good problem to have.
I’m going to try that. THanks.
We take 19 books out from the library at a time for my 3 girls. They cruise through them in no time and we’re back again… choosing more. If I had to buy all those books, I’d be on the street begging in rags! So good to have a reading kid – well done Mom!
I wish my kids had this problem. None of them enjoyed reading. My husband, who used to read a lot as a kid, doesn’t read anymore either unless it’s about fixing cars. I make my daughter read for a half hour every night before bed but I’m the only one who reads for pleasure.
Usually they say if your kids see you read, they will read too.
No such luck…not only did I set a good example, but I tried everything I could think of. I bought them books on topics I knew they enjoyed…I really tried.
Ugh. That stinks. Maybe books on tape? It would be a start.
My boys are grown – I’ve given up on them. Tried last year at christmas and they both gave their books back to me. My daughter is reading, but still finds it a bit of a chore. I’m still working on her. 🙂
My 12 year old just spent $9 of his own money to buy “The Hobbit”. I was both surprised and pleased. It’s wonderful when kids are into reading, and even more so when it’s a less expensive paperback 😉
I hope he likes it. That’s a tough read for a kid… at least I thought so.
He loves it. He’s all excited for the movie now. 🙂
This is great! (Although not for your pocket book…) Maybe hit up the library and make him read hardcopies more often? My own reading habit started to break the bank, so I go to the library almost weekly now. With the e-reserving, you can have your books waiting for you at the desk and not even have to look around for them.
If he likes action and suspense, he might like Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series. The first one is called Alex Rider Stormbreaker. 🙂
Btw, thanks so much for pointing out the problem with my name not linking back! I’m trying to figure it out now. 🙂
Erin
Hope you can fix it!
I recently read Leviathan. I recommend it for him if he hasn’t ALREADY read it.
I think I may bave that in his kindle already. I’ll check
I know that kid. Me. Funny, i just talked to my assistant here about her grand daughter, who only reads and refuses to interact with the family or go on outings. I pointed her towards the TED talk by Ken Robinson and warned her that if she takes away the books (or tears them up as my mom did) instead of encouraging the reading, she’ll end up with a kid who hates her job/life instead of one who pursued her passion.
He can’t read the new ones from the library instead? Why not tell him he must read it AND give you a written and verbal clif note summary “what I liked” and then you’ll consider buying him the hardback? Better yet, he must read one classic and give a summary before he can have any newer lit? Restrict but don’t discourage?
Lordy you’re right… Your problem is still a fortunate one. 🙂
He may have to learn to like a little more of the backlog of books out there. I made heavy use of librarys when I was that age and I would never have paid that much for a book or expected my parents to, with the rare exception of a xmas present hardcover or a bribe to keep me from screaming when I was getting teeth pulled at the dentist office. I still would never pay that much for a book. There’s plenty of other series out there that he would like if he can get over the “latest and new” snobbishness. I don’t blame him about the “classics” though. I never liked and still don’t like most of those. The “adventure classic” of robinson crusoe put me to sleep and was one of the most boring books I ever read. Huck Fin got a 1.5 stars, Ivanhoe a 2.
I am an avid reader and would be lost without my local library. Right now, I have seven books on my shelf, all due back in 3 weeks. I could never (though I would want to), buy all of those books.
Yeah, we tried the big library, but we weren’t in their district. I have to find one closer.
Interlibrary loan! This has been my godsend in towns with small librarys. This would even help get ahold of the blockbuster items he wants. Some systems are better than othes, but I’ve gotten books I wanted to read from as far away as Georgia before. Even if you don’t live in a large library area you can make use of this. Also, sometimes if you live close, if you have a library card from your local small library, that will qualify you for checking out books from another local, larger system. Ask about options, but I’m sure your town cant be any smaller than Paw Paw where I live, and I can get most any book I want from hundreds of libraries. My wife and I are kinda experts at this process by now *laugh* every library we’ve ever belonged to knows us by face and name 😉
Exactly. My local library is linked to all the other public libraries in the county, including some college libraries. It’s awesome. With the big best-sellers, there may be a wait time, but that’s all part of the fun. whenever my son puts a book on hold, there’s usually at least 50 people ahead of him because they are new releases. The anticipation drives him nuts. He’s always asking “Is my book in yet?” We’re already on the waiting list for Insurgent, Veronica Roth’s new one. Both of us are jumping out of our skins for that one. I’m waiting for Crux by Julie Reece. I’m trying to get it on my library’s list of ‘must get’.
we’re on hold for Catching Fire from the hunger games trilogy, and this is my primary method for getting audio books for listening to in the car 🙂
I’ll have to check this out.
Exactly. Or I get books I want and save those to read later while I read the other books I wanna read and don’t own from the library. Been almost a little embaressing to own 2.5 thousand books and have read only a portion of them cause I was saving them for rainy days 😉
Downside is library now only checks out for 2 weeks and my wife, who is the one who usually goes to the library tends to forget about due dates and we rack up fines v.v;; For books I buy, it’s all about used bookstores, library used book sales, and when in doubt, amazon used books. Now if only my family would take these lessons to heart…they could get 2-3 used books for what they sometimes pay for one xmas present purchased book >.>
I guess they were good in their time. Maybe someone should update them. Give it a go, Jeremy!
Oh the castaway theme has been done to death by now and so have medieval romances. Now tales about a world filled with anthropomorphic foxes and tales about transformation and illustrating the relationship between God and man through a dom/sub relationship…those are pushing the brink a bit more I hope *chuckles*
Don’t know if you want his name out there, Jennifer, but “E” knows what happened the last time he did a review. He was a star!
His review got mentions on other blogs. He received an email from the author of the book he reviewed. He has a loyal fan base impatient for his next installment.
LOL on Jenny’s invisible eight-year-old. But, totally behind her love of Calvin and Hobbs. *sob* I remember the ACK attack the day I read that [insert cartoonist’s name here] announced his plan to discontinue the series.
I think he’s nervous because he met an author, and is ebarrased they might see the review. He’s a ham, but he’s a little shy, too.
hey, don’t knock Calvin and Hobbs! 🙂 🙂
Has he read Nathan Bransford’s Jacob Wonderbar and the Magic Space Kapow? I want to read it but I don’t want to seem ridiculous. I should see if the library has it. Yes…it’s for my invisible 8 year old… I promise.
I’ve picked it up a few times, but I’m cautious of anything he hasn’t asked for now.