Rachel (not real name) is a fourth grade tomboy to the core. She's been in the Title I Reading program since Kindergarten, and although she has progressed, she just wouldn't stick with a book. I got her last year, and she changed books faster than some people change lanes in traffic.
I have thrown so many books at her that it's ridiculous. Goosebumps? No. Sports books? Only for a minute. Sharks? Cool. I read five pages. Just last week, we tried Notebook of Doom series (that I specifically bought with her in mind), Bunnicula, and a few books from the library that she checked out and quickly discarded. I've always believed this quote, but I was beginning to feel a little hopeless after more than a year of nothing sticking. Her teacher and I decided we would throw EVERY book we could possibly find at her in hopes of anything catching.
Then, last Friday, she came into my room with a book in hand and a BIG smile on her face. Time Warp Trio.
I met with her for our reading conference and decided not to set a "goal" with her just yet. She's struggled for so long, and I want her goal to be enjoying a book for once. I don't want her to feel like it's work. Especially not right now.
When we were down to ten minutes in the day, I told them to find a stopping point for me to read to them. She asked if she could just keeping reading her book. Of course! I wasn't going to stop her!
Friday was exciting, but what really told me she was set was when she came back with the book on Monday. Then she was holding another one when she walked into my room the next day.
I've hardly heard of the books (although I realized that I've heard parts of Da Wild, Da Crazy, Da Vinci, which is part of the set), but you can bet that I was on Amazon, Scholastic, and eBay as soon as I could to get my hands on more of them! She keeps asking for updates when they will be here, and I can't wait either!
I always loved those and tried to get my older nephew into them...no such luck. Going to try again with the little one!
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