Summer is here! Which means my time has suddenly become very limited. Boo. I’m waking up a couple of hours before the boys so that I can get work done, but those two hours are pretty much the only focused writing/work time I have. Anyone else looking forward to August? lol

I want the boys to read a lot this summer. For one, it’s no problem. That kid picks up any book in sight. Sure, he’d rather be playing video games, and it’s hard to read when your brother is distracting you, but he’s a good reader and enjoys it.

The other one loves stories, but we learned a few months ago that’s he’s dyslexic. I was completely shocked. Not because it wasn’t obvious that he was struggling, but because I, apparently, had no idea what dyslexia really was. I didn’t think he was dyslexic because he pretty much never reversed letters. Of course, I felt terrible once I learned. He’s super smart, but he hated school and reading and he completely flipped out the first week of class and was horrible–HORRIBLE–to his teacher. To the point that I sobbed for, like, twenty-four hours after his teacher (very nicely) told me how disrespectful he was. It’s obvious now that he was acting out because he felt stupid and frustrated. He was probably handed something to read, and every other student could do it but him. Poor guy. 🙁

Fast forward a few months, and his teacher suggested we have him tested for dyslexia. I was still super skeptical, thinking that his delay in reading might be due to his speech issue or immaturity or just a lack of interest in school/learning, but I said okay because they do all the tests and we’d find out lots of info like his IQ.

He’s really smart. 

But he wasn’t performing at the level he should have been. He compensated the first two years of school, but now, in second grade, he was beginning to fall behind.

Anyway, that’s a loooong digression from the point of this post. He’s doing so much better now that he’s in our school districts dyslexia program. He’s so much happier and more confident. He’s still behind, still would rather not read, but he’s made huge improvements and I’m hoping in a few years he’ll love books and reading as much as everyone else in the family does.

Speaking of books, though, it’s difficult to find ones that he wants to read. We still do the majority of the reading, which is fine, but he needs to also read to us. One of the best series we’ve found is Press Start! The books are fun and silly. They have bright, full-colored pictures on every page, they’re easy to read, and they’re page turners. That last part is important because turning the page gives him a sense of accomplishment. Long blocks of test intimidate him. So this series is pretty much perfect.

Except… check out the reviews: https://amzn.to/2HS5cmQ

I just went online because I was pretty sure a new book was coming out soon. I was going to buy it until I read the reviews. I guess we’ve been lucky with the first six books of the series. They’re all in one piece despite being read multiple times. But I can’t bring myself to press my luck on this next book.

So frustrating! 

But it’s not unusual and it’s not just this book/series.

I was an elementary librarian for two years before I had the boys. I DESPISED ordering books from Scholastic because they fell apart so easily, even the hardbacks with “library” binding. I’ve held a grudge against Scholastic ever since. When the schools send home the little book catalog, I grimace. When they have the biannual bookfaire. I grimmace. When I pick up a book and see Scholastic is the publisher, I want so badly to put it back on the shelf. But reading is important, and they happen to publish good-for-kids books. Ugh!

I’m going to get this latest Super Rabbit Boy book, but I’m going to get it from my local bookstore. I’ll be able to test the binding out then, and if it falls apart, I’ll take it back. Maybe if the bookstore gets enough returns, they’ll say something to Scholastic (*snort*). Scholastic obviously doesn’t care enough to change things based on customer complaints. It’s sad.