The Reader

Somewhat to our surprise, the start of school did not lessen Elizabeth's appetite for reading at all.  She usually has 30-45 minutes each afternoon to read (after she finishes her homework until they leave to pick up Emily from school) and she tears through books during that time.  She also reads in the morning while I make her breakfast; at night while waiting for dinner to be ready or while waiting for Emily to get out of the shower; at church; in the car; and generally, during any downtime in the day.  Lee actually brought her to the gym with him one day - while he worked out, she read.  She barely resembles the restless, high-energy child that she was just a few years ago - while she still has an incredible amount of energy, she can also sit and read for hours at a time.  This is such a huge transformation and really changes how we interact with her on a daily basis.  And not only does she read, she retains, reciting items of historical significance and using the information she learns to inspire her pretend play.
When I was a little girl, I was a crazy reader like Elizabeth.  My current three-times-a-week trips to the public library have triggered memories of when I was a little girl, riding the bus to the library with my mother several times a week.  My favorite childhood books were Nancy Drew mysteries and a few weeks ago, I brought home from my parents' house my childhood collection of hardcover Nancy Drew books, books that I lovingly packed away more than 20 years ago, in the hopes that my children would one day love them as much as I did.  I don't think that she is ready for them yet, but in a few months, I think that she will dive in, feet first.
I signed her up for a Goodreads account in order to keep track of what she reads (titles), how much she reads and to get recommendations for future reads.  Since September 15th, she has read 97 books.  It is getting harder and harder to keep up with her.