I went to the library at lunch today to give them money so that they will let me renew some books. They have rules about maximum fines that seem arbitrary to a person with date deficiencies. In any case, since I was there, I picked up some books to read to Reid. One of the books, *There Is Only One Me* by Pat Hutchins, holds much promise to me. It starts, “I am my mother’s daughter,” on the next page it reads, “I am my sister’s sister. (And I am my mother’s daughter).” Based on these first pages, I can’t wait to read it to Reid. We have this sort of conversation often and the illustrations are pretty. Unfortunately, sometimes I am completely wrong about the books I think she will like.
A while ago, I chose a book about a garbage truck called, *I Stink* by Kate McMullan. I pulled it out every day or so for the three weeks that we had had it signed out but never succeeded in convincing Reid to let me read it to her. I was sure that it would be a winner. When we go somewhere, spotting a garbage truck is almost as good as seeing a school bus. Not so. Maybe I was too eager.
I think it’s time to begin setting the books aside again as we read them. We’re back in our rut.