If you like to read…

Hey, it’s me again, commenting on your old posts! One hundred and 6 hours a year?!?!?! I practically read that much a week! I am a complete reading addict. I cannot fall asleep without reading. If I can’t find the book I’m reading at bedtime I start to get all shaky! Okay, I’m exagerrating slightly, but only slightly. Fortunately I always have extra books. Well, almost always. We went to our adoption reunion a month ago and in the last minute flurry I left the 3 books I had picked out on the bed at home. Yikes! Good thing they delivered a free paper each morning. And Jeff had a magazine. Still pretty scary. I really love to read all types of things, but my favorites are Mysteries, Speculative Fiction (aka Sci Fi) by women, young adult novels that aren’t too depressing, anything about China (even the somewhat depressing), general fiction with great characters, and gripping nonfiction with great characters, and good writing on race issues. Oh, and I’m just starting on graphic novels. And I LOVE series. Right now I’m reading a mystery by Dale Furutani (the first was WONDERFUL for its discussion of race relations and racism against Asian Americans in LA, from the partly inside, partly outside perspective of a Sansei raised in Hawaii), and just finished one by Qiu Xiaolong (>A Loyal Character DancerCan We Talk About Race?Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?Covering>). I usually have at least one fiction book going and often a second or a nonfiction also. And there’s always a magazine or 2 (or 50) lying about. In a pinch, I’ve been known to read cereal boxes and shampoo bottles.

I have a really good “coach” for graphic novels–our young adult librarian really likes them, and has started a Manga club, and is a nerd at heart like me (though she is young enough she probably self-identifies as a geek rather than a nerd). My problem with a lot of graphic novels is that they are often so sexist–and I grew out of that reading Heinlein at about 14. There are a couple of authors you might check out: Ted Naifeh has two series, though one only has one book so far. Polly and the Pirates is probably a safe read. Courtney Crumrin might be a little old or a little dark for your daughter, or if she likes Lemony Snicket (I LOVE Lemony Snicket!), then maybe not. Main character is a young witch, but definitely not Sabrina! Another you might check out is Girl Genius, but they themselves say for teens and up, because there is violence and sexiness (not graphic sex at all, but interest in sex and some indications that it has happened while offscreen). And of course there are graphic novels for kids, like Babymouse (love Babymouse!), but that is proably below her reading level.
So far Bella loves to read, though at 3 that of course means being read to, except for scattered words like her name, best friend’s name, poop, pee, dog, you know, all the basics!