2017 Literacy Throwdown! – January Review

The first month is down in my contest with my wife to see who can read the most books this year, and I am, amazingly, tied for the lead. This is probably the last month I’ll be able to say that, because while Rachel is just going at her normal reading pace, I’m going balls-to-the-wall, literarily speaking. There’s not much chance I can keep that up.

If you look closely at the results for January, you may notice a trend that spells bad news for me.

Jason Read: Rachel Read:
Icons of Evolution Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Undoing Project Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Art of Smart Football Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What If? Make It Happen
The Forever War The Magnolia Story

That’s right, included in her list are three (count ’em, three!) Harry Potter books, which we all know are thick enough to be used as booster seats for larger children. Meanwhile, I was reading some shorter books with lots of pictures, and I was only barely able to keep up with her.

Clearly, some strategy is called for. I’m either going to have to a) find “books” that will pass for books, but are really just grown-up picture books, like coffee table books about New York in the ’20’s, or lawnmower engine repair manuals, or b) replace all the books on her reading list with the Russian translation, which, though she does not speak Russian, will probably only slow her down a little.

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