How Did I Miss This?

Joe is inspired!  He has always been a pretty good reader and enjoyed reading a variety of books.  The problem that I saw was the he would get half way through a book and quit.  Then pick up another one.  He has started so many books without finishing them.  He says he gets bored.  Since Spring Creek has started the Accelerated Reader program he has had to change his ways.  You can't pass a test on a book that you haven't completed.  Well, maybe you can, but I am not going to start him on that path in the 6th grade.

Right now he is reading Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.    Somehow, in my inadequate education, I never read this book.  So I have decided to read it now.  Better late than never.  I have read the first 11 chapters so far.  What a delightful book.  I love how the character of Huck is so factual and literal.  He is an outsider, looking in so he makes a lot of societal observations without sounding judgmental, in the style of Forrest Gump.

Joe has grown up in a nonracist environment, so his eyes are being opened to blatent racism that was the norm in this country in the era that the story is set.  He could not believe that he was reading the N word, and he couldn't believe that it could be used 20 times on the same page.  I don't worry about him picking up this vulgar term because he is reading this book.  He has pretty good self control.

He was delighted at how blatently funny-bad Tom and Huck could be.  The murder and robbery gang that the boys start would be alarming if it weren't so funny.

We invite any of you to read this book along with us.  We are planning on having a Huck party when we finish the book.  If you want to join in on the fun, the reading and the party, just let me know.