Okay, so I am bragging, but you need to know that so you can truly appreciate the conversation G and I had.
G approached me at the beginning of class and asked me, “Mrs. Hocking? Can you recommend a book for me? I have a track meet tomorrow and I need a new book.”
I replied, "Sure, G. What do you like to read?”
G said, “I will read anything. I like to read all kinds of things.”
I said, “Okay. Do cuss words offend you in a book?”
G, “No.”
Me, “Okay, well, Chris Crutcher wrote a book about running. It’s called Ironman. He used to teach around here, and all his stuff is set in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.”
G, “Oh, I don’t read sports books.”
Me, “Really? So you meant to say, ‘I’ll read anything except sports books,’ right?”
G, “Yes.”
Me, “Have you read Animal Farm?”
G, “I don’t read George Orwell. My other English teacher made me read 1984 and I didn’t understand it. I don’t like books about government. Why does he write about government and politics?”
Me, “Animal Farm is different, but okay. How about a book called The Gospel According to Larry? It’s about a kid who wants to get the attention of a girl he likes so he starts a website, but then it goes viral and he gets national attention. He starts to make a difference in more ways than he could have ever imagined.”
G, (shaking his head before I’m even finished talking), “No, that sounds like politics. And also I don’t read books about girls.”
Me, “Okay, so you really meant, ‘I don’t read sports books or political books or books about girls,’ then, right? How about science fiction? Do you do science fiction? Ender's Game is a really good book about a boy who has to save the planet.”
G, “Yes. Wait, how long is it? I don’t read books that are more than 250 pages.”
Me, “For someone who will read anything, your list is getting very specific about what you won’t read. How about the Cirque du Freak books, have you read any of those?”
G, “I don’t read series books.”
Me, “G, what DO you read?”
G, “Anything. Do you have a recommendation for me?”
G approached me at the beginning of class and asked me, “Mrs. Hocking? Can you recommend a book for me? I have a track meet tomorrow and I need a new book.”
I replied, "Sure, G. What do you like to read?”
G said, “I will read anything. I like to read all kinds of things.”
I said, “Okay. Do cuss words offend you in a book?”
G, “No.”
Me, “Okay, well, Chris Crutcher wrote a book about running. It’s called Ironman. He used to teach around here, and all his stuff is set in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.”
G, “Oh, I don’t read sports books.”
Me, “Really? So you meant to say, ‘I’ll read anything except sports books,’ right?”
G, “Yes.”
Me, “Have you read Animal Farm?”
G, “I don’t read George Orwell. My other English teacher made me read 1984 and I didn’t understand it. I don’t like books about government. Why does he write about government and politics?”
Me, “Animal Farm is different, but okay. How about a book called The Gospel According to Larry? It’s about a kid who wants to get the attention of a girl he likes so he starts a website, but then it goes viral and he gets national attention. He starts to make a difference in more ways than he could have ever imagined.”
G, (shaking his head before I’m even finished talking), “No, that sounds like politics. And also I don’t read books about girls.”
Me, “Okay, so you really meant, ‘I don’t read sports books or political books or books about girls,’ then, right? How about science fiction? Do you do science fiction? Ender's Game is a really good book about a boy who has to save the planet.”
G, “Yes. Wait, how long is it? I don’t read books that are more than 250 pages.”
Me, “For someone who will read anything, your list is getting very specific about what you won’t read. How about the Cirque du Freak books, have you read any of those?”
G, “I don’t read series books.”
Me, “G, what DO you read?”
G, “Anything. Do you have a recommendation for me?”
At this point in the conversation, several of his classmates burst into loud laughter in the middle of silent reading. I'm pretty sure they were laughing at me and my gluttony for punishment.
Me, “I think you should read Ender’s Game. I think you would like it.”
G, “Can I see the cover? That’s how I usually pick books.”
Me, “Nope. When you ask me for suggestions you don't get to choose by the cover.”
I wrote him a list of four titles I thought he should look into, and sent him off to the library. Do you think he came back from the library with any of them?
G, “Can I see the cover? That’s how I usually pick books.”
Me, “Nope. When you ask me for suggestions you don't get to choose by the cover.”
I wrote him a list of four titles I thought he should look into, and sent him off to the library. Do you think he came back from the library with any of them?
No, he did not. He apparently looked at the cover of Ender's Game but decided it wasn't to his liking. So he grabbed the first one off the shelf that had a cover he liked. He’s using the sticky note with the list of titles I gave him as a bookmark.
Sometimes I have a hard time not beating my head against a brick wall. Or concrete…that’s more plentiful around here.
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