Great Illustrated Classics

Last month, (Sept. 15th, 2009) we happen to go to the third floor of the one and only "mall/department store" in the city. Even though it wasn't really planned to buy books, we ended up buying some. A Marc Brown book on patience and a Great Illustrated Classics book, "Wizard of Oz".

I was hesitant to get the classics book at first thinking that P's level is not that yet and will be reading a couple more years later. I would have to keep it for a while before giving it to him to read. Was I surprised to see him later at home looking for the book and trying to read the Oz. At first, he looked at the pictures on the pages (each page has one full text and the opposite is an illustration). Keeping an eye on him as I was preparing dinner, I noticed that he has started to flip the pages at a certain tempo and was actually reading the text and not just the pictures. In more or less two hours, he had finished it. He figuratively devoured it.

I was very surprised but happy. At the same time, worried that he just swallowed it too soon. I mean, he can read it fine but that should be my cue to get him started or train him to read in a slightly higher reading skills not merely devour the book. And since he still has the appetite to reread the books that he has, I think it won't be a bad idea to slowly introduce this skills in these classics.

The next day, I went back to the store and got the three remaining books. He might or might not read it right away is fine with me. In time, he will read be glad to have these books in our bookshelf to read when he gets around to it.