score one for books

The very first time I ever felt the need to get a new book on the day it was released I was in my twenties- Harry Potter 4, I think. Five, six, and seven where all in my possession hours and sometimes minutes after they were released. Same with the Twilight books, well, the last two anyway, and even The Host. My point is, my whole life I've been a reader, but getting a book the day it was released is a relatively new concept for me.

Nick, however at the age of 12, has been looking forward to certain release dates of books for a couple years now. Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and Pendragon series books are all books he has looked forward to the release of.

But Zach has us all beat. At six years old I took him to the bookstore because a book was released today and he had to have it. In passing the other week I mentioned how sometime in the next week the third Diary of a Wimpy Kid was being released. Zach's reaction was immediate. "I have to get that, mom! Please! I have to get that! I've read the other two, I have to read that! I have to read that first!"

"First?"

"Yes! Cause I read the other two!"

"Well, Both Nick and I read the other two also."

"But, but, but, I need to read it first! " (totally panicking)

When he was finally assured that yes, I would get it for him, and yes, he could read it first since it meant so much to him, he proceeded to ask me a million questions. "Which day does it come out? what color is it? Light green or dark green? Which store are we gonna get it at? Are you gonna go when I'm at school? Can I go with you?"

So today after school I drove him to the new Barnes and Noble and he got his new book. The acquisition of the new book didn't stop the questions though. "Can I hold it? When is book four coming out? What color is it gonna be? What if it's yellow? or orange? or Gold! Can I hold it in the car? Can I read it in the car? Can I take it to piano lessons and read it while I'm waiting?"

I hope this enthusiasm for the printed word continues throughout his life. It's got some stiff competition though. This is the same kid who would wake up in the middle of the night and play on his Nintendo DS until I started confiscating DS's after 8 pm.