Summer Reading Interrupted 📖 🐛🍕

Your BOOK-IT reading list is here!

My grandmother handed me a book from the front seat.

I examined the cover. I had become quite the expert on book covers.

“The Book of Virtues,” I snarled from the backseat.

I was getting flashbacks of when my mother had forced me to read;

“Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees” Thanks a lot, Oprah

My irritation was palpable.

“This feels like a church book,” I replied, turning this dictionary-sized book over in my hands. It had significant heft.

Synopsis: Senior editor of the National Review and leading conservative spokesperson provides commentary to accompany this anthology of character-building stories from history, the Bible, and such poets as Frost and Angelou.

We had just made an impromptu stop at “The Teacher’s Store.

It was an oasis of endless stickers, markers, and books.

I now realized this had been a rouse to lull me into a false sense of security.

“You’ll read one chapter each week and then will talk about it,” My grandmother offered cheerily.

Absolutely not

First, this “Encylopedia” was not on my BOOK-IT reading list for the summer.

I had been happily oscillating between Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” “The Babysitters Club” series (things were about to get good; I sensed Claudia and Stacey were about to stage a coup), and the latest Goosebump release

This would cut into my already FULL reading itinerary and impede my recent mission; SAVING THE PLANET.

I had just read about acid rain and felt imminent danger.

I knew this required something SERIOUS and official.

So, I started a club; I had already recruited three members against their will!

“Vienna Center For The Earth Club” had just had its official swearing-in ceremony yesterday. My grandmother knew this.

I’d have to cut this “Virtue Book” nonsense right off at the pass.

“Grampsie has a book by Mark Twain that makes fun of the Bible,” I quipped from the back seat.

Even at 9, I wasn’t afraid to take anyone down with me.

My eternally stoic grandfather cleared his throat; and turned up NPR.

Apparently, this was a family trait.

I decided this was a punishment for bringing V.C. Andrews into the house.