When Reading Spreads Like "Wings of Fire"

I've talked before about how much Nat enjoys reading, but this last year at school, something amazing happened. Reading actually opened doors for her.

She has absolutely fallen in love with fantasy novels. (For some good options, check out her list!) One of the most recent addictions is a series called "Wings of Fire" by Tui T. Sutherland. The series includes five books written for young readers which profile five dragons of prophecy, destined to end a generation's old war. The dragons are engaging and the story compelling. So much so, that when Nat took the first book to school, the passion for the story spread like wildfire. First one friend borrowed the first book, then another, and another and another... Soon, she took in the second book, only for that one to begin making the rounds as well.

Take a Look, Its in a Book

A tale of wizards and dragons. A quest. Brave adventurers in a strange land. No, I'm not talking about the latest Terry Goodkind novel, rather my 9-year-old's bookshelf.

I grew up on books like the Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Phantom Tollbooth, eventually graduating to works by Bradbury, Orwell, Burroughs, Tolkien, Eddings, Hobb, and McCaffrey, among others. The literary world is full of all kinds of stories; tales of love and romance, action and adventure, suspense and mystery. Each genre has it's foundations, each has it's addictive elements; the ability to draw a reader in and immerse them into the characters and setting and feelings of the story. That, after all, is the essence of storytelling.

Did Somebody Say Free Comic Books?

We got back from Free Comic Book Day at BuyMeToys here in South Bend (who did an awesome job by the way) and Nat wouldn't even get out of the car until she had finished her comic. Once she did, it was straight into a chair to read the next one. And then the next. Reading has always been a passion of hers, and she was very excited to even go today.

We have been reading to her since day one. From board books up to picture books and easy readers and now chapter books. It was last fall when we brought home Brian Jacques' "Redwall". She was enthralled. It was a whole new world of fantasy that opened up to her. Up until that point, she mostly enjoyed princess stories. Disney has a way with little girls, and she still loves the fairies and princess', but she has graduated to more complex storytelling. She reads stories like the "Dear America" series, and "The A-Z Mysteries". These are stories that develop characters and conflict. They engage her mind and imagination.

Today it is comic books. If you want character development, look no further. If you want conflict, do I have to say it? If you want imagination, comics will keep you dreaming until you are old enough to be a fanboy (or girl) and not just a kid. If Free Comic Book Day does nothing else, I hope it brings dads together with their kids to read something new, and to open their eyes to a world they never knew existed. Because when you dive into a book with your kids, be it Cinderella, My First Alphabet, or the New 52, you help encourage a lifelong love of reading, and that's something I think is worth spending time on.