Valley High, and I learned that a good storybook trumps any dry textbook.
After flipping through Mika’s assignments, I slam the stack of papers on the table with surprising force. “Enough of this!” I balk. Mika looks slightly taken aback, but I’ve garnered his full attention. “Look, I know your teacher thinks it’s important that you learn about verb conjugations and noun declensions, and they are important, but…” I pause to articulate my thoughts. “When I was a kid and I wanted to learn how to ride a bike, I just hopped right on my BMX and eventually I figured it out. Now what I did not do was hunker down and study the mechanics of putting a bike together. By plunging in and riding my bike, I was able to enjoy the wind in my hair, the sun in my face, the scent of freshly cut grass. It was fun, ” I say with exuberance. Getting a bit carried away, I add, “I remember how much I loved zigzagging along the road on my pink BMX, avoiding potholes, popping wheelies.” I find myself smiling fondly at the memories.
So, where was I now? What was I trying to say?
Oh yes, I need to tie it all in. “So it’s the same thing with the English language. The best way to learn and enjoy it is to read something that grips you. It can be a mystery, a sci-fi, a thriller, anything. And once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back.”
Mika leans back and hesitates, “Reading’s not really my thing though.”
I blanch and pound my fist on the table. “That’s because you haven’t found the right book,” I say with a firmness that surprises me.
The corners of his mouth twitch.
I flash him a perfunctory smile. “What types of shows do you watch on TV?”
He drums his fingers on the table. “The History channel. I dig war movies, documentaries, anything to do with World War II. I just like facts .”
“What else?” I encourage him to continue.
“ Top Gear . It’s a Brit show about cars.” After a beat, he adds, “I like watching Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel.”
“That’s a pretty good start.” I stand up and grab my things.
He slides his chair back. “Where are you going?”
“ We are going to the county library.”
The very minute we troop into Marshall public library, I’m like a woman on a mission. I head straight for the computer kiosk and after a quick search, I march to the book aisle, scan the shelves for the title, locate the book and thrust it into Mika’s hands.
He reads the title out loud. “ A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier .”
I give a scholarly nod. “True story about a young kid engulfed in Sierra Leone’s civil war. And it’s not too long; only a little over two hundred pages. It’s the perfect book for you,” I say, trying my best to sell it to him.
“I’m sold.”
Next, I drag Mika to the periodicals and step back, giving him some space and time to explore. After perusing the aisles for ten minutes, he has made his selections; two copies of Motor Trend and the most recent issue of AutoSpeed .
Mission accomplished.
While Mika registers for his library card, I idly browse the aisles. Surreptitiously, I pluck a steamy historical romance from the shelf.
After giving the cover a cursory glance, I flip it over and read the blurb on the back.
Scottish Laird Iain McLean is forced to wed Dundee lass Adamina to settle an ongoing dispute between two clans. Whilst the reunion may have brought peace to the Highlands, Iain finds himself at war with his own emotions. Strong willed and sensual, Adamina battles her fierce attraction for Iain, determined to remain his wife in name only. At the outset, Iain only seeks the pleasure of sharing his bed with Adamina. But he is soon lured into a love so absolute and a passion so deep that he finds himself torn between a woman and his clan, facing duplicity, betrayal and ultimately, redemption.
Well hello Laird Iain McLean! Sizzle. My whole body tingles with anticipation. I
After flipping through Mika’s assignments, I slam the stack of papers on the table with surprising force. “Enough of this!” I balk. Mika looks slightly taken aback, but I’ve garnered his full attention. “Look, I know your teacher thinks it’s important that you learn about verb conjugations and noun declensions, and they are important, but…” I pause to articulate my thoughts. “When I was a kid and I wanted to learn how to ride a bike, I just hopped right on my BMX and eventually I figured it out. Now what I did not do was hunker down and study the mechanics of putting a bike together. By plunging in and riding my bike, I was able to enjoy the wind in my hair, the sun in my face, the scent of freshly cut grass. It was fun, ” I say with exuberance. Getting a bit carried away, I add, “I remember how much I loved zigzagging along the road on my pink BMX, avoiding potholes, popping wheelies.” I find myself smiling fondly at the memories.
So, where was I now? What was I trying to say?
Oh yes, I need to tie it all in. “So it’s the same thing with the English language. The best way to learn and enjoy it is to read something that grips you. It can be a mystery, a sci-fi, a thriller, anything. And once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back.”
Mika leans back and hesitates, “Reading’s not really my thing though.”
I blanch and pound my fist on the table. “That’s because you haven’t found the right book,” I say with a firmness that surprises me.
The corners of his mouth twitch.
I flash him a perfunctory smile. “What types of shows do you watch on TV?”
He drums his fingers on the table. “The History channel. I dig war movies, documentaries, anything to do with World War II. I just like facts .”
“What else?” I encourage him to continue.
“ Top Gear . It’s a Brit show about cars.” After a beat, he adds, “I like watching Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel.”
“That’s a pretty good start.” I stand up and grab my things.
He slides his chair back. “Where are you going?”
“ We are going to the county library.”
The very minute we troop into Marshall public library, I’m like a woman on a mission. I head straight for the computer kiosk and after a quick search, I march to the book aisle, scan the shelves for the title, locate the book and thrust it into Mika’s hands.
He reads the title out loud. “ A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier .”
I give a scholarly nod. “True story about a young kid engulfed in Sierra Leone’s civil war. And it’s not too long; only a little over two hundred pages. It’s the perfect book for you,” I say, trying my best to sell it to him.
“I’m sold.”
Next, I drag Mika to the periodicals and step back, giving him some space and time to explore. After perusing the aisles for ten minutes, he has made his selections; two copies of Motor Trend and the most recent issue of AutoSpeed .
Mission accomplished.
While Mika registers for his library card, I idly browse the aisles. Surreptitiously, I pluck a steamy historical romance from the shelf.
After giving the cover a cursory glance, I flip it over and read the blurb on the back.
Scottish Laird Iain McLean is forced to wed Dundee lass Adamina to settle an ongoing dispute between two clans. Whilst the reunion may have brought peace to the Highlands, Iain finds himself at war with his own emotions. Strong willed and sensual, Adamina battles her fierce attraction for Iain, determined to remain his wife in name only. At the outset, Iain only seeks the pleasure of sharing his bed with Adamina. But he is soon lured into a love so absolute and a passion so deep that he finds himself torn between a woman and his clan, facing duplicity, betrayal and ultimately, redemption.
Well hello Laird Iain McLean! Sizzle. My whole body tingles with anticipation. I
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