Luke is obsessed. He's passionately reading any book he can get his hands on right now about dragons.
In addition to Dragonology and How to Raise and Keep a Dragon, Luke read Christopher Paolini's Eragon, the fantasy tale of the boy Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, over the course of five days last week. Five days! He is eight years old. This is a 700+ page book. I am in awe, not so much because of the speed with which he reads, but more because Luke's comprehension is astounding. Eight years old!
The book that captivates him most right now - until he dives into the Eragon sequel, Eldest, is The Dragonology Handbook: A Practical Course in Dragons. The book is set up as a course, with homework assignments and lessons, and I think that is part of Luke's fascination: it's like he has a private tutor about his current favorite subject!
Luke has taken to sketching dragons, and after some serious begging we now allow him to go out in the woods behind our house - alone! we are truly raising a Free-Range kid - and search for dragons to observe and draw. In case you missed that, let me just reiterate the point - Luke. In the woods. Drawing!
Each time he heads off into the woods, my heart is in my throat; when he returns, flushed with fresh air and the excitement of dragon-seeking, I realize that letting him go is the right thing to do.
3 comments:
H-T went through a SERIOUS dragon phase for quite a while there. Dragonology was always at the front of the bookcase. He is just now reading through the Eragon series, though. There is a heck of a lot of dragon stuff out there, don't you think??
What a great post! We have had similar experiences recently so I understand the amazement and pride you are feeling right now. It seems that once they start reading well and see all that is opened up to them they leap into a new level of independence and there is no holding them back.
Thanks for your encouraging comment yesterday. It was a good learning day. I'm looking forward to today!
It always amamzing that when it is something of interest!! they will read and explore the subject!!
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