Summer Reading Programs: DONEZO!

I'm excited to say that B completed all three of her Summer Reading Programs as of yesterday. All together, she read THIRTY-TWO books this summer, of varying lengths. We did read Lewis Carroll's ALICE IN WONDERLAND together - I read it aloud, chapter by chapter - but I made her read me the remainder aloud, and she did remarkably. We had her first official Meet the Teacher night last week, and I told both her teachers she can read independently and they both just sort of nodded. All of her teachers have been like that at first - the "yes, everyone thinks their child is a genius" sort of brush off - but give it two weeks and they'll change their tune.

Anyway, photos of my B and her rewards:

1) Reading Challenge #1: Austin Public Library's Summer Reading Program

2) Reading Challenge #2: Barnes & Noble's Imagination Destination Program

3) Reading Challenge #3: Book People's Give Me Summer, Give Me Books Program

It makes me happy to no end to know that this focus we've helped her grow, regarding reading and words and art, will be a lifelong one.

I'm so very proud of my little reader.

alice in wonderland

here's a funny little fact about me:

i really dislike most classic literature.

yeah, yeah, i know. "but all modern literature wouldn't exist if not for the classics." i know that. but i hate reading them. i can't name a single piece of victorian literature that i have enjoyed reading. i do love shakespeare, though, and i like more "modern" classics, like The Great Gatsby. but generally? meh squared.

however:

i have a sort of life long obsession with Alice in Wonderland.



Disney's Alice

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(side note: i read it and thought it was only okay.)

despite the glorious meh i felt after reading it again (as an adult), i just love the idea. i love the spins it could take, the way you can manipulate it into something so very different than what's canon. this is why i loved syfy's Alice miniseries, and why i really enjoyed tim burton's take on the story as well. (more on tim burton here.)

A DeviantArt Wallpaper for Tim Burton's film

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SyFy's Hatter. My Favorite.

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as a matter of fact, i have a dark little spin on Alice in Wonderland in my pile of ideas - one day, i'll write it all down (at present, i have about 1500 words, and the bones of the story in a scrivener doc). it was inspired by this image, which was originally sent to me by my friend, Bec:
 

and i just love this image:

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(side note: i have just realized that my life-long affinity for striped socks probably originated with my affection for this story.)

What's your favorite kid's story?