Summer Reading Challenger and an American Girl

My older daughter was a reluctant reader, but nothing seems to excite her more than the challenge of beating me—her mom. Our first true week of summer, she checked out the Kaya series—6-7 books—and I checked out a Clive Cussler. Ok, maybe I checked out a couple other books too that I was curious about and to give her a chance to beat me. I thought I was a fast reader.

She is no longer a reluctant reader. She beat me with no trouble at all. It might have something to do with these American Girl books. I decided to read one of these books my daughter was devouring. The Kaya series is well written and definite page turners. And I couldn’t stop at just one. I had to find out if Kaya returned to her family after being kidnapped. I wanted to know if she ever saw her sister Speaking Rain again when she had to leave her behind in a crisis. I had to keep reading to see if she was reunited with her beloved horse Steps High.

I love that the American Girls are about strong-willed girls 8-10 years old who have to deal with conflicts in their time periods. Because Kaya is a Native American Indian in 1764, the stories include the Nimiipu religious traditions but is done in such a way that it fits without trying to brain wash the reader in any way.

I think I will have to restructure the summer reading challenge, however, as my daughter is no longer a reluctant and is beating me too easily.