Old School

The boys and I almost always have a book that we are reading together. We call it our read aloud, and it is positively my favorite part of the day. We all three cuddle together in the bed, read/listen, and laugh. After last spring's reading of Old Yellar and months of the Hydrophobia game, nothing more than where a rabied animals runs wild through the house, I vowed to be more selective with any upcoming classic read alouds.

Hence our current read aloud, Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary. She wrote the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books of the 80s. A boy. A dog. What could be more perfect to read to my two? 

We read chapter one tonight.

The boys chuckled when we learned Henry's best friends were Scooter and Robert, and it wasn't the name Scooter than sounded odd to them. It was Robert. They thought it was hilarious that someone would have an old school name like Robert. Since when did Robert become old school? They belly laughed at it though, and it made me chuckle, too, only because they thought it was so funny.

We read a little further and heard Henry exclaim, "Oh, Jeepers!" I thought the boys were going to lose it - full belly laughs with legs kicking and hand slapping. Jeepers? What is Jeepers? Like the Jeep we used to have? They couldn't explain it and neither could I. But they thought it was so funny!

My only regret is that I didn't introduce the author and her collection to Evan two years ago. He has outgrown the adventures of Henry and the dog and would much prefer "The Ring" or "Gregor the Overlander", but I guess a little old school is better late than never.

The boys have a bet to see who can exclaim "Oh, Jeepers!" at school tomorrow. One will chicken out. One will have the class in stitches. Can you guess who wins?