World Book Night 2013

So, months and months and months ago I signed up to be a World Book Night giver...I had a great plan, I'd have my giveaway at Caritas Village in Binghampton. I didn't plan on returning to the theater for the first time in over 2 decades or for World Book Night falling just 48 hours after that show closed while I was still in the post production exhaustion. So I had to make a backup plan.

The purpose of World Book Night is to put books into the hands of non-readers or light readers and I happen to have a friend who is in leadership in the Achievement School District (a slightly Orwellian named program where a number of failing schools have been taken over in hopes of turning them into successful schools). So, a series of facebook messages and one box delivery later 20 kids in these failing schools now have in their hands their very own copy of Rick Riordon's "The Lightning Thief". Mission Accomplished.

The Lightning Thief to me is a particularly appropriate title to put in the hands of reluctant readers. A modern retelling of the classic Hero's Quests of Greek Mythology it stars a dyslexic misfit named Percy Jackson who has been kicked out of a string of schools and who struggles academically in every way. Being a demigod suddenly turns his "disabilities" into advantages, his ADD providing him advantages in battle and the root of his dyslexia being that his brain was programmed to read, not English, but rather Latin. When my dyslexic daughter discovered Percy Jackson there was an instant identification and boost to her own self image. I love the idea of these books going into the hands of kids that may not see themselves as successful and presenting them with a different frame through which to view their challenges.

As usual I'm insanely behind on reviews. I updated the 2013 52-in-52 list just before coming here to post this and at week 18 of 2013 there are already 41 books on the list. By the time it auto publishes on 1/1/14 there is no telling what the count will be. I will never catch up so I suppose I will consider this review #1 and make an effort to do better going forward. Happy Reading!