Thanks, Fly Guy!

You know, I should have mentioned this a little sooner. But life has been crazy busy these days, and my plans to blog about it came and went. But Maya can READ! For real! She's been on the cusp for a while now, picking out words and phrases all over the place. But last Tuesday, I went to read to her class during their library time. While I was there, her teacher handed me the books I'd gotten from their recent Scholastic book order. I got a lot of "easy reader" type books because Niko likes them, and I figured Maya would, too. Among those easy readers was a set of Fly Guy books. They are all about a boy's pet fly (named Fly Guy) and the adventures he has. They're just gross and silly enough that I knew both kids would enjoy them.

That afternoon, at home, Maya begged for me to open the package of Fly Guy books so that she could look at them. She was instantly obsessed! She pulled out this one, and asked if she could bring it in the car while we were out running errands. Sure, why not?

Well, that little girl proceeded to read me the ENTIRE BOOK while I was driving!! Granted, it took a while, and she did have to spell a few words out for me to help her with, but she READ it!!!! I was amazed! And amused! Just for fun, here's a plot description:

"Buzzy Fly Guy's on his own for most of his third outing. Returning from a foray past garbage, a horse and other intriguingly scented landmarks, Fly Guy finds a note that his human buddy Buzz and family have gone off for a picnic. Away he flies in pursuit—both of Buzz, and of his favorite food, which is "brown, oozy, lumpy and smelly." Being a fly, he is of course willing to settle for any one of those qualities, but the tempting burger, pizza slice, bones and roadkill he finds are already claimed. Poor Fly Guy, shooed away from every snack. Arnold's cartoons are more pop-eyed than ever in this simply told, medium-gross episode, and emergent readers will enjoy following the muscid marauder to final nirvana atop a slice of—yes, shoo-fly pie: brown, oozy, lumpy and smelly.

So naturally, Maya loved it. :) And she has since become absolutely obsessed with these Fly Guy books-- good thing I bought a big set of them! She has read two of them to us at bedtime now, and even brought one to Niko's karate class today (and read it the entire time). GO MAYA! We are so proud of her. But this is just par for the course with her lately-- how will she surprise us next??? :)