Freddy is back in his latest adventure, the 28th in the series. In Ready, Freddy! The Reading Race by Abby Klein, Freddy’s school has a book fair coming up. This isn’t just an ordinary book fair though, the student who reads the most minutes gets to choose five free books from the book fair, and the class with the most minutes wins a visit with an author. Freddy is determined to win.
Once he arrives home, he can’t wait to share the news with his family, but his sister Suzie is her usual impatient, older sister self and wants to share the news first. Family bickering aside, Freddy is excited about the contest but sure he won’t win because he isn’t the fastest reader in his class. When his mom reminds him that it’s the most reading minutes that matters, Freddy is heartened.
He sneaks up all night to read, but tired as can be the next day, he realizes he can’t count those minutes because parents need to sign off on the form showing how many minutes each child reads. Freddy just isn’t willing to risk getting in trouble. Back to the drawing board, his friend Jessie tells Freddy the secret her abuela had told her: find a secret reading space, and you can read forever.
Freddy finds his place and is pleasantly surprised to find that an hour passes like only twenty minutes. Inspired, he continues to read all week, but will it be enough?
The book is quick and fun and silly, perfect for readers just getting comfortable with chapter books. It’s not even 90 pages of large font type, and there are plenty of gorgeous illustrations keeping readers engaged. I love the positive message in the book that children can hopefully take to heart: it doesn’t matter if you’re the fastest reader, just find the right book and place to read, and you can love it.
Jessie also takes a proactive stance with a bully on the bus, and helps Max. I loved seeing that someone stood up for another student rather than cowering in fear, and I loved that the solution is so simple and Klein shows so clearly how easily is can work. The little things like this make the book that much more attractive. At the end of the book, there is also a quick list of recommended books about sharks – Freddy’s favorite reading topic – as well as a space for children to draw their secret reading spot and track the books they read over the course of the month.
It’s all a positive message with so many little components tossed in that make it a book I would enjoy my children reading, especially as it includes some natural consequences. Even if you manage to not get caught doing something you shouldn’t be, you don’t necessarily benefit from it.
Written by Michelle whose own children try often to get away with things and are consistently shocked when they get caught every single time. See what her wee one are up to on her blog Honest & Truly! or follow along with her on Twitter where she is also @HonestAndTruly.