The great book race

This weekend, Brian and I were strolling around Target picking up miscellaneous things we needed. We were walking past the book section when we saw this:

This is the latest book in the Percy Jackson series. Or I should say the first book of a new series Riordan is writing about the next generation of Olympians. Whatever, we knew the kids would love it. "It's always a good idea to buy a book," Brian said and put it in the cart. "Maybe we should save it for Christmas," I mused, trying to be one of those people who are organized enough to have their Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving. Brian gave me a confused look (we normally don't think about Christmas until December 1).

The kids promptly found the book as they were bringing in the bags from the car. (Why carry in bags when you have kids for that?) Paris and Athena both pounced on it, Paris diving to grab it, Athena chasing him upstairs. We could hear them yelling, spouting rushed logic as to who should get it first--"I saw it first!" "You got the last book first!" "I need a book for my reading log!" etc. There were quite a few grunts, too--so I took a moment to yell up the stairs "You better not rip that book!" before I rolled my eyes at Brian and sighed. Brian grinned at me. "Our kids are fighting over a book. We must have done something right." Well, it may have more to do with Rick Riordan than our great parenting, but I had to admit that if my kids are going to fight, it might as well be over a book.

Paris and Athena worked it out anyway. They each have a day to read the book--although they are not above sneaking a peek when it's not their day, or keeping it in secret places when it is their day. They compare how much they've read and have a competition to see who will finish it first. Athena even let Paris read it while she was at dance one day, because, she said with a wicked gleam in her eye, if he finishes it first than she will have the book all to herself. Tritan's not so competitive; he's quietly waiting til the flurry of book passing and obsessive reading is over. But I've caught him skimming through it during the odd moment of it being temporarily abandoned. Meanwhile there is a lot of reading with flashlights, reading on car drives, reading while trying to set the table. It's great.