Reading

Kayleigh didn't enjoy reading that much, which made me a little sad because I love reading. I think the main reason that she didn't really get into reading that much was the struggles she had with learning to read. Kayleigh only managed to get to level 4 reading at the end of Kindergarten and went from level 6 to 10 in the last 2 weeks of year 1. I don't know why she struggled so much but it really put a dent in her love for reading. When she got to year 3 and 4 I encouraged her to read, and do the right things at home, by buying her a Rainbow Magic book each week. Within a couple of months, Natassja and Kayleigh had a good collection of Rainbow Magic books to read. Kayleigh liked the Rainbow Magic books - her favourite one was the 'Flute fairy' but I really don't know how many to read from cover to cover. Natassja devoured the books, but I think Kayleigh only picked up the ones she wanted to read and read the front chapter and then the last chapter and maybe one of the middle one, just to get an idea of the book.

At one stage we had most of the Harry Potter books for the girls, but neither of them were that interested in them and I don't think Kayleigh ever picked one up and tried to read it. I know she attempted to start on
The Lord of the Rings' but even I know the first couple of chapters in that book is heavy going and she soon lost interest.

At the end of year seven, Kayleigh brought home one of the Twilight series - New Moon (I think). She was trying to read it in her English class, and she told me she wanted to see what all the fuss was about and she again found it hard to get into the book - She told me it would be easier to wait to see the movie. I told her that books always have more in them than movies and to try and persevere with the book. I don't know how much she got through but she still had it when she passed away and I got Natassja to secretly give it back to the library at school - it would have been 8 months overdue.