Can My 4-Year-Old Read?!?

Here's just a quick anecdote, since my last post was all about reading, reading, reading...

Last night I asked Lin to read a book to me. It was an "easy reader" book from the library, a kids' book, and Ruby was sitting with us. Lin was doing great, she understood the words and was doing fine with comprehension. She came to a word that stumped her and said "What's this word?" To which Ruby promptly answered "Cupcake." And she was right! Lin and I both looked at her and said "Did you read that? Can you read this book?" And Ruby smiled, picked up the book and "read" it, nearly word-for-word! Obviously, I know it was just by memory of hearing it before, buy holy cow! It was freaky!

But it solidified for me that by reading to Lin, she will become a better reader. I always tell Lin, reading makes you smart. But she responds by saying that if I'm doing the reading, that's not making her smart. Oh, you're wrong, girlie. And yes, I will keep reading to you.

Just a little while after that I picked up "Charlotte's Web" to start reading to the girls. I already read the first two chapters to them on Saturday night, and when I picked it up last night I said, "Do you remember what happened in the first two chapters?" and Lin was able to answer me, after I prompted her just a bit. So she is comprehending books when I read to her.

(Now if I could just convince her to let me read the "Harry Potter" series to her... but so far, no luck...)