Just call her Miss Tolstoy

Both my children started uttering intelligible words at the tender age of 9 months. Interestingly, they began with the same word: cat. But while Peter confined himself to the last letter of the word, allowing us to figure out what he meant by pointing to one of our household felines, Nadia enunciated the word clearly and completely from the start. Once she mastered one word, she continued in the same vein, until at eighteen months, she was speaking complete sentences, like when I tried to blow hair out of her eyes: "Mommy, don't blow me, I'm not a balloon!". To balance her brother's tight-lipness, Nadia spoke early, enthusiastically and a lot.

Naturally, we assumed that this verbal precociousness would lead to early reading. In fact, we were puzzled when she showed an interest in writing long before she ever started to read. She didn't really know how to form all the letters, but didn't let that stop her, and composed paragraph upon paragraph of remarkably writing-like... well... writing.

Here she is, at her craft. (Incidentally, my dining room table almost never looks this neat.)

About a year and and a half went by, and Nadia tried everything from active reading instruction, being left to her own device, practicing with emergent reader books, and finally starfall.com. She read street signs and cereal boxes, but was no closer to being a Reader than her brother was at her age.

On her seventh birthday, Nadia received a set of Junie B. books from one of her friends. It took her about three days to get through the first chapter, and another week to get through the second. By the end of the next week, she'd read all of the books, and was ready to move on to an older heroine, Judy Moody.

Throughout all this, she continued to compose voluminous written materials: a diary, a travelogue, picture-books about cats and dogs, and numerous letters to friends. With the discovery of chapter books came new inspiration: she decided to try her hand at writing novels. She already has several manuscripts under her belt. I've found them tucked under her bedcovers, slipped into books, spread all over the rug, and  (her favorite place to compose) on the heater in the front window.

The young author draws heavily on real-life experience (though she changes her friends' identities to protect the innocent) and spices it up with intrigue, betrayals and drama. Her characters display strong emotions, have values, loyalties, a keen sense of fair play, as well as an eye for fashion. What is remarkable about these chapter books (aside from the creative approach to spelling) is the sustained effort she puts into them. Some of the novels are well over twenty pages long, each decorated with handsome illustrations.

Upon learning that I wanted to use her compositions in my blog, Nadia was horrified. It was  only after hours of strenuous persuasion that I got her to reluctantly agree to publish her works. But she wants you to understand that these compositions are still in draft form. So don't judge her too harshly.

Comments

[Lizabeth]

When I was teaching, I had many kids who were willing to write before they were able to see themselves as readers. It is interesting, and counter-intuitive, but not uncommon.

Those are some fabulous books she's working on. Her spelling looks great.

[Meg L]

They're wonderful!

[christine]

That's awesome! She's doing a great job.

[kim]

I love to see kid's books and writing. I hope she keeps on tossning them out!