So I saw this idea over at Part Time Monster – which is always worth a read – and I thought I’d give it a try.

Very simple concept:

Grab a book, any book.
Turn to page 56, or 56% in your eReader.
Find a sentence (or a few, just don’t spoil it)
Post it.

Then join the link up over at Freda’s Voice.

One of my goals this year is to read more, so this seemed like a quick and fun way to do short posts on the books I’m reading.

So here’s the book:

I picked it up at the Annual Ten Thousand Villages Show in November and have been reading it in chunks twice a week at the gym on the elliptical for the last, well, little while. I’m currently on page 118 – almost half done!

Here’s a few lines from page 56:

The thought of speaking in public filled him with fear. But Mom helped him find his confidence for a Grade 3 speaking contest. She sat at home with him as he recited and memorized “Alligator Pie,” a poem by the beloved Dennis Lee. She taught him that preparation and passion were crucial.

Then, given this doesn’t really “spoil it”, but will likely help motivate me on evenings when I really don’t feel like reading with the girls:

Since those days, he’s shared the stage with Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and other great orators, speaking to audiences as large as fifty thousand – all thanks to Mom and “Alligator Pie.

I don’t need to imagine my kids on stage with world leaders, but I like the reminder of how little things can be important.

Overall, I am really enjoying this book for its many such examples.

And both my girls love Alligator Pie – so they are obviously going to be hugely successful and agents for positive change in the world in the future – right?

Perhaps I haven’t quite picked up all the nuances of the book yet?

Until next time!

Looking forward to seeing what others post and maybe finding some suggestions to add to my ever growing “To Read” list!