I woke up this morning with a sore throat. At first I was concerned that I was coming down with something but then I remembered that we have started school. That means that I am using my voice ten times more than I normally do. The hours I have spent being quiet over the summer have been replaced with teaching and reading (oh so much reading) and my vocal cords need to get used to it again.

The kids are enjoying the extra time we are spending in books. Outside of school we have been working our way through a couple of books we got from the library by George Shannon. The books are called “True Lies” and contain collections of brainteasers from around the world. Each of the stories is very short, usually 1-3 pages, and they all end the same way, “What’s the truth, the whole truth? And where’s the lie?” The stories usually employ some play on words or sleight of hand to mislead and confuse the reader, so the kids have to pay close attention to everything being read so they can decipher what is actually going on. After we read each story, the kids take a few minutes to try to figure it out. Sometimes they get them. Sometimes they don’t, but they always enjoy when I turn the page and read them the answer. You can see the wheels turning as the story comes into focus.

We will be finished with these books soon and I am hoping to find something similar to follow them up with. I like the idea of the kids problem solving and thinking outside the box with these stories. If you have ever run across anything close, let me know!