The Trouble with Reading (Part I)–Learning to Read
I recently had some eye-opening experiences regarding reading that I want to share. I love to read, have a reading specialist credential, and am a retired educator of 34 years. I also love to learn, and I did just that this week in reading two different books. I gained a new appreciation of the struggles some readers have with reading.
Although we often think of dyslexia as letter reversals, it is actually a problem that is much wider than that one symptom. Dyslexia is an impaired ability to read and is not correlated with IQ. It can manifest itself in many ways. I don’t have dyslexia, but an Advance Reader Copy I read this week made me feel like I do. Anytime certain pairs of letters should have been present on the page, they were omitted. Here are some examples of the defective text along with what should have appeared on the page.
stu ed-full (stuffed full)
e fat one (The fat one)
on re (on fire)
e notes owed (The notes flowed)
“at’s a rst.” (“That’s a first.”)
BUT MY FAVORITE was a character named “Cli.” It seemed like an unusual name; about half way through the book, I started laughing at myself. I applied the missing letter pattern and discovered that the character is probably named “Cliff.”
The missing letters were: th, ff, fl, fi. Spacing was not always consistent with missing letters. Without context and my understanding of the importance of context, I would have been totally lost. Being able to pick up the pattern was also important. As it was, I had to make myself finish reading the book for the purpose of reviewing, but the experience was less than enjoyable and quite tiring. I put myself in the place of readers who have reading difficulties—letter reversals, words moving across the page, etc. I have renewed sympathy for their struggle. Professionally there are still arguments over causes and remedies, but being given more time to process text and learning coping strategies are helpful to many readers. Those who find reading “natural” and easy can remind themselves that we all have strengths and be thankful that reading is so accessible for them while being supportive and understanding of those for whom reading is a fight for meaning.
Let me assure you that Advance Reader Copies rarely have that many problems and that reviewers are warned that these ebooks have not always undergone the final editing process when they are presented to reviewers. The published book should be and usually is free from errors.
Check back in tomorrow for my reflections on a different type of difficulty I experienced with the other book.
A Three Book Problem–deductive reasoning in the style of Holmes
A Three Book Problem
by Vicki Delany
Jayne and Gemma, recurring characters in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series, are invited to a retreat at a local mansion. Jayne, who runs a tearoom, is required to cook for the group, and Gemma, who has a Sherlock Holmes shop, is requested to provide atmospheric props. The focus of the event is to be Arthur Conan Doyle’s works about the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Oddly, it seems the participants do not like the host, know each other, or necessarily have an interest in Sherlock Holmes lore.
There is a murder right in front of the two ladies by an unusual method. Gemma, an expert in deductive reasoning, applies her skills in a Sherlock fashion as she tries to ascertain which one of the invited guests benefited from the death of their host.
As I jumped into the series with the seventh book, I think the character development must have occurred earlier. I could not find much appeal to the recurring characters or to the ones who are clearly only a part of this one book. None are likable. The pace of the book is slow and any exciting action is limited to two scenes. I did not guess the identity of the murderer until the end; the climax was handled well. On the whole, this book is missing a zing that a good mystery should have. Sadly there is nothing that makes me want to go back to read other books in the series.
I have read two cozy mysteries by Vicki Delany in her Tea by the Sea series that I enjoyed very much. Delany has experienced success with her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series, so A Three Book Problem may not work as a standalone or just may not have been the right book for me.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 7th in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series. I don’t recommend it as a standalone.
Publication: January 11, 2022—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
It was a beautiful fall day, the rising sun shining through trees ablaze in shades of rusty orange, yellow, and red, leaves crushing underfoot, the air crisp and cool, full of the whisper of winter soon to come.
Humiliation, I’ve found, is one of the most powerful motives for murder there is. More powerful than money.
“Are you going to climb the fence again?” Jayne said. “Absolutely not. I have a rule to seek illegal ingress to a property only once.” “What does that even mean?” “It means that in case I had to return, I learned the code.”
education pathways 