For a moment, I put my book down on my lap, eager to pick it up again. Take a sip of my coffee and open the Jetpack app to type this slice.
Mama, these two are pequeñitos!
She shows me Legos.
Thoughts bubble in my head, each of them a slice of its own. But Elena pulls my attention every seven seconds to give it a try.
Mama, what you want?
She now plays barista.
The yellow cover of my book stares back at me. A review at the top reads, “Hard to put down, harder to forget.”
Here’s tu café. Mama. Pero no es for drinking.
Focus on that thought, I push myself.
Now a sticker, Mama. Be gentle.
Okay.
“Hard to put down.”
For many years, I felt like a poor reader. Not to think less of me, but simply stating facts. I am a very slow reader, and oftentimes I have to reread sentences to make sure my brain produced the correct thoughts. I do much better with non-fiction. Those books I am meant to slowly dive into, dissecting every word.
Fiction? It’s meant to be devoured.
Mama, Anna is cold. Where is her sister? Oh no!
“Hard to put down.”
Phrases like those used to remind me of my relationship with fiction, which I find funny to put into words now: why do I feel like putting it down so quickly?
It’s not about the plot, I know. It’s typically my stamina. If it doesn’t hook me fast enough, my body will remember my reading struggles. Giving up before I truly begin.
Mama, tu lees un libro para me?
She runs to her room looking for a book. I better hurry if I want this slice out before she’s back.
Book Club has changed things for me as a reader. But also has my attitude. I am a grown woman who finds humorous the idea of “I just can’t do it.”
Silly stuff. Of course I can enjoy fiction. I just have to make sure I have the right book in my hands.
She’s back now, so I must put Yellowface by R.F. Kuang away for a Spanish book about recycling.
Happy weekend, slicers!
Start with a Story 
I can totally relate! I’m a slowwww reader too and always hoping to carve out more time to read. I hope you get to pick up your book this weekend and get a little closer to the ending you’ve been so eager to discover 😂👀
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It’s so interesting to me that all your reading (and most of your writing) is in English though! Obviously you’re far more bilingual than I am, but I reeeeally struggle with reading in Spanish and don’t think I would enjoy reading any fiction book nearly as much in Spanish as in English (I honestly think — aside from picture books — I’ve only tried it once, and yeah… not for me). Part of why fiction reading can so “hard to put down” for me is because my brain doesn’t have to do ANY work aside from pay attention to the story and admire the writing. That said, there are plenty of books that may not fall into that category for various reasons but at least I can start there. I wonder if you’d feel differently reading them in Spanish than you do in English?
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