“I honestly like being read to more than reading,” our 11-year-old said after I put down the Michael Vey book that I’ve been reading aloud to him and his brother. He’s a quick and capable reader, so it’s not because it’s difficult to read a book like this himself. But I think he means there’s something very compelling about a shared story, a story that we can analyze together, make predictions about, and keep talking about, long after the book is done. It’s especially gratifying when you’ve found a book with strong, likable characters, a good plot, and themes like loyalty and courage.
first teacher 
So true! Thanks for this reminder!
And we had a pretty intense day of reading yesterday – we just needed to know how it would all turn out, and so I read well over an hour, all told.