Curses! Foiled again! The Runge Public Library Reading Throw down is in the history books and the results are in: Team Everyone Else read an astounding 228.82 books. I read 228.48 books, meaning Team Everyone Else edged me by 17 pages to emerge triumphant.

Think about that for a minute, folks: 228.82 books equals 11,441 pages. Wow. In 3 weeks? That's awesome! Team Everyone Else has earned their party, and it will be a lot of fun. But beyond a party, these kids have read through the summer at or above their reading level, which will hopefully give them a boost when school starts later this month.

And all of this awesome couldn't have happened without all of you. To Walmart #524 in Kenedy and Pico #22 in Runge: thank you for helping us out with the party. To everyone who encouraged kids to read, or followed along here or on my blog, or sent a card or letter or e-mail or even came by to see our bulletin board: thank you. You've done a good thing for kids and for this community.

How good? Well, now some adults in Runge think I'm weak and they have a shot to beat me, so you might just see Reading Throw down 2: Electric Boogaloo coming soon to a newspaper near you. I want that Shrieking Flying Monkey, people, so bring it on.