The Mysterious Summer Society: A Reading Challenge Adventure for Dads and Kids
The Summer Spy Mission I Didn’t See Coming
We didn’t set out to become a reading family.
We just wanted to raise kids who could fall in love with a story.
My wife got there first.
She grew up devouring Harry Potter — losing herself in wizarding worlds and castle corridors, curled up with a book like it was a portal.
I… didn’t.
I was the kid reading baseball stats on the back of a Topps card or flipping through a Babe Ruth biography. Fiction? Wizards? Wands?
Not really my thing.
It wasn’t until later in life — after I finally started leaving my phone downstairs at night — that I discovered fiction could actually be fun.
Now it’s what I read in bed most nights. Not because I “should,” but because it’s the only thing that quiets my brain enough to fall asleep without doom-scrolling myself into a blue-light coma.
From the beginning, we tried to make reading feel like something more than homework.
Something fun. Shared. A little magical.
It became a nightly rhythm.
A family thing.
Something worth looking forward to.
We’ve read Harry Potter aloud as a family — my wife doing all the voices (until she didn’t). And after each book? We throw a full-on movie night:
🏆 Quidditch field cake
🟡 Donut holes turned into golden snitches
🪄 Chocolate frogs + butterbeer (non-alcoholic, don’t worry)
🤢 Hogwarts jelly beans we instantly regret
They’re the kind of nights the boys still talk about.
My contribution?
I brought in The Way of the Warrior Kid. I read it to them using my best Uncle Jake voice — part drill sergeant, part wise coach. And since there’s no movie (yet — December 2025, we’re ready), we became the movie:
Push-up and pull-up challenges.
Rucks with weighted backpacks.
Even a polar plunge into a just-thawed lake.
It wasn’t just about reading.
It was about living the story.
This Summer, We’re Taking It One Step Further
We’re reading The Mysterious Benedict Society — and turning it into a full-blown father/kid summer challenge.
Each weekly mission includes:
📖 A few themed chapters
🎬 A matching episode (on YouTube — thanks, Disney+)
🕵️ A spy-style activity — like a sensory walk or strength-spotting mission
💪 A mini physical challenge — from LEGO teamwork to obstacle courses
✍️ Reflection prompts for the dinner table or the minivan ride to baseball
This isn’t just about reading and watching TV.
The activities get you outside, moving, solving puzzles, and connecting in real life — which is especially nice when the weather’s good and attention spans are not.
Why I Built This
As a former teacher and dad of four boys, I built this to do more than just “keep their reading skills sharp.”
Every activity and prompt is designed to build comprehension, develop critical thinking, and stretch skills like inference, prediction, and reflection — without ever saying the words “comprehension strategy.”
But your kids won’t know that.
To them, it’ll feel like a summer spy mission they get to do with you.
You Don’t Need Much
No curriculum. No perfect plan. No craft bin.
Just 1–2 hours a week, a good story, and a little buy-in.
You don’t have to be a teacher, coach, or wizard.
Just a parent who wants to lead with presence — and maybe get one dinner without spilled milk.
🎁 The Missions are Ready!
Download the free PDF → CLICK HERE
You’ll get:
An Introduction and weekly mission pages to follow
Spy Notebook Challenge (aka curiosity training)
Kinesthetic Challenge
Dinner table/mini-van/bedtime prompts
What You Can Expect
Every week or so, I’ll post:
Recaps of our wins (and fails)
Quotes, photos, and lessons learned
Tools and tweaks you can use with your own family
Gentle reminders that presence > perfection
Let’s raise curious, courageous kids.
Let’s lead by example — even if your Uncle Jake voice still needs work.
Welcome to the Society.
—Jeremy
Subscribe to get the Mysterious Summer Society delivered straight to your inbox — chapters, challenges, spy games, and all weekly.
No pressure. Just presence, puzzles, and a little bit of chaos with your kid.
First, I loved this series. Second, I love reading! Third, I also want to raise kids who love reading!
I like these ideas. Sounds like you are also a jocko fan. I liked the idea of the way of the warrior kids books more before I had kids honestly. Maybe they just haven’t reached the right stage for them yet.