Back when I was in grammar school, where we had to avoid dinosaurs, Neanderthals, and Fingernail Freddy on our way to catch the bus, one of the motivating factors to keep going was the monthly arrival (I seem to recall it came to the school, but I may be making that up) of Highlights Magazine.

Chock full of stories, games, and mind puzzles, it was a significant factor in developing my love of reading. Coupled with the Hardy Boy series, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and a well-equipped (and mostly unrestricted) library, the entire would was within my reach.

And now we want to pass it on to the next generation.

We have continued the tradition with our grandsons, starting with a brand new subscription to Highlights. Some of the other book series have changed. My grandson, Levi, loves the Goosebumps and Garbage Pail Kids series by R.L. Stine. What little boy wouldn’t like scary stories or books with characters named Adam Bomb, Brainy Janey, or Luke Puke?

Like most kids, Levi’s memory is a sponge. He has memorized the titles of almost all 62 Goosebumps books and can recite the plot and characters from many of them.

So, while I also still enjoy some good “hurling” jokes and bathroom humor, we are certain Highlights magazine will offer a more diverse array of stories for him to read and repeat ad nauseum.

Some things truly are timeless.