Read-aloud with the kids: The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks. So far so good. The kids are truly enjoying this story. (Although we haven't read anything they loved nearly as much as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe) I do substitute and skip over words here and there (like kill and stupid...), but other than that, this book has been a great addition to our read-alouds.
My personal reading: Emma by Jane Austen. I had read Emma before, of course. I mean, Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favorite book. However, I am enjoying Emma even more than ever. I remember finding it so wordy and a bit slow, but going in this time with those expectations has made it thoroughly enjoyable. What wit!
What are you reading? Do you have suggestions for great family read-alouds? I'm always looking for more!
PS. Don't forget the Giveaway! You have until Thursday night.
At what age did you start reading aloud books without pictures to your children? I keep buying books like Narnia and Roald Dahl for my kids as they get older, but I think your kids are still pretty young. I have a 4 1/2 yr old and an almost 3 yr old. I've been thinking my 4 yr old would probably like listening to more advanced books.
ReplyDeleteI started about where you are. My kids are only a little older than yours. When they were 4 and 2, we mostly read books like the Magic Tree House books and Charlotte's Web. I recently read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was quite pleasantly surprised by how well they understood it (even the 3 year old). We read the whole thing in less than a week because they loved it so much.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are 3 years old but I cant see them sitting for The Lion. HMMMMMM I guess I could try. I just assumed they would only do the short books???
ReplyDeleteAnyways I'm reading Gregor The Underlander series and really like it. The author is Suzanne Collins.
I'm reading my kidlets (11 and 6) The Tale of Despereux which is hugely enjoyable. There are some big words but they are explained in the book. I think it would be great for younger kids too.
ReplyDeleteAnything by Jackie French (an Australian author) is good too, though check that you're not looking at YA books as she does treat children/youth intelligently and with appropriate subject matter. Check out www.jackiefrench.com.au for a list of her books.
Thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteThe Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so wonderful. The hardback itself is a treasure with beautiful illustrations. The conclusion of each chapter is a cliffhanger so it's perfect for reading and then stopping and keeping everyone guessing. (although it's so delicious, you'll just want to read the whole thing in one sitting) Some of the words are big but I just change them to fit the ages. There's also a great website that goes along with it. www.edwardtulane.com
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog! I look forward to checking back.
I realize this comment is a little late, but it's my first time on your blog. So far, I love it.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, when we were little my dad read us all of the Little House books aloud. We loved it. I was probably only 5 or 6 when he started this. I think the only one we didn't like was The First Four Years, because it's so different than the other books.