If you ask me, a day without reading is a day without meaning. I just love books. I love stories. And I love sharing my love of the written word with my children.
It’s one of the few things I think I’m pretty dang good at as a mom: I feed them wholesome food for their minds, their spirits, their souls.
Here are a few of the delicious meals I’ve served up for Jack and Jane these past weeks:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I grew up watching the movie; this was my first time reading the book. I liked it much better.
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey. Jane called it “Homeward Price.” I wasn’t about to correct her.
Tippy Lemmey by Patricia McKissack; illustrated by Susan Keeter. This has been on several book lists, so we finally checked it out. It’s a great early chapter book.
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop; illustrated by Peter Hansen. We’ve checked this one out from the library way too many times. I think I just need to buy it.
More Stories from Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson. Jane and I giggled and giggled over the bonnet-wearing piglet in the buggy. Too funny.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Jack says this is his favorite book ever. He, Jane, and their cousin have been practicing their levitation spells every day since we got to my parents’ house.
The Empty Pot by Demi. A lovely story. Beautiful illustrations.
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden; illustrated by Garth Williams. Who knew a story about a cricket could be so engaging?
Poetry Speaks to Children, edited by Elise Paschen. I’ve always admired poetry from afar but have been too intimidated by it to make more than a cautious acquaintance. With a wide range of poems and whimsical illustrations, this book takes away the poetry fear factor. It also comes with a CD, so you can hear many of the poets read their poetry. Fun times!
I’m always on the lookout for new books to discover and love, so please dish: what’s a great book you’ve read with your kid(s) recently?
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field. We ran across and abridged but beautifully illustrated version at our library recently. I checked it out thinking Becky would love to hear about the adventures of a little wooden doll, but Walker wound up being more excited to find out what happened to Hitty next. An exciting story.
I am actually going back through the Harry Potter series on audio book to prepare myself for the final movie and am surprised by how much I am enjoying it the second time through.
Great List! I will have to get that book on poetry for children. Poetry is my thing…but not so much my wife’s.
We didn’t read a lot of poetry when the boys were little except for Shel Silverstein – we all love his slightly demented style. We read all the Little House on the Prairie books. When they were older we read the Susan B. Cooper series – Over Sea, Under Stone and The Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle. Oh, so many good books we read, I can’t even begin to remember them all. One of the most bittersweet milestones in my parenting timeline was when the boys wanted to read to themselves and we gave up bedtime stories. Keep feeding Kimberlee