Reading

A father in New Jersey, after hearing me suggest reading to children separately, interjected, "Excuse me, but doesn't that take longer?" Yes, it does sir. Parenting is not supposed to be a time-saving experience. Parenting is time-CONSUMING, time-INVESTING - but not time-SAVING. -- Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook

Ten Books That Have Stayed With Me

A Nest For Celeste by Henry Cole

1. There Are Rocks In My Socks Said The Ox To the Fox by Patricia Thomas -- childhood, my mom read this book to me. Repeatedly. In Bird Voice. (my dad didn't read me a book. He told me a story. It included sunshine, blue skies, wind, horses, me, and my brother and sister. I will write it down some day.)

2. Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson -- 4th Grade, I clung to every word of this book as Mrs. Sullivan read it. Brian doesn't even remember. (?!)

3. I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier -- 10th Grade, I was heartbroken at the end of this book and couldn't believe my English teacher didn't want to talk about it ...

4. Heartbeat by Danielle Steele -- probably when I was 16-17ish years old, I can only vaguely remember the storyline but I remember reading it poolside at my grandparents condo and feeling so grown up holding it in my hands. It's the only DS novel I've read, it's not something I'd ever pick up now, nor something I'd allow my own 16/17 year old daughter to read. But it's "stayed with me" nonetheless.

5. Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott -- 1998-99, I checked this out from the Library at Ft Bragg when we lived there. Took me a long time to read it (months). It made me think about my lack of faith, looking back ... it was probably what started the ball rolling, leading me to pick up:

6. the first book in the Left Behind series -- 2001, leading me to pick up:

7. The Bible -- which took me years (like 3!) to read through.

8. Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox -- 2003, Kylie checked this out from her school library in Kindergarten. I read it to her, Korinne, and Connor so many times ... I remember thinking, "I want a bunch of babies to read stories to in bed." Seriously.

9. Star Of Light by Patricia St John -- 2008, the girls and I read this in their room at our first house in Jonesboro. We cried. And read. And cried.

10. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher & The Year Of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill -- 2010-11, these 2 books helped me see what kind of education I wanted to give my kids. I read them over and over again.

top ten {tuesday}: favorite read alouds

This Tuesday's Top Ten is about our favorite school subject, Read Aloud. I still read aloud to all my kids. Together. At one time. From our History spine, or Science text, our Bible Storybook, a Poetry book I love. It's not easy. There's a lot of, "Settle down." And, "Let's choose a quiet toy." And, "Pay attention." But it amazes me how much of my interrupted reading aloud the kids retain.

But this list is of those books that we actually refer to as 'Read Alouds.' Fun books. The books that are saved for just after lunch and afternoon chores, while the little ones are falling asleep for their naps, and the big kids are hanging out on their beds drawing, or knitting, or staring out their window at all the entertaining folks and their dogs walking down the sidewalk. ... while I, the Read Aloud-er, sit criss cross applesauce on the floor in the hallway (sometimes nursing a baby).


Top Ten Favorite Read Alouds (in random order):

1.  Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo     *an excellent movie

2. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

3. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (in December, of course. EVERY December.)

4. Boy by Roald Dahl

5. Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill

6. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

7. Jotham's Journey:  A Story Book for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide

8. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (or Sign of The Beaver or The Bronze Bow and I'm sure Calico Captive too, but we've not read that one aloud. Yet.)

9. The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

and

10. Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John     *also an excellent movie

children's book monday: madeleine takes command

Madeleine Takes Command
by Ethel C. Brill

We finished this Read Aloud last week, and let me just say that we all (Momma, Girls, and Boys) thoroughly enjoyed it, and we were so sad to see it end.

Madeleine Takes Command is a true historical novel about the 17th-century Canadian frontier (New France). In the story Madeleine de Vercheres, a 14 year old girl, along with her 12 and 10 year old brothers, bravely and heroically hold down their father's fort (while both he, their mother, and youngest siblings are away) against the Iroquois Indians, in defense of faith, family, and New France.

Not only was this a refreshing and welcome 'educational' story (we have not learned much about Canadian Colonization...OK, we hadn't learned anything up until this point), but it was also a wonderful book for my children (siblings) to hear because of the combined effort of Madeleine and both of her brothers to stick together, talk things through, and encourage each other through the attack. Their love and respect for one other was very evident.

If you haven't had the opportunity to share this story with your family, I highly recommend it, not only for it's historical content, but also for it's life application for families.

:: Happy Reading! ::

~Kathi

P.S. You can see other Children's Book Monday Reviews over at Elise's place...or Kristin's place.