Picked up a random poetry book From the crowded shelf. Quick easy hour read: Delight and wonder. Then, Found…
Family Time = Reading Time
Do you read with your children? I know most of the time, we are too busy to make time to read together. Either I am working late, or we have some event like scouts to go to so that when we get home, we hurry the kids to get ready for bed. Nevertheless, I still try to make a point with our 9 year old daughter, Natalie, to read with her even if it is past her bedtime.
Natalie’s 3rd grade teacher has reading 20 minutes a night as part of the weekly homework assignment. Natalie has a chart to fill out as a reading log so this helps her keep track of her reading times and what she is reading. I love that teachers do this in elementary school! I wish we could get teenagers to do this as well.
Our other daughter, Olivia, also had to do this up until she reached 6th grade this year. Last year, her 5th grade teacher had the students actually write a summary for what they read each night. This helps so much in building comprehension.
Natalie lately has been reading her favorite series, Phoebe and Her Unicorn, by Dana Simpson. These books are entertaining comic books/graphic novels about a young girl whose best friend is actually a unicorn with whom she has crazy adventures. The books are very humorous! I love watching Natalie read them as she laughs out loud so much.
When Natalie is super tired, and it is late, I will read to her. I have been reading the classic, The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. Or sometimes, her dad will read Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White. She loves listening to him read because he does the character’s voices just like in the 1973 cartoon film. He especially has Templeton’s voice down exactly like Paul Lynde in the film.
I, on the other hand, do not do voices. so Natalie often falls asleep quickly when I start reading The Wind in the Willows. She is entertained by the story of these curious animals, but the higher level, British vocabulary within the pages is also uniquely rhythmic, so when I read it aloud, my voice is like a soothing lullaby. I have had to reread numerous pages to her just so she knows what is happening. I do not mind in the least. When I was a kid, I remember not liking this book, probably because of the British colloquialisms, and how the Toad was always creating mischief by irritating other animals. Now, I am enjoying the story. I see how the author actually uses the chapters as a parallel between animal and human symbolism. A review by James Topham, on thoughtco.com, is correct in the book’s plot, “They are characters who embody the English values of fortitude and good humor. But, these creatures are also incredibly honorable and willing to fight (even to the death) for their little piece of England.”
With Olivia, I have been trying to get her to read more and spend less time playing games on her computer (once she finishes her homework of course). She used to read all of the time, but has lately been in a slump in which she is not as interested. She tells me it is “because you don’t want me to reread the books I like” and I respond, “Well, I want you to find other books you might like too.”
I had started reading Olivia the novel, Addie Bells Shortcut to Growing Up, by Jessica Brody. This is a young adult fiction book about a 12 year old who makes a wish to be 16 and wakes up the next morning as a 16 year old, but cannot remember anything about the years in between. It reminds me about the movie Big, in which Tom Hanks character makes a wish on a mysterious arcade, fortune teller machine, and wakes up as a 30 year old man. This was one of my favorite movies from my childhood in the ’80s. Maybe that is why I wanted Olivia to like this Addie Bells book. At any rate, Olivia has enjoyed some parts of it, but we are in the middle and she says she is nervous about what is going to happen to the character. She doesn’t want to seem to finish it and I haven’t pushed it.
Reading with your child of any age is not only important for their brain development, but also, it helps to build you a stronger relationship together. Bernice Cullinan and Brad Bagert from readingrockets.org, states, “There is no more important activity for preparing your child to succeed as a reader than reading aloud together. Fill your story times with a variety of books. Be consistent, be patient, and watch the magic work.” I completely agree, both as a mother and as a teacher.
Read with your child!
Here are some other great book ideas from Amazon:
1. The Girl Who Drank the Moon (Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal) by Kelly Barnhilll2. Wish by Barbara O’Connor
3.The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
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