How to Grow a Reader

How do you grow a reader?  READ TO THEM.  

There were a lot of things we didn't have growing up (we weren't deprived, just...lived a simpler lifestyle) but we always had books.  Always, always.  And to boot, my folks ALWAYS read them to us.  I can remember when Mom bought the Little House series and read them aloud to us girls...what a treat!  All 3 of us girls are avid readers because my parents made us that way.  I intend to do the same with my children!  (and I think I'm well on my way).  Mom also made sure we got to the library regularly, especially in the summer, and allowed us to check out stacks and stacks of books.  I loved our local library and would hole up in the back room or upstairs kids' sections and read and read before making my decisions.  

Mike and I have decided to use the Ambleside Online suggested booklists as a guide for the children as they grow through their homeschool years.  This year and last we budgeted and purchased books from the Year 0 (kindergarten) list. 

Last year I bought titles including:

 

http://www.amazon.com/MaMa-Goose-Rhymes-Poems-Little/dp/0740731300/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395020952&sr=8-2&keywords=mama+goose

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-More-Classic-Virginia/dp/061825627X/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395021078&sr=8-2&keywords=mike+mulligan+and+his+steam+shovel

 

http://www.amazon.com/Beatrix-Potter-Complete-Tales-Rabbit/dp/072325804X/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395021173&sr=8-1&keywords=beatrix+potter

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Tales-Winnie---Pooh/dp/0525457232/ref=sr_sp-btf_title_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1395021261&sr=8-6&keywords=a.a.+milne

We have enjoyed our year with these classics, and although we haven't read them all, we will continue on with them.  Winnie the Pooh delighted the children more than I might have thought it would and Mama Goose wins hands down as the FAVORITE of the books I purchased last year.  I've also been conscious, through the year, to pick up at used book sales, other books on the Year 0 or Year 1 book list so we can continue to grow our library (some people who saw our library might say it does NOT need grown!).

This year's purchases that *just* came in the mail and are "really" intended for this fall (but of course we dug in early) included:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Rumphius-Barbara-Cooney/dp/0140505393/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395023452&sr=8-1&keywords=miss+rumphius

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402750617/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402756984/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So far the crowd favorite has been the Fairy Tales and Fables book.  Xavier likes it because not everything ends "glossy and cheery," thus appealing to his boy-ishness.  The other day when we read The Gingerbread Boy and the cookie got eaten instead of getting away his chuckle was hilarious.  Likewise, when we read Little Red Riding Hood and the huntsman killed the wolf instead of some do-gooder reforming him to be a better 'person' his eyes got big.  Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against a happy ending, but in life not everything ends with roses so embracing and enjoying these stories together is good for all of us (in my opinion).  Natalee loves that there are sweet stories, mixed with some action...between them all no one has gotten bored!  Each night both children get to pick out a story - there are 50 in the book so I'm looking at getting through it in a month.  I bet they can convince me to go back and repeat!  There are familiar stories alongside some that are even new to me...all around we are all having a ton of fun with this book.  It's a delight to have the children begging to read it each night.

(Ignore the swollen mommy cankles propped up on the chair...focus on the sweet children soaking up good literature!)

The other day when at our local library for Story Hour I perused the table of free for donation books.  I chose a 2-3 that I thought our family would like and brought them home with the books we checked out.  Among them was

I showed it to Xavier a couple nights later and explained it was a word book with not very many pictures but if he wanted to try it we'd be glad to.  He decided he wanted Daddy to read it through to him and Natalee chose to join in.  So, every couple of nights Daddy curls up with the kiddos - on the couch or up in their beds - and they enjoy a few pages or a chapter. 

Natalee and I have previously read through Charlotte's Web so she has a good understanding of what a chapter book is about and she pays attention well so she doesn't miss the details.  I tried Charlotte's Web with Xavier but he had little interest....however this book appeals to him much more and he is soaking it in.  Tonight, we got jammies on early, played a card game, and then had time for a chapter of this book before our fairy tales!  The children were in heaven...as a matter of fact, neither mom nor dad seemed to mind all the cuddle time either.

I won't tell you that we don't also always have a basket full of seasonal books that we keep in the living room, too...these are sillier, easy, less thought provoking reads that we still enjoy (like There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover) but I think, when my children look back, that it will mostly be the "good" literature they remember.  Perhaps partly because of the quality time with their folks but also because these books make them laugh, cry, think, and reason.  So, tell me, my few and faithful readers...what good literature are you reading with your little people?