How did I decide what books we would read together? They must hold his interest. Boys as protagonists, if possible. A few pictures mixed in with the text. Simple, and a few harder selections to challenge his listening skills. I don't want to be bored while reading; I'm looking for a skillful story line and literary story telling. After all these years of reading aloud I am finished with boring books - there are so many good ones we could enjoy instead.
Arden and I will read other books as well. We'll read the picture books from the kids' history baskets. (It is always a good idea for a child to know a bit about George Washington. I know, it may be more easily mastered at nine, but people do tend to look askance if they ask a seven year old about G.W. and your child responds with a dull, blank look.) We'll read classic stories, fairy tales and Mother Goose from our home shelves. We'll check out books from the library, fiction and non-fiction. Today Arden wanted to know why pandas don't eat people. We'll capitalize on that interest with a book from the library. We'll read a lot of books this year.
Here's our read-aloud list. It is like a set of goals, we may meet it, we may not. We may add to it. I'll let Arden decide the order, with just a little guidance from mom. Every moment cuddled on the couch will be precious, binding our hearts, feeding his mind with knowledge as necessary as food is to the body.
o Farmer Boy
o Little House in the Big Woods
o Five True Dog Stories
o Light at Tern Rock (Christmas)
o Story of Dr. Dolittle
o Charlotte’s Web
o Stuart Little
o Follow My Leader – Garfield
o Henry Huggins
o Homer Price
o Little Pear
o Mountain Born – Yates
o Mr. Popper’s Penguins
o Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
o Balto and the Great Race
o Bears on Hemlock Mountain
o Story of the Treasure Seekers
o Missionary Stories with the Millers
o Storytime with the Millers
o The Wind in the Willows
o Narnia
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