And that once upon a time is now!

Reading is one of my most favorite pastimes. I love nothing more than to cuddle up with a good book. I am so blessed to share that with my children. No matter the time of day, I can usually catch one of them with a book and sometimes I catch one reading past lights out. I still do that every now and then. Shhh, don’t tell them.

Due to all the changes and moves and life the past several months, reading aloud has fallen of the must do list. I truly missed it. Missed that time of sharing a book I loved as a child or sharing the excitement of experiencing the story together.

This week we are getting back to reading aloud. I was a bit concerned that it might be a struggle to get us back into the swing of things but it was like putting on that old comfy sweatshirt. A perfectly cozy fit. Ahhhh……

We are almost to the end of our current read aloud and as we read this afternoon, I loved hearing all the “just one more chapter”…”I’ll get you more water”….”Want me to hold Sam?”….. I read as long as I could but finally said we had to stop. Hee hee. 3 chapters left. Under 20 pages to go. You would have thought I had banished them to a dungeon with no dessert.

I might just surprise them and finish the read aloud before math. I’m cool like that, well, at least they will think so.

***

And speaking of books and kiddos and cuddles, I just have to share a few pics…

Bekah, of course, is reading silently and Sam is just content to be held and chew on his fingers.

However, with Hannah he wanted to be a bit more help. I heard Hannah “reading” to him. Her story went something like “if the little boy would keep his hands off the page, then the girl could finish her book”. Hee hee. She is such a patient big sister.

If you are in need of a good book, I highly recommend Ready or Not by Chautona Havig. She is hosting a contest at Chautona.com for a free copy! Please note that I am going to win. Thought you should know.

She is also the author of Shadow and Secrets; the first of an enchanting children’s series. It should be added to your must read list!

These are not her only books so be sure to look around and find other great books by Chautona Havig!

All of Samuel’s siblings are more than happy to be his buddy when needed. Hannah is delighted when she is chosen for the task. The other afternoon, I was trying to explain the beauty of a nap to the 2 year old and Hannah, the oh so mature, 4 year old volunteered to watch Sam for me. Isn’t that sweet?

Hannah knows exactly what to do. Grab a book and share a story. I was impressed with her selection of Beatrix Potter. A classic.

However, I’m not sure which book it was. I overheard bits of the story….there were pirates and heads were being chopped off and some people were running for their lives. Alrighty then. Thankfully, Sam handled it well and slept nightmare free.

Sam was thoroughly engrossed in the story. We may have another bookworm in the making.

Flannel Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan is simply delightful. A charming book about a family enjoying the warm indoors and the cold, snowy outdoors. It is filled with colorful, detailed drawings and simple text. I originally picked it at the library for my 4 year old. She has enjoyed it but my 2 year old loves it! She “reads” it all the time and will spend forever looking at the pictures. She loves to find the doggy in the picture. This has a Before Five in a Row feel to me. I’m very glad I added this to our “winter/snow” reading list. Check it out for your little ones and let me know what you think!

Good-bye, My Lady by James Street

It was written in the 1950s and set in the swamp of the Mississippi woods. You step into the simple life of Skeeter and his Uncle Jesse who live and sometimes work in the swamp. One day Skeeter finds a dog. His dog. And this is their story.

I had never heard of this book in all the many hours I spend searching for literature for my children and I am so thankful to my friend for mentioning it to me. You do not want to miss an opportunity to travel to the Mississippi swamp.

We have read this book several times and enjoy it always. A sweet, sweet book. I noticed that our library had another book by the same author so I grabbed it. I love visiting with old friends. And we found a treasure!

Island Boy…a story about a boy named Matthias and a beloved island. A beautiful story and beautifully illustrated. I hated to see it end. Even my 10yr old daughter was gathered around as we read about Matthias. This is one you don’t want to miss!

I’m definitely going to be looking for more books by Ms. Cooney. If you read Island Boy, let me know how you like it!

This book caught my eye at the library the other day and it is now a favorite of all the kiddos. Yes, even the 10 year old couldn’t resist cuddling up for this one!

I think it hit a chord with me, because as a young child (ok, even in high school) I was terrified of storms. I can remember hiding under the bed, the covers, anywhere to try to get away from the sound.

Thunder Cake is about a young girl at her grandmother’s house and a storm is brewing. The grandmother gets the girl through the storm by making thunder cake. Lovely illustrations. A delightful read. My son loved making the “thunder” sounds. The young girls enjoyed “counting the lightening”.

I plan to pull this out again this summer; when the storms begin and make our own thunder cake. I’ll be sure to let you know when it happens!

***Note: I have added in the sidebar a couple of extra pages that I will be updating booklists; books I read to the kiddos and books the kiddos read on their own. It is more for my personal record keeping but if it introduces or reminds you of a book or two, well great!