Reading is better than ...

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Here's all the things that reading is better than (in our family):

1.  Gardening

2.  Interior decoration

3.  Shopping

4.  Having a shower

5.  Making a bed (my children)

6.  Getting dressed/putting shoes on/packing a school bag/brushing teeth/eating breakfast (most children)

7.  Sport (watching or playing it)

8.  Sewing

9.  Scrapbooking

10.  Sleeping

But did you know that in our house you can read while you:

1.  Practice the piano (no joke!)

2.  Go to the toilet (especially tricky if you are a boy)

3.  Get dressed (very slowly)

4. Walk to school

5.  Walk home from school (usually a different book to No 4)

6.  Set the table

7.  Cook toast

8.  Watch TV

9.  Jump on the trampoline

10.  Fill up a drink bottle

This is a snapshot of the desperate state of affairs in our house regarding books.  However, it can be quiet!

Rowan and I knew we were meant for each other when our happiest 'dates' involved reading the Saturday paper together.  And when our kids were toddlers they always wanted to have books propped up in front of them to look at it when they were eating breakfast (which was always a disaster because the book would fall in the breakfast or tip over the breakfast).  We had to stop it but then realised that we loved reading while eating so couldn't exactly blame the poor little kids!

Last week my oldest boy was on an excursion and I heard him thanking his sister for borrowing some books for him from the school library.  That's my girl!

Comments

Kath said…
I like the sound of your house!
July 14, 2010 at 11:49 PM
Deb L said…
Dear Jenny, Long time reading, first time commenting. I am looking for a book that I can read as a serial at bedtime to my six-year old daughter. We've done "My Father's Dragon", "Muddleheaded wombat", "The horse and his boy", "Treasures in the snow", "Pippi Longstocking", the Magic Faraway Tree series and "The little house in the big woods". That's a sample to give you an idea of the type of things we've already read. She certainly has the interest and attention span for a longer book or series. The trouble is she often lacks the sophistication to deal with mid-upper primary chapter books. For example, I'm a little reluctant to read R. Dahl with her yet because I don't think she'd handle the anti-adult humour very well. She's a "young" six and only started school this year. She's too young to really enjoy some of the books I'm eager to introduce her to like "Anne of Green Gables" and I'm saving "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" for another year or two when she'll appreciate it more. Do you have any suggestions for either general or Christian books that might suit? I've read through so many online suggestions for this age group but they are usually picture fiction which we already read a mountain of and which is hard to keep in stock so that there is a new one every bedtime. All thoughts gratefully received!
July 15, 2010 at 12:23 PM
Megan said…
Deb- my daughter really enjoyed books written by Sally Gardner- the smallest girl in the world and others of a similar name. They were long enough to read a chapter at a time and interesting, even for the parent. might be worth a look.
July 20, 2010 at 11:43 AM
Jenny said…
Hi Deb - Sounds like you've read some great books. My 8yo girl enjoyed 'Milly Molly Mandy' by Joyce Lankester Brisley when she was about 6. They are old but quite nice stories.

Another series that might be good for reading is the 'Mandie' series by Lois Gladys Leppard. Set at the beginning of the twentieth century in North America they are about a little girl and her adventures and solving of mysteries. They would be classified as Christian but probably fairly loosely. My older girl started reading them when she was about 8 1/2 but they might be good read out loud books. There are billions in the series and if you start at the beginning Mandie is younger.

What about 'Wind in the Willows' and 'The Secret Garden'? Also books by Noel Streatfield are nice - 'Ballet Shoes' is one of hers.

'Emily Eyefinger' by Duncan Ball (Sydney author who has also written the Selby the talking dog books) are great for girls that age too. I like reading Duncan Ball out loud - they are fun to read.

Hope that helps a bit.
July 22, 2010 at 2:51 PM
Deb L said…
Thank you both ever so much! I'm off to my local library's website to put some of them on reserve right now.
July 26, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Deb L said…
There's been an interesting discussion on this topic over at 168hrs.

http://168hrs.blogspot.com/2010/08/starting-chapter-books.html
August 12, 2010 at 1:10 PM
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