Reading With My Kids

As I said in this post, I love to read. I am so happy that my children have also inherited the love of books. We use them for entertainment, as a way to unwind and get ready for bed, and sometimes as a preparation tool for something that is coming up in their lives. Neither of my boys used to be very good about going to to the doctor, but then I got them several books about characters that they know having doctor's appointments and it made our appointments so much easier. I am grateful that they both buy into the lessons and stories that the books we read provide. Recently, Braeden has been talking a lot about good food versus junk food because of the Berenstain Bears book, Too Much Junk Food. I'm so glad that it's made an impression and that he understands the difference between foods that are good for him and those that he can have as a treat. I find it so interesting to see what they take from the books that we read and how they use it in their lives. Here are some of my kids favorite books.

The Berenstain Bears

Even though Braeden is the one who walks around preaching about what these books say, Evan is the reason we have so many. He loves the Berenstain Bears, especially The Sitter which was my favorite as a kid too. I limit him to 5 a night because otherwise we'd be reading for an hour. All of their books are good and are meant to teach lessons that are relevant in kids lives. From Clean House to The Trouble with Teasing, these books are great for all ages. 

Curious George

We love Curious George in our house. We have the set above that also came with the CD's. It's nice because the boys sometimes like to listen to stories as they fall asleep. I think Braeden's favorite George story is Curious George Goes to the Hospital, although, Curious George Rides a Bike is a very close second. 

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

I must admit, Laura Numeroff writes some catchy books. I wasn't actually familiar with her stories until Braeden read If You Give A Mouse A Cookie at school last year. From there, we grew quite the collection. Evan is the biggest fan of this series in our house and for a long time, he had to listen to "The Cookies" every night before he went to bed. We have this on CD too. 

The Magic Tree House Series

When I was looking for something a little bit older to read to Braeden, I decided to start the Magic Tree House Series. My nephew Jacob had always loved them and I thought Braeden probably would too. We began with the first four books of the series and then B started bringing random numbers home from the school library so we have been reading some of them out of order. His favorite by far was Tonight on the Titanic. This book is what peeked his interest in The Titanic and we've read many other books about The Titanic and visited the exhibit at Mystic as a result. 

I'm so glad that my kids love reading. Some nights I'm tired and I don't really feel like it, but I would never give up that time that I get to snuggle with them and indulge in great children's literature. I hope they maintain their love of reading, whether it be paper books or more likely e-books throughout their entire lives. If anyone has suggestions about the books you read with your kids, we'd be glad to hear them. I am always happy to add to our library. 

My Book List

I love to read. I have been an avid reader since I was a child reading the Babysitter's Club. I couldn't get enough of those books and waited eagerly each time a new one was being released. I would spend every Wednesday afternoon at the local library looking through books and deciding which ones to read that week. I remember getting so excited when I was old enough to move on to the Sweet Valley High series.

While I don't have nearly the same amount of time to read anymore, I still value books a great deal and read whenever I get a chance. I have always tended to read more fiction than non-fiction, but in the last few years I've found some really fascinating people whose books are interesting, entertaining, and sometimes, as in the case of Angie Smith, very inspiring.

What I've read recently:

What Women Fear - by Angie Smith

This book was life-changing for me. Angie is a real woman with real problems and a very similar past of fear and anxiety to my own. She spent much of her childhood with cares and worries that should not burden a child. I can so relate. This book is based in Christianity and the love that God has for us all. It may not be for everyone, but it is probably one of the best books I have ever read. I am so grateful to Angie for helping me to find a way to deal with my insecurities and anxiety that is powerful, uplifting and very freeing. After all, if God is taking care of it, why should I worry?

The Long Journey Home - by Margaret Robison 

This book is most relevant to those who are familiar with Running With Scissors and any other books by Augusten Burroughs. His brother, John Elder Robison also wrote a book about their life from his perspective, including finally realizing that he has Asperger's Syndrome. Margaret Robison is Chris Robison's (Augusten Burroughs) and John Elder Robison's mother and it's so interesting because it is her story of how she became the woman that they describe in their books. While she defends herself saying that of course, she wasn't as bad as Chris describes her, she certainly wasn't, and probably still isn't, all there. I'm not quite to the end, but I'm enjoying learning more about the mother in this bizarre family. I also love that she eventually ended up in Western Massachusetts raising her boys. It's a good read if you are familiar with the books by her sons. Otherwise, it wouldn't really mean much except for an unknown woman recounting her bizarre and troubled life.

Mini-Shopaholic - by Sophie Kinsella

This book is the latest in perhaps my favorite book series of all time. I can't get enough chick-lit that is set in England. From the first moment I was introduced to Becky in Confessions of a Shopaholic, I was completely hooked. The trials and constant missteps that poor Becky continues to put herself through never cease to entertain me. I will undoubtedly finish any Sophie Kinsella book in one week or less. I end up staying up way too late reading them, but I can't help it. She also writes under her own name (SK is her pen name), Madeleine Wickham, but I don't like those books as much. If you haven't read the Shopaholic series, but have seen the movie, don't judge! I didn't even watch the whole movie because it was so different than the book. 

If anyone has any recommendations for me, I'd love to hear about them. Happy Reading!