Reading chapter books with my kids is something I've looked forward to since the day Lily was born...Actually, that might not be true. I think I've looked forward to reading chapter books to my kids before I'd had any kids at all. I love children's books, but there is something magical about reading a book with your kids that you can both gain something from, a book that your child has grown mature enough to understand on a new level.
Recently, Lily and I have started reading the long, lovely chapter books that I'd been dreaming about. Lily became so engrossed in the first two that she would bring me the books on Saturday afternoons and ask me to read. The second Harry Potter book so captured her imagination that when I checked out the audio book for a long car ride, she brought the tape in the house to continue the story after we'd arrived home. She got up early to finish it and find out what happened in the story. I am so excited by this hunger for stories and reading.
Our most recent book was Anne of Green Gables. I wasn't sure if she would understand everything, so I got the more elementary version of the book. ***Spoiler Alert*** I was wrong about her understanding and emotional connection to the book. I was shocked when I read her the chapter where Matthew, the man who had adopted Anne, died. I was shocked because when I said the words, "And then Matthew died." Lily burst into tears. She sobbed for several minutes and the tears continued as I finished the book. She was so connected to the story and the characters that she was truly sad. She asked me why Matthew couldn't have died sooner in the book, when she didn't know him and like him so much. Why did they make him die?
The experience of reading that book together opened some discussions about hard topics, bonded us in a new way and gave us a history of hard topics that will allow me to bring the hard stuff up again later.
Reading to my kids is my favorite part of most days. Now that Lily and I are reading alone together every night, it has given us something to share, a quiet time to be together. I am cherishing the time and hoping that this is one of the routines from her childhood that she remembers most and continues into adulthood.
What are some chapter books that you enjoyed during your childhood? I would love some recommendations!
3 comments:
I'm also excited for Alaina to eventually read all those books I adored as a child. And I LOVED the Anne of Green Gables books and movies. Some of my other favorites are The Secret Garden, Little Women, Amelia Bedelia books, (notice a strong lead female trend??), The Indian in the Cupboard, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and just about anything by Beverly Clearly.
Thanks Em! I have the Anne of Green Gables movies on hold at the library. I'm looking forward to watching it with her. The Secret Garden and Little Women are perfect for what I'm looking for. :)
What a wonderful thing to be doing! I do remember reading stories and listening to music at night. Truely treasure those memories!!!
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