Dear Olive,
Books, I just love books ... said my Mum once. She filled her house with them, piling her bookshelves up to the ceiling, always more than a few on her bedside table. And she was a voracious reader; she would pack her suitcase with a stack of books for holidays, and still find she ran out of things to read.
Mum passed on her love of books to me. In primary school, I blitzed the read-a-thons, and in early high school I'd devour a babysitters club in the time between arriving home from school and dinner. (A few years later, it was Virginia Andrews ... it's all coming out now!) These days, I still couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, than reading. Books, I just love books.
And now, it seems, it's your turn. We've read to you since birth, and you have long been happy sitting and "reading" through piles and piles of books on your own. Over Christmas, we entered a whole new world of books to read together. Chapter books. We've burned through Heidi and Pippi Longstocking, and we're now 3/4 of the way through The Magic Faraway Tree (a big childhood favourite of mine - anything Enid Blyton, really. Although goodness me, reading it now, hello sexism!). I adore seeing how much you're loving it, so excitedly anticipating what's to come in the next chapter. Ahead of you, is a lifetime of loving of books, something you have my Mum to thank for. Books, you just love books.
A wise old person once said to me ... learn to read and you'll never be bored. And I couldn't agree more.
We'd love to know everyone else's favourite chapter books?
Books, I just love books ... said my Mum once. She filled her house with them, piling her bookshelves up to the ceiling, always more than a few on her bedside table. And she was a voracious reader; she would pack her suitcase with a stack of books for holidays, and still find she ran out of things to read.
Mum passed on her love of books to me. In primary school, I blitzed the read-a-thons, and in early high school I'd devour a babysitters club in the time between arriving home from school and dinner. (A few years later, it was Virginia Andrews ... it's all coming out now!) These days, I still couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, than reading. Books, I just love books.
And now, it seems, it's your turn. We've read to you since birth, and you have long been happy sitting and "reading" through piles and piles of books on your own. Over Christmas, we entered a whole new world of books to read together. Chapter books. We've burned through Heidi and Pippi Longstocking, and we're now 3/4 of the way through The Magic Faraway Tree (a big childhood favourite of mine - anything Enid Blyton, really. Although goodness me, reading it now, hello sexism!). I adore seeing how much you're loving it, so excitedly anticipating what's to come in the next chapter. Ahead of you, is a lifetime of loving of books, something you have my Mum to thank for. Books, you just love books.
A wise old person once said to me ... learn to read and you'll never be bored. And I couldn't agree more.
18 comments:
My seven year old is reading the Magic Faraway Tree to himself at the moment. I am reading Matilda by Roald Dahl to my 5 year old and I have to say that even though I read all of his books as a child I had forgotten that he regularly uses ''idiot'' and ''shutup'' in his stories! Makes is difficult when I discourage my kids from using these words. I have just had to explain that the character is not a very nice person and that is why he says these words ;). Anyway, anything by Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl are popular in our house right now.
Oh dear, I did the Virginia Andrews thing as a teen as well... Cringeworthy now, but oh -so dramatic and compelling back then.
I need to read more books. And I need to read more books to my girls. Both of those things are high on my priority list this year.
x
Ooh, Flowers in the Attic!
We are working through Roald Dahl with the 5-year-old. Over the years she's enjoyed Charlotte's Web, Blinky Bill, Wizard of Oz. I loved Pippi Longstocking and Enid Blyton books as a kid. Can't wait to get onto them soon x
Oh how I love books. I can only hope my kids have as much a love for them as me. Roald Dahl was a favourite of mine as a child, too. I adored my father reading The Twits to us, he has honed skills in animated voices which certainly helps!
lisa
xo
You were my growing up reading twin!
As for favourite chapter books I'm not sure. When Eve is a bit older I plan on reading a little bit of Harry Potter to her each night, but that's a long way off yet.
Also not chapter books but I'd recommend Oliver Jeffers or anything Shaun Tan but especially The Rabbits.
Lila
Oooh lovely! We're not at chapter books yet. Sam loves Dr Seuss books (king midas is a favourite) we also read a book in French too at bedtime. His favourite at the mo is Mon Monstre et Moi. x
Sorry I'm a lurker, but the subject of books will always flush me out. I've just written about the chapter books we've started reading. The usuals, Winnie-the-Pooh, Roald Dahl, Paddington. But my kids' favourites (and mine) are the Moomin stories by Tove Jansson, weird and wonderful. I also like Phillip Pullman's books for little kids, we're reading The Fire-Worker Maker's Daughter at the moment and I love I was a Rat!. When I was a kid I loved Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown and Nicobobinus by Terry Jones. Too many stories, not enough bedtimes! I too loved The Faraway Tree but I can't quite bring myself to buy Enid Blyton... Hope this makes up for the lurking. Bex
YES to books! I used to love the Babysitters Club books too. *wince* And loved a good read-a-thon too. I remember we used to get a badge as part of the program and you had to stick stars on it after you read a certain amount of books...or something like that!
We're on a bit Roald Dahl craze at the moment, but there are a of other Astrid Lindgren chapter books that Olive might like. As well as Moominvalley. Another couple of faves are Tintin and Asterix but they might be too old for Olive. Then again, she constantly amazes me, so who knows?! The Tashi series is a fave of Oli's too.. xx
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is another goodie.
I too am an avid reader, a passion that I acquired from a book worm, second hand book shop owner mum :)
Milly, Molly, Mandy was a huge favourite with our girl and all our kids love/d Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and C.S Lewis.
x
I've started reading the 'Little House' books by Laura Ingalls Wilder to my 4yo daughter. She loves them! my dad read them to me as a young girl so they're quite nostalgic too.
Pippi Longstocking was my favourite as a kid! Such an amazing story, it's very big in Germany but I haevn't seen it much in other countries.
oh, so lovely... I found an old copy of the Faraway Tree recently in an op shop and it's just sitting there waiting, saying... c'mon Leo, hurry up and get older! I'm so looking forward to reading chapter books with him. As kids we had a couch that we would move together and we called it 'the story square' and my dad would read us Roald Dahl, and CS Lewis and Tolkien. Such a beautiful memory that I can't wait to pass on... x jo
Oh my, 'Flowers in the Attic' was an absolute favourite between my friends and I. Oh so scandalous! Sage isn't quite at chapter book stage yet, but I also loved Roald Dahl, Paul Jennings and Morris Gleitzman for their fabulous tales x
Chapter books! My goodness i hadn't even though of these for Jude... our kids are getting REALLY big! x
am looking forward to the day when we'll be reading chapter books. i'm still chuckling about the banksia men comments on IG. the power of the imagination (and clever writers), right? x
My mom doesn't enjoy reading one bit, but loves that I read so much. I am an only child and growing up I just wanted books and crayons and paper to entertain me--quietly, to her delight. We didn't have much money but if there was ever a book I desired, she found a way to bring it home. I will always, always be so grateful to her for that.
I love that you're passing on your love for the written word to your daughter. It's one of the greatest things in the world, a passion for reading.
My best,
Jo Farmer
Ahhh, I can relate to these - I was a big Babysitters Club fan (and now that we love in the USA, I feel like I'm always basing my expectations of life here off that series! Woops!). We also love Enid Blyton - I managed to pick up a picture book version of The Adventures of the Wishing Chair & The Wishing Chair Again which we have been reading to Oliver. He already seems a fan much to my delight :)
I love this image and I love that chair! Beautiful blog, I'm now following you too :).
Jacqui
dustycountryroad.com
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