Mom, do you know what book I'll never forget? Little House in the Big Woods. It's a great one.
Freddie and I have been working on his reading each night after Hans is in bed and then I read some from a chapter book to him. I look forward to that time in the chair with him when the apartment is quiet and still. Having that time with him is really a gift.
Several months ago he picked out some Magic Schoolhouse chapter books at the public school's book fair and he loves them, but mama, not so much. They are the perfect first chapter books for new readers with repetitive language and short sentences, but are painful to read aloud. When reading aloud I try to select books which are not only engaging but are above a child's reading level because often the plot and vocabulary are rich and provide lots to talk about. Too bad for me that Freddie repeatedly asks me to stop talking and just read so he can hear what happens next. Ha! Teacher Erin has to let go of the probing questions and just let him enjoy the story.
Anyway, it took some convincing that we should abandon the Magic Treehouse series and try out some of the Little House books. He was not at all on board so I pretty much had to wield my Mama powers and lay it down...we are reading Little House in the Big Woods and that's that. I did tell him if he really, really, really didn't like it after a few chapters we could abandon it and find something else. And wouldn't you know, he loved it. It's a classic, and he's at just the right spot for it.
We're now reading the next in the series, Farmer Boy, and he's equally enthralled. He doesn't say much about the "whippings" and "lashes" the kids get as punishments which I thought he'd be curious about but he definitely asks about hunting and farming based on information in the books. We are planning to make butter after reading about it in the book, but he has decided we should make cheese. Let's just see how we do with butter first, ok?
As part of the summer reading program at the library he has the opportunity to rate books. So far all he's rated all of them as 5 star books, but I am sensing he is beginning to get a better feel for what makes a 5 star book for him. Watching this all develop is so exciting! I hope his entering school in the fall enhances his love of books and desire to read.
