story time

Story time is one of my favorite times of the day. It has been a part of my life for the last nine years and has rarely been skipped. We sometimes read picture books, poetry, or nature field guides but the majority of those years, we have read chapter books or novels. It started with all 3 kids laying in the family bed, with one nursing and the other two jockeying for positions as close to me as possible. Now, I happily sit in a comfortable chair, with a light and sometimes even a glass of wine. Even when some of the kids were too young to understand the richness of the language or exactly what was happening to the plot - they listened to my voice and the rhythm of language and were comforted to sleep.

Here are a few of our recent favorites:

 Ronia, The Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren

Magical woods, coming of age, bravery, amazing girl character, adventure and moral choices.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

The original is so rich and even naughty. Really delightful!

The Wind Boy  and The House Above the Trees by Ethel Cook Eliot

Wonderful books written in the 20's. The characters go on adventures and quests that help them grow. They are rewarded for being true and brave and good. My kids could not get enough of these. In fact, they still think that "wind" is their friend and talk about him whenever a breeze hits them.

The Doll People by Ann Martin

This is the first book of a trilogy following a family of a 100 year old china toy dolls and their new friends, a family of contemporary plastic dolls. Mild adventures ensue as the families get to know each other and build a strong friendship.

 

The Wolfling by Sterling North

We are wrapping this one up right now and have really enjoyed it. It follows a year in 12 year old Robbie Trent's life as he bravely captures a new born wolf (who would have have been killed) and raised it to be a great pet and highly esteemed in the post-civil war Wisconsin wildness community where he lives. If you love Little House on the Prairie, this would be a great continuation of that genre.

What have you read recently that your kids really loved? Please share!