Books We’ve Read Out Loud

Reading out loud to your kids makes my day.  There’s NOTHING better.  I love hearing their gasps, seeing their smiles, and I REALLY love the conversations we have while reading a book.  They are always bummed when I have to stop reading and eager to start the next day.  Please keep reading with them.  PLEASE.  PRETTY PLEASE.  I love this list.  It’s one of my favorite lists we make throughout our school year.  Keeping track of the books we’ve read out loud help us talk about them.  We see this list every day.  I’m not a fan of reading logs though.  As it turns out, a reading log can often suck the life out of a reader’s love of reading.  It shouldn’t be a chore, or even proof you’ve read. If reading feels like a chore, do you like doing it?  I sure don’t.  As summer approaches, it’s important for your kids to read, but again, if it’s not fun, they won’t like it.  Let them read whatever they want.  Seriously.  If they aren’t reading great American Literature, it’s okay.  Comic books are fabulous.  As are graphic novels.  Nonfiction is as fantastic as fiction.  Recipes count.  Ann Arbor has SPECTACULAR libraries.  Use them.  Let your kids listen to books on CD.  Take turns reading out loud…or don’t take turns!  Basically, the only thing they SHOULDN’D do?  NOT READ.