reading out loud

[Kim S.]

We've just started reading longer books out-loud with our boys (ages 4 and 7). It has been a fabulous winter activity, as we hang out by the fireplace to stay warm while we read. We started with Harry Potter - have read the first two books, and will work our way through the series. My younger son begged for me to read Inkheart, so we're starting that today. We also have The Hobbit on our reading list. Some of my childhood favorites that I plan to try with them are The Secret Garden and Mandy. I'd love any thoughts/ideas anyone else has about books.

[Amanda]

My boys have just discovered comic books and love them. We are reading Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Gary Larson, and Boom Boy. I looked up graphic novels on Amazon and also came up with this list:

Agent Boo Volume 1 (Agent Boo (Graphic Novels)) (v. 1) (Paperback)

Secret agent Jack Stalwart. bk. 1, Escape of the deadly dinosaur : USA / Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Evan Brain! Adventures of a Delusional Kid Superhero

Point Blank: The Graphic Novel (Alex Rider (Graphic Novels)

Bone Volume 1: Out From Boneville

Just Grace / written and illustrated by Charise Mericle Harper

Ellie McDoodle

[Dawning]

We really enjoyed Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett.

We'll also waiting patiently for DS10 to finish reading the latest Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, The Last Straw. This series we aren't reading out loud together but individually. I think I enjoy it better when we read out loud together because you all discover the story at the same time instead of having to wait to discuss it.

[Sue VanHattum]

I read chapter books to my son often, and I can't remember hardly any right now. (Yikes!) One we've read multiple times is Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling C. Holling.

[Lani]

I would say Holes, by Lois Sachar, and the Wayside School stories as well, now that I mention it. I love His Dark Materials, and Of course, I adore Harry potter with all my heart. :) Garth Nix has Sabriel, Stuart Hill Cry of the Icemark, Edith Pattou East, and Gail Carson Levine Ella Enchanted. (Don't judge it by it's movie, the book is amazing)

I'm taking all of these from the fantasy books I loved when I was younger.

[Kara]

One of our favorite read-aloud books is "Minnie" by Annie MG Schmidt (translator Lance Salway). It's about a cat who gets turned into a young girl :)

[Ruth Suyamin]

Right now we are into Dick King-Smith......mostly stories about animals and people interacting - I'm loving it and so is my 5 yr old son :)

[Joy larson]

That sounds wonderful! Will love to see more suggestions. My son is four now

[Sarah]

My children loved listening to The Chronicles of Narnia when they were 6 and 7. We started with the first book, The Magician's Nephew and kept right on going through the last book in the series. My 8 year old son even enjoyed the book Little Women this summer.

[Kerry M.]

I read these answers with interest, I have a son who will be six this winter and a son who will be 4 . I love reading to them but they arent interested much in any books that are longer, or that dont have pictures on every page. How do you get a 4 year old to be interested w/out pictures to look at? just curious. Maybe its just a develpmental thing?

[Meg Walker]

My kids loved the Dinotopia books by James Gurney. There were 3 big ones, with gorgeous and complex illustrations, all by the original author. They loved looking at the pictures even when we weren't reading the books. And then there was a series of paperbacks, without illustrations and written by other authors, each with a different adventure of a young human/dinosaur team.

[Katherine]

Yes. I think it's partly developmental and partly inclination.

Karl still isn't very interested in books for his stories but he gets TONS of stories out of watching TV and vids and online clips. He takes those stories and acts them out, talks about them with other friends, role plays constantly it seems like. All without getting stories out of books.

If it seems like a child isn't getting reading time in enough to learn how to read, that wouldn't apply to Karl since he's gone from pre-reading to early reading by using other media besides books for the most part. He is a big gamer and has learned so much about numbers and words just through that interaction alone.

However if your child *loves* stories and doesn't like your reading voice (true of my voice with Karl sometimes) try playing read aloud tapes too.

Don't worry about a child not getting enough print into their lives unless you are avoiding it. Then you might want to strew more print in your environment at home and away. It's everywhere. I don't see how one could avoid it without a LOT of out of the way effort.

One thing that's common with boys is that they're not typically as quick to play with letters and words as many girls might be. Karl tends to be more action oriented in his learning and doesn't like the passivity of being read aloud to. Never has enjoyed sitting and listening. Just not his forte. Also I've noticed that he is not quite up to tracking sequentially and keeping in order what he's seeing on the page. That's developmental and also common not just for boys but many children.

~Katherine

Kerry M. said:

I read these answers with interest, I have a son who will be six this winter and a son who will be 4 . I love reading to them but they arent interested much in any books that are longer, or that dont have pictures on every page. How do you get a 4 year old to be interested w/out pictures to look at? just curious. Maybe its just a develpmental thing?

[Kim S.]

Kerry,
My younger son, who is now 5, appears not to be interested when we're reading. He will quietly play nearby - either right next to us, or on the other side of the room (sometimes even playing Wii with the sound off). I used to think he wasn't listening, but later he would bring up parts of the story I had read, and I realized he listened to everything. My other son will frequently place around the couch while I read ... took a while to get over the feeling of dizzines and ignore the pacing while I read. I actually enjoyed seeing that my kids absorbed the stories in manners that worked for each of them. I know a few families whose kids also like to play while they are being read to. It might be worth a try for you guys, too.

We're also really big on audio books. We spend a fair amount of time in the car, and the kids often ask me to drive around a little longer so they can hear more of the story. They take turns picking out audio books at the library. The latest ones they loved are the Ghosthunters series by Cornelia Funke, and The Big One-Oh by Dean Pitchford. For audio books, the reader makes all the difference in the world. If you find a good reader, try to find other books narrated by the same person.

Hope that helps some!
Kim



How do you get a 4 year old to be interested w/out pictures to look at? just curious. Maybe its just a develpmental thing?