April has been a productive book reading month for me although I seemed to manage to read rather less to the children, over the Easter break. Anyway, I'm trying to catch up on this now.
Our current read alouds are
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome. Youngest Son is loving this book although his sister is less keen and I'm realising that I don't understand a fair amount of this book. Nautical terminology is going right over my head. This book should come with a warning that it fuels the requests to go camping again!
Fine Print: A Story about Johann Gutenberg by Joann Burch. This is the Veritas literature selection for our current history. Again, a rather technical book in parts.
South Sea Rescue by Kay Walsh is our current book club selection.
13 Buildings Every Child Should Know by Annette Roeder has been a major success. I intended to read from this a couple of times a week but there have been requests for a building each day. We are due to finish it tomorrow and everyone will be sad. This is a beautiful book about 13 famous buildings around the world. There are details of the construction and reason for each building along with a time line and some simple architectural terminology.
My own reading has been dominated by prereading books for the book club. One of my current reads The Wheel on the School illustrates the issues around this. So far, the book is engaging and would be ideal for the book club except for one thing: it has to be purchased from the US so books will take a few weeks to arrive. I'm wondering whether this is such a problem that I will need to find a different book or whether there is some other way round this.
I've written about The Good Master.
Stone Fox is a short read and a bit of a tear jerker. Ideal for children probably from about six. Spoiler alert: avoid if your child is sensitive about animals dying.
How to teach Shakespeare to your Children by Ken Ludwig.
I'm not a great Shakespeare fan and this book hasn't changed that but it has helped me understand more about Shakespeare's plays and how to make them accessible to my children.
The main premise of the book is to teach the children short passages from the plays so that something is familiar to them. Along with the passage, the child needs to understand the meaning of the passage and the play. Ludwig uses passages from some of the most well known plays and goes over their background.
At the end of the book is a helpful list of resources including children's versions of Shakespeare and videos of the plays.
Our current read alouds are
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome. Youngest Son is loving this book although his sister is less keen and I'm realising that I don't understand a fair amount of this book. Nautical terminology is going right over my head. This book should come with a warning that it fuels the requests to go camping again!
Fine Print: A Story about Johann Gutenberg by Joann Burch. This is the Veritas literature selection for our current history. Again, a rather technical book in parts.
South Sea Rescue by Kay Walsh is our current book club selection.
13 Buildings Every Child Should Know by Annette Roeder has been a major success. I intended to read from this a couple of times a week but there have been requests for a building each day. We are due to finish it tomorrow and everyone will be sad. This is a beautiful book about 13 famous buildings around the world. There are details of the construction and reason for each building along with a time line and some simple architectural terminology.
My own reading has been dominated by prereading books for the book club. One of my current reads The Wheel on the School illustrates the issues around this. So far, the book is engaging and would be ideal for the book club except for one thing: it has to be purchased from the US so books will take a few weeks to arrive. I'm wondering whether this is such a problem that I will need to find a different book or whether there is some other way round this.
I've written about The Good Master.
Stone Fox is a short read and a bit of a tear jerker. Ideal for children probably from about six. Spoiler alert: avoid if your child is sensitive about animals dying.
How to teach Shakespeare to your Children by Ken Ludwig.
I'm not a great Shakespeare fan and this book hasn't changed that but it has helped me understand more about Shakespeare's plays and how to make them accessible to my children.
The main premise of the book is to teach the children short passages from the plays so that something is familiar to them. Along with the passage, the child needs to understand the meaning of the passage and the play. Ludwig uses passages from some of the most well known plays and goes over their background.
At the end of the book is a helpful list of resources including children's versions of Shakespeare and videos of the plays.
Pitchin' a Fit by Israel and Brook Wayne was a challenging and Biblically based book about getting angry, or rather, not getting angry with children. Some of the questions were challenging in looking at trigger situations and the Biblical view of anger was helpful.
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke volume 2 by JC Ryle. I have written before about how much I like these books. They are pithy, relevant and avoid the wordiness of much Victorian writing. The sections are ideal length of reading in about 10 minutes once a day.
Please recommend books. I am particularly looking for children's chapter books about the continents of Oceania, Europe and South America but any other recommendations are gratefully received.
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Following on from my comment on "the wheel on the school" it could be that Corrie Ten Boom fits the bill. Maybe "in my fathers house" would be suitable leaving the war years ones until the children are older
ReplyDeleteSorry my first comment didn't get there ! I remember the wheel on the school from my own childhood. It is a quaint story reflecting the Dutch way of life. I am not sure it is worth waiting weeks for it to be delivered from USA.
ReplyDeleteMay be "in my fathers house " by Corrie Ten Boom could be an option. A heartwarming history of obedience.
Thank you, Heather. I will read In my Father's House. I had thought about the Hiding Place but thought it was too old so this might be a useful alternative.
DeleteThank you, Heather. I will read In my Father's House. I had thought about the Hiding Place but thought it was too old so this might be a useful alternative.
DeleteA few years ago my kids (now 10 & 12) enjoyed The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell which is set in Australia. I read it aloud as a bedtime story. Heidi by Johanna Spyri was also popular (Switzerland/Germany). Hth. I'll also be posting about Ken Ludwig's book in the next couple of days, God willing - thanks for your original post on his book - it inspired me :-)
ReplyDeleteHelen, Thank you. You have made up my mind. I read Silver Brumby but wasn't quite sure about it, mainly, because it is a genre that I don't particularly enjoy. I wondered whether the children would like the book and, I suspect they will, so we can go ahead with this. Did you watch the film as well? If so, was it worth seeing?
DeleteThe children in the group like Heidi but I can't use it as so many of them have already read it! A bit disappointing for me as I love the book, too.
Sorry, we haven't watched the film so I can't help you with that - what a shame about Heidi - I'm hoping to get away with re-reading it for a bedtime story as dd2 doesn't remember it the first time round :-)
DeleteBanner of truth magazine inform us that JC Ryle was born two hundred years ago this year. I can see that you are reading his expository thoughts on Luke. I have read his "stories for boys and girls" on the kindle edition to our daughter. She loved the one about the bear eating the mockers of Elisha just on its literary merits as she has not yet made a profession.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather, I think that we have that book. I haven't read it but must pull it out.
DeleteHi Sarah, just wanted to pop by and say thank you very much for your prayers, they were so appreciated. Gary is home and recovering well x
ReplyDeleteDelighted to hear this. Hope he continues to make a smooth recovery.
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