What we're reading

Yesterday in the car, both my girls were reading chapter books for pleasure and I said, "I've done it. Our kids love reading. My work here is done." Ha! But, seriously, I've prayed to raise children who love to read because if you can read and like it, you can self-educate. You can learn anything! 

Here's what we're reading lately :) 

Natalie: 

• Fancy Clancy - A chapter book mystery series featuring our favorite Fancy Nancy. I think there are three or four in the series so far and they are favorites of Natalie's. 

• Nancy Drew graphic novels. We love Nancy Drew, I loved her books as a kid and I couldn't wait to share her wonderfulness with my girls! Natalie wasn't quite ready for the original series (she can do it, she just gets intimidated by smaller words and no pictures, but she'll get there.) We love the movie and we've listened to some of the Clue Crew series on CD from the library and then I got these graphic novels used. Natalie ate them up. Graphic novels for kids are a GREAT way to help timid kids get into reading for pleasure! The Thea Stilton books and the Boxcar Children graphic novels are some good examples! Layla has loved both of those series. 

Layla:

• I just mentioned two series that Layla likes, but more recently, she's been getting these Mercy Watson books from the library. This is a chapter book series for younger kids just getting into chapters. It's funny and silly (Mercy is a pig who lives with people) and it's the perfect cross between picture book and chapter book. I wish there were more series like that! 

• Layla also likes anything written in diary form. She's read all of this Lotus Lane series, for example. 

Kelby:

• Kelby is just learning to read! I'm so proud of him. To teach him, I'm using my trusty The Reading Lesson and also the Explode the Code: Get Ready for the Code series. He's much more workbook oriented than either of my girls were! Which is nice, actually. 
• While we always like the B.O.B. books, a similar learning-to-read series that we like even a little better is the Now I'm Reading books. These are so great, they're the same size as the B.O.B. books, but the pictures are more wacky and colorful and the stories are silly and funny. We have only two sets, but I've used these for all my kids. 

My turn! 

• I recently read Timothy Keller's The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness because my brother-in-law recommended it on Instagram. It was really great. It's very short, I read it in about 45 minutes during Layla's piano lesson and the Kindle version in only $1.62. I'm eager to read it again very soon. Highly recommend! I also have The Prodigal God by the same author and plan to start it today. 
• I started The Charlotte Mason Companion while we were still living in the hotel and I love pulling it out about once a week to digest a new chapter. The Charlotte Mason method has done so much for our homeschool! I can talk more about that in a later post, but I'm not sure how many homeschooling readers I have so I won't drone on about it here and now ;) 
• As for fiction, I am sooooo picky. I don't like to waste time on twaddle (that was a Charlotte Mason reference--if you got it, you're a homeschool nerd like me) and I often start books and quit them because I think they're dumb. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier has been on my to-read list for a super long time and I finally started it last week. It was written in the late 30's and it is SO GOOD!!!! I haven't yet finished it, so don't hate me if you read it and the ending is bad, ha! 

Read-alouds:

This is the best part! I looooove reading out loud to the kids. I could make a whole post of our faves and maybe I will. But for now, 

• We are finishing the Wayside School series. It is so funny. The second one is probably my favorite. Grown-ups listening laugh just as much as the kids. We read aloud a lot at school time, but I like to have a just-for-fun book going too. 
• As we study Egypt in school, I read The Curse of King Tut's Mummy out loud to the girls. This is the true story of Howard Carter and his finding King Tut's tomb, written for children in a way that is exciting and interesting for them. It's difficult to find well-written books in this genre, so I thought this one was worth a shout out. We loved it. 
• Tirzah We've read one chapter of this and although the girls weren't super into it, I really think they will be if we continue. It's the story of an Israelite girl whose family is part of the Exodus from Egypt. I love homeschooling history because I get to teach Biblical history alongside ancient history and this book is a perfect example of that. 

I think that's all for now! I'd tell you what Casey's reading, but his current reads are for his Master's degree and have terms like "ethnomusicology" and "Iranian sung poetry".  No lie. 

What are you reading??