Keep Reading to Your Kids…
I feel fortunate that I have three boys who love books.¬† They read well above their grade level at school and think nothing of grabbing a book to read while they’re eating lunch or just hanging out in the house.¬† It helps, of course, that I’ve been reading to them daily since they were babies and that I severely limit their video game playing.¬† And, thankfully, there are so many great books that cater to boys’ interests.
Now that my oldest boys are able to read independently, they have control over what books they peruse.¬† Thanks to never-ending scholastic purchase orders and regular visits to the library, our house has a steady pile of books on almost every table and shelf.¬† Generally, I am just happy to see them reading – whether it’s a kids’ magazine or a book about an army of toilets.
There are a number of chapter book series that they return to over and over again.  The most popular books in our house have been from the following series:
- Captain Underpants
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- And Then It Happened
- Geronimo Stilton
- Flat Stanley
- The Spiderwick Chronicles
I still read aloud to them every night either from one of their favourite chapter books or a picture book (they still enjoy those quick and easy reads, too.)  Even though my oldest has been reading on his own for over three years, he still loves to snuggle in bed with his brothers and relax as I read. 
Lately, I’ve taken this opportunity to introduce them to some of the more difficult novels that they have been unable to get through on their.¬†¬†This is how I finally got them interested in reading Harry Potter.¬† I began¬†The Philosopher’s Stone at bedtime over¬†a month ago and they’ve all been hooked to it ever since.¬†¬†I try to get through a full chapter (minimum 20 minutes of reading) every night, yet they still beg for more when I’m done.¬†
Other books I’ve read to them include Pinocchio and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.¬† Besides the fact that they’re being exposed to great literature, I love that they know the characters from the original books not just blockbuster movies.¬†So -¬†if you can’t get your kids to read¬†a great literary treasure, do them a favour.¬† Read¬†it to them.
