I've gotten into the habit of reading to my kids at bedtime. My three older kids can all read (and are all good readers) but seem to enjoy the stories and the time we spend together. My youngest just turned five, and isn't interested in the stories my older kids (9, 9 and 12) like, though I usually read to her before her nap time. I had been working my way through Patrick F. McManus' books, when the older kids misplaced the one we were reading. It was then that we started "Call of the Wild" by Jack London, a book I had read probably 30 years ago. A great story, the book is even better read aloud. It's an exciting tale, and it's easy to slip into the fun and drama of the events. Written in 1905, London tends to use quite a few "four-bit words," which leave my kids wondering at times what he's talking about. I've made it clear that the kids are not to interrupt the tale by fiddling around, but they may at any time stop me and ask questions about meanings of words or anything else related to the story. It takes a lot longer to read when we stop to talk about things, but it's time well spent. I wish they would ask more questions.
I'm not sure what we'll read after this one, but really, there is no shortage of great stories. I think I'll choose something just a bit past their comfort zone, and hope for some more good conversation.
No comments:
Post a Comment