2008 Reads

2008 was a great year for reading!!! I found more time this year to read then I ever have before. I also have tried to read the monthly book with my ward book club (even though I have never been able to actually make it to the book club meeting). By reading with the book club, I have read several really good books that I would NEVER in a million years choose for myself! I also joined GoodReads, where I found several books recommended by my friends. I read a total of 29 books this year - a record for me (unless you count the Babysitters Club books I used to devour as a tween)! My favorite book I read this year was The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Reading has been such an enjoyable outlet for me this year!

Inspired mostly by my friend and supermom, Lisa, I started reading chapter books to Andrew and Logan at bedtime. I was nervous at first that the boys wouldn't pay attention or be very interested in books with few (if any) pictures, but I was pleasantly surprised! Sometimes I have to remind Logan to lay down and listen, and I'm not sure if he gets anything out if it yet, but I think he'll grow into it! Andrew really seems to love it and often begs for, "One more chapter, PLEASE!!!" Reading aloud at night has really become a special time for me, to share some of my old favorite books with the boys and discover some new ones together too! I'm exited to include Hannah in the ritual in the future and read some more girly books like Anne of Green Gables, and the Little House on the Prarie books. I hope they will let me read to them for many years; I think it would be so cool to read the Harry Potter and Narnia series together, and when they're much older, maybe even Lord of the Rings and some of the Classics. Do you think they will still want to read with me when they're in high school?

Chapter Books We've Read Together in 2008:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
My Father's Dragon (Trilogy) by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Stuart Little by E.B. White
The Mouse and The Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne
The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes - this was Andrew's very favorite book of the year!