The Kids are Alright

I'm not sure what happened with my last three posts - they were all dated September 11. I sometimes write a bunch of posts to keep in inventory so I can post regularly. I did that on September 11 but it looks like Blogger assigned that date to them even though I posted them a week apart. Oh well...technology.

One of things that I do a lot of is read with my kids. How thrilled was I, when I saw my dog-eared copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Satchel's room. This is my copy of the book - from when I was a kid - and Sam has already read it twice. I was an avid reader when I was a kid and it just tickles me to be reading some of my favorites now with Sam and Satchel.

Since having kids, I have become more and more appreciative of the children's genre. I was pretty old school (Charlotte's Web, Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jacob Two-Two) but reading with my kids has opened my eyes to some really fantastic stories and authors, ranging from Sandra Boynton to Cornelia Funke. Having boys means that I probably won't be reading Heidi, Black Beauty, or National Velvet with them. That being said, I know a lot more about dragon lore and stories than I ever thought I would, and I enjoy them thoroughly.

Sam and I have a special reading relationship. When we start a novel together we usually finish it together. Sam will read something else when it's Daddy's turn. I love this! I find it a rare night when I can't be talked into just one more chapter whether it's because I have become engrossed in the story or just to bask in Sam's enthusiasm. Right now we are reading Ice Fire, which is the second book in a dragon series by Chris D'lacey.

Here are some of my favorite children's books (not all inclusive as I could fill pages):

Guess How Much I Love You, Sam Mcbratney
Moo, Baa La, La, La, Sandra Boynton
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
Franklin the Turtle (Series), Paulette Bourgeois
Little Critter Series, Mercer Mayer
Huge Harold, Bill Peet (Bill Peet is one of my all time favorite children's authors, dating back to kindergarten)
Anything by Robert Munsch
Charlotte's Web, E.B. White
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, Mordecai Richler
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum
Dragon Rider, Cornelia Funke

I am happy to say that Satchel seems to be following a similar path to Sam in his love of reading. He loved Charlotte's Web, which was our first try at a chapter book (did he ever feel like a big boy). We followed with Jacob Two-Two (Sam wouldn't read this for some reason which tickled Satchel even more) and now on to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Harry Potter series shouldn't be too far off and I can't wait to read it for the third time.