So...D.E.A.R.

Drop Everything And Read

Reading is one of my favorite ways to spend time with the kiddos. This year, with First Daughter in Kindergarten and at home reading requirements, we have rekindled our love for reading chapter books.

Here are a few of the chapter books that we've read in the past year:

Pollyana is a story loved by many, but this was actually my first time reading the story. I had never even seen the movie. I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true. First Daughter & I read this around the time Third Daughter was born. If I remember correctly, Grandma read a few of the middle chapters with First Daughter.

This was a great story, very well written, and full of my kind of humor. I loved it. I think First Daughter was too young at the time to follow the story or to understand the humor. I'm not even sure that after watching the movie she understood the story any better. We will definitely try this one again now that she's older. I know that she will love it someday.

Pinnochio is also a classic that I had never read. My only experience was the Disney movie - which is very different from the book. This, in my opinion, in not appropriate for little kids. Pinnochio is very naughty! In the movie Pinnochio seems innocent to me - as if he finds himself in trouble or in sticky situations because other manipulate or take advantage of him. In the book, Pinnochio gets himself into mischief and is not a very good boy. How he ever turns into a real boy? I don't know. He definitely doesn't do anything to deserve it!

This was another story that was a bit too mature for First Daughter (we read it when she was barely 4). I found myself substituting a lot of words and skipping parts while reading it to her because I thought some of it was inappropriate. I don't think I will even recommend she read this again when she's older. Who knows...

Peter Pan I loved! Again, I was only familiar with the Disney movie and the stage production - never had read the book. But I loved it! And I think First & Second Daughter loved it too. They were fairly familiar with the story which I think helped them follow along with the storyline. The pictures in our copy also helped. I'm pretty sure Second Daughter was more interested in the pictures than the story, but that's ok.

We love the fantasy, adventure, and imagery of Peter Pan. Reading it made us want to fly away to Neverland and play with the Lost Boys and Princess Tigerlily. We had a lot of fun reading this one.

The girls favorite part: the word "nincompoop." They couldn't get over how funny that word is and kept asking for me to "read the part that says nincompoop" over and over again. What can I say, it is a hilarious word!

Alice in Wonderland is a strange book. It is just strange. There is a lot of fantasy, strange characters, confusing conversation and riddles, and definitely a lot of intrigue. Did my 3 & 5 year follow the storyline? I'm pretty sure they didn't. Most of the time I don't think they had any idea what we were reading about. Not to mention the book hardly resembles the Disney movie that they are familiar with.

The biggest upside for the girls? This book also used the word nincompoop. :0)

Speaking of Disney's Alice in Wonderland...we just barely saw the latest version with Johnny Depp. I have to admit, I didn't think I would like it at all, but I loved it!

So what are we reading these days?
We have fallen in love with the Magic Tree House series. Fun, quick reads that are perfect for our little ones to follow. Third Daughter even likes listening and looking at the pictures. Pretty soon here I wouldn't be surprised if First Daughter is reading these books to the rest of us!